They said they had “no intention of abandoning our chair.”

Fellow Republicans,

That is what members of the Sussex County Democratic Executive Committee wrote, in their own words, after learning their county chair, Jeff Balk, was a convicted child predator.

Instead of doing the right thing, they doubled down.

They signed their names to a letter that said they had “no intention of abandoning our chair.”

Those signers were:

Loretta Benson, First Vice-Chair and RD 36 Chair

Tim Garrahan, Second Vice-Chair

Valencia Hayes, Treasurer

Harry Gold, Recording Secretary

Michael Weiss, Corresponding Secretary

Mitch Crane, Parliamentarian

Joe Sakaduski, At-Large

Dick Byrne, RD 14 Acting Chair

Sue Nyden, RD 20 Chair

Jane Hovington, RD 37 Chair

Margaret Reyes, RD 38 Chair

Hunter Hastings, RD 39 Chair

Chris Calio, RD 40 Chair

Brad Conner, RD 41 Chair

Even after Delaware Democratic State Chair Evelyn Brady publicly called for Balk to resign, he is still in office today, and those who backed him remain silent.

“FORGIVENESS AND LEADERSHIP ARE NOT THE SAME.”

As Daniel Willis, Chair of the Sussex County Republican Party, put it best:  

“While these crimes occurred more than forty years ago, time alone does not erase their severity or the responsibility of those who now choose to overlook them. There is a difference between completing a sentence and being fit to lead. Forgiveness and rehabilitation are personal virtues, but leadership is a public trust, and some acts, especially those committed against children, permanently shatter that trust. This is especially true for a county chair, whose role often includes working alongside the youth wing of their party, young people ages 18 to 35, and even engaging with high school students through civic clubs and mentorship programs. The idea that someone with this history could occupy a position that interfaces with young people is not only unacceptable, it is dangerous.”

That is not politics.

That is principle.

THIS IS WHERE SUSSEX COUNTY MUST DRAW THE LINE

When a political party stands behind a convicted predator, that is not forgiveness. That is moral failure.

And every Democrat who signed that letter shares the blame.

Even if Balk resigns tomorrow, they all should follow him out the door.

When you defend the indefensible, you betray every survivor who ever found the courage to speak up.

THE SUSSEX GOP WILL FIGHT FOR JUSTICE EVEN WHEN THEY WILL NOT

The Sussex County Republican Party will continue to fight for justice and stand up for victims, even when the Sussex County Democratic Executive Committee refuses to.

This is what leadership looks like, and it is your support that fuels it.

Every dollar we raise allows us to speak truth to power, to defend those who cannot defend themselves, and to expose what others want hidden.  

But this fight goes beyond one scandal. It is a glimpse of what 2026 will look like. It shows exactly who we are up against and why

we cannot afford to stay silent.

Your donations power our message. They allow us not only to inform our own members, but to take this message directly to every voter in Sussex County —through advertising, outreach, and community events.  

Whether you have lived here your whole life or just moved to Delaware, you deserve to know the truth about who is leading your community, and which party still stands for common sense, accountability, and moral leadership.

STAND WITH THE SUSSEX GOP AND STAND FOR WHAT IS RIGHT

Your contribution is not just about politics. It is a statement of conscience and a commitment to justice.

$25. $50. $100. Whatever you give says this:

• Character still counts.

• Integrity still matters.

• Sussex County will not stay silent.

DONATE NOW — DEFEND SUSSEX COUNTY’S VALUES

Together, we will remind Delaware what moral leadership looks like.

Because when others lose their way, we stand firm.