Candidate name: Daniel B. Short

Party: Republican

Hometown: Seaford

Political experience: Seaford City Council, mayor of the city of Seaford, state representative first elected in 2006.

Professional experience: Insurance agent, president of Short Insurance Associates Inc.

What uniquely qualifies you for this office?

My goals and the ability to get things done are based upon my past experience as the Seaford Volunteer Fire Department’s fire chief, a city of Seaford council member and the mayor of the city of Seaford. I also have been proud to serve as the state representative for the 39th District for 16 years and the leader elected by my peers in the House of Representatives. Gaining experience in these prior positions and the leadership role I now play have helped immensely in getting things done in Dover.

What are the top three issues for this office in your view?

My three top priorities are public safety, pursuing economic development and bringing jobs to the area, all while helping to support our educational system to allow teachers to teach and have the resources they need to accomplish that goal.

What would be your top priority if elected?

Many think we are sent to Dover to pass many laws, while I think the biggest impact we can have is in helping solve issues, whether they be very personal or community-based. Constituent service and having a great staff to help in that effort is how I like to make a difference.

If you could change one state policy or law, what would it be?

I would like to see the Parental Rights Protection Amendment (House Bill 319, 151st General Assembly) be adopted. The amendment is needed to safeguard parental authority against government encroachment. There are presently at least 30 states that either have a statute defining and protecting parental rights, case law that interprets parental interests as a fundamental right or both. Delaware has neither. This measure would have added language to the state constitution to confirm that parents have a fundamental right to the “care, custody, and control of their child.” I co-sponsored this bill, which died in the House Administration Committee after being illicitly held without a hearing.

What can Delaware do about its workforce issues?

Delaware, like many states, has a gap between job vacancies and people qualified and willing to perform those jobs. For too long, there was a flawed mind-set that a college degree was the only avenue to success. Unlike other states, Delaware has shifted its focus to a more inclusive approach that realizes there are many avenues to rewarding careers that do not require college. The Delaware Pathways program is quickly reorienting Delaware’s high school experience, preparing students for success by helping them acquire occupational skills and working with employers to not only get students “real-world experience” but also build relationships that can lead to job offers after graduation. This approach is also being taken at our vo-tech school districts by expanding training opportunities for adult students to take positions in high-demand occupations. This is still a work in progress, but Delaware is significantly further ahead of many other states in bridging the gap between employers and those that are unemployed and underemployed.

What, if any, gun laws would you change?

I think the law that was enacted this year banning countless models of semi-automatic firearms, often based on nothing more than cosmetic features, was a misguided mistake that will do nothing to improve public safety. I also have concerns over failed legislation that was recently proposed that would have required Delawareans to acquire a license to purchase a firearm. No citizen should need the state’s permission to exercise a right guaranteed to them in the state and federal constitutions. Our nation does not have a gun problem; it has a violence problem. In our region, Philadelphia is on pace to match last year’s record-breaking number of 562 murders. Firearms did not create this tragic statistic. The root cause is a generation of young men who find it acceptable, even desirable, to use lethal force to advance their own interests. Restricting the availability of firearms to law-abiding citizens is not going to fix that problem.

How would you protect or change abortion rights in the state?

Roe v. Wade was case law for nearly 50 years before the U.S. Supreme Court struck it down. Delaware enacted legislation in 2017 that protected the availability of abortion services under the same conditions as Roe v. Wade. As a result, our state was unaffected by the high court’s action. We have maintained the status quo. While I tend to take a pro-life stance, which I believe represents the opinions of the majority of people in my district, I do not foresee any future Delaware legislature from enacting legislation that would change the current status quo.

Do you support the State Employee Benefits Committee’s move to a Medicare Advantage plan for state retirees? Why?

I neither support nor oppose it. This was not a legislative decision. It was a decision that was made by the State Employee Benefits Committee, which awarded a three-year contract to Highmark Delaware to administer the new Medicare Advantage plan in lieu of the current coverage. At issue is an unfunded current retiree health care liability of more than $10 billion — a figure that would have more than tripled over the next 28 years if left unaddressed. As someone who has spent a career in the insurance industry, I can confidently state that health care plans are in a constant state of flux. I fully understand and empathize with the concerns of retirees. I also understand that it is not realistic to expect there would never be any consequential changes to a system we know is not sustainable. I support the legislation the General Assembly will pass on Oct. 26 to create an office that will act as an advocate for retirees and help ensure that they are treated fairly and continue to receive the high level of health care services they have earned.