Candidate name: Kathleen Jennings

Party: Democratic

Age: 69

Hometown: Wilmington

Political experience: Incumbent attorney general (2019-current)

Professional experience: I have over 20 years of experience working in the Department of Justice, over 15 years working as a private practice attorney and extensive administrative experience.

What uniquely qualifies you for this office?

Over my career, I served as state prosecutor, chief deputy attorney general and chief administrative officer of New Castle County. I have prosecuted hundreds of cases: domestic violence, sexual assaults and homicides. There is not a single thing I would ask a member of the Department of Justice to do that I have not personally done myself.

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

I am running for reelection to continue our fight against gun violence, to protect a woman’s right to choose and to preserve our democracy.

What changes would you make to Delaware’s gun laws?

As attorney general, I have secured an 85% conviction rate on gun violence cases and helped pass historic new laws to ban assault weapons and crack down on so-called “ghost guns” in Delaware. I have also advocated for and supported the package of gun safety legislation that passed, including a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, raising the age of gun possession to 21 and allowing my office to bring enforcement actions against gun manufacturers and dealers for their knowing or reckless conduct. We still have a lot of work to do, and that includes getting a permit-to-purchase bill passed.

What does Delaware need to do to best address the opioid epidemic?

I believe these decisions should be made by experts, not politicians. That’s why I supported the bill that creates an independent, collaborative commission to protect opioid settlement money and which puts the communities impacted by the epidemic at the table. The attorney general’s most important role here is to hold Big Pharma accountable, and we’ve done that. In my first term, we have secured settlements that stand to deliver more than $150 million to Delaware for prevention, treatment and abatement. We need to keep up that work. I’m also proud of the work I’ve done as attorney general and as state prosecutor to find funding for first responders to carry the overdose-reversal drug Narcan and support the work of the Behavioral Health Consortium, atTAcK addiction and others to advance harm-reduction strategies that save lives.

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

Delaware has taken several steps to expand access — such as the new law broadening eligible providers — and I’ve been proud to support and defend all of them, in court or in the public. One recent new project my office has announced is a partnership with several law firms to provide abortion-related free legal services to anyone (patient, provider, etc.) who wants it. I also sued the Seaford City Council over an abortion ordinance and won.

Are there any new initiatives or changes you would bring to the office?

We’ve brought violent crime down by securing an 85% conviction rate in gun cases, and we have secured thousands of years of prison sentences against violent gun offenders, gone after gun traffickers and taken on the gun lobby to pass the most significant gun safety bills in Delaware’s history. I’ve fought to protect our kids, increased penalties against child predators and secured life sentences against pedophiles and child abusers. For the first time, I’ve taken on human trafficking, hate crimes and criminal corruption — including in my own party. The office needs to stay on this path to create a safer and more just Delaware.