Dr. Emily A. Thompson is a Republican candidate for the Delaware Senate’s District 15.
I have spent my entire life in Delaware, and for more than a decade, I have had the privilege of serving Delawareans through state government.
That experience has given me a perspective I believe is important, as I seek to serve District 15 in the Delaware Senate: I understand government from both sides of the desk.
I have seen firsthand how decisions made in Dover translate into policies, programs and services for Delaware families. I have also experienced those decisions as a Delawarean, a daughter of a farming family, a small-business community member and a neighbor who cares deeply about the future of the place I call home.
Government decisions are never just numbers on a spreadsheet or language in a piece of legislation. They affect real people.
They affect whether a family can afford to stay in their home, whether a small business can continue to operate, whether a farmer can pass a farm down to the next generation, whether a parent can find the right support for his or her child or whether taxpayers can trust that their money is being spent responsibly.
My professional career has centered on serving Delaware families and children. Earlier in my career, I worked directly with families in crisis, and today, my work focuses on programs supporting the healthy development and well-being of children and families.
Those experiences have reinforced something I believe strongly: Prevention and early intervention matter.
When we identify challenges early and connect families with appropriate resources, we have an opportunity to improve outcomes for children and families, while using public resources more effectively.
I was raised on my family’s farm in Hartly. I grew up in a multigenerational farming and small-business family, where I learned the value of hard work, personal responsibility and looking out for your neighbors.
When I talk with residents throughout District 15, I hear concerns about rising costs, the future of agriculture, the challenges facing small businesses, the quality of our schools, public safety and the need for greater accountability and transparency in government.
I want to bring a practical, conservative voice to Dover, while remaining accessible to every person I represent.
I believe we should support our farmers and small businesses by reducing unnecessary burdens and making sure that our infrastructure and policies allow them to succeed.
I believe our children deserve quality educational opportunities and that we should continue looking for ways to identify and address challenges early.
I believe taxpayers deserve accountability and transparency. Government should regularly evaluate whether programs are working, whether resources are being used effectively and whether spending reflects the priorities of the people paying the bill.
I believe in individual liberty, personal responsibility, constitutional rights and supporting the law enforcement officers and first responders who serve our communities.
I have had the opportunity to see government from the inside. I have also experienced the impact of government decisions as a Delawarean who lives in the same communities, shops at the same small businesses, supports local farms and cares about the same future we all share.
That dual perspective would come with me to the state Senate.
I am not running because I believe government has all the answers.
I am running because I believe government should work better for the people it serves.
That means listening before legislating, asking difficult questions about spending, looking for practical solutions instead of unnecessary bureaucracy, protecting the freedoms that belong to individuals, supporting the people who keep our communities safe and remembering that every policy decision ultimately affects a person, a family, a business or a community.
District 15 deserves representation that is present, accessible and accountable.
I care deeply about the future of this district because it is not just a political district to me. It is home.
It is where my family has put down roots. It is where I was raised. It is where I have built my career serving Delaware families. And it is where I hope to continue serving.
I am asking for the opportunity to take everything I have learned from more than a decade inside state government — combined with the perspective of someone who lives with the consequences of those decisions — and put it to work for the people of District 15.
I would be honored to serve you.
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
