Wilmington House representative Brady to resign

By Rachel Sawicki
Posted 1/21/22

WILMINGTON — State Rep. Gerald Brady is resigning after 16 years of service in the House of Representatives, effective Feb. 4, he announced Friday.

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Wilmington House representative Brady to resign

Posted

WILMINGTON — State Rep. Gerald Brady is resigning after 16 years of service in the House of Representatives, effective Feb. 4, he announced Friday.

Rep. Brady, a Wilmington Democrat and Delaware Army National Guard veteran, said he has lost the majority of his hearing as a result of his deployments and has been struggling with subsequent challenges daily. He has also been diagnosed with PTSD.

“The grim reality of this condition for those of us who live with it is long periods of silent suffering, which can be punctuated by episodes or conduct that may make little sense to people who do not understand the nature of PTSD,” Rep. Brady said in a statement. “The challenges that returning veterans face can create situational stresses, which have a cumulative effect and take a great toll on an individual. Personal and professional challenges or other traumatic events can exacerbate PTSD.”

His statement also encouraged others who served in the military or know someone who served to look for warning signs of post-traumatic stress disorder and mental health issues. Early detection and intervention is critical, he said.

House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach, also released a statement Friday, applauding Rep. Brady’s work in the legislature and wishing him the best.

“Gerald has been a kind and empathetic representative who knows the residents of his district,” Rep. Schwarzkopf said. “I have always been impressed by how well he knows their stories, their families and their challenges. It’s that personal touch that has made him a good, responsive elected official for so many years.”

Rep. Schwarzkopf particularly championed Rep. Brady’s advocacy for environmental issues and workers’ rights and fair wages. Last year, he led fights on passing a $15 minimum wage law and prohibiting single-use plastic bags in stores, two landmark bills in the state.

Regarding a replacement for Rep. Brady, Drew Volturo, communications director for the House Democratic Caucus, said that a special election for the seat will be held in Wilmington’s 4th District. A writ can be issued by the House speaker anytime from the day the vacancy occurs until 10 days later, which would set a special election 30-35 days after that.

Whoever is elected would give up the seat in this year’s midterm election in November, when residents of the redrawn 4th District in Long Neck will vote for a new representative, and Rep. Brady’s replacement would not have a home district to run for reelection in.

House Minority Leader Danny Short, R-Seaford, said this development is the latest in what has been an unsettled term for Rep. Brady.

“On behalf of all the members of the House Republican Caucus, we hope Rep. Brady finds the help he needs to overcome the challenges he faces,” he said in a statement Friday.

Rep. Brady was recently the subject of some controversy after legislators determined that he used racist and sexist terms to discuss human trafficking in a June 27, 2021, email.

However, upon further investigation, the House Ethics Committee found that remarks in the email were protected by the First Amendment, which guarantees the right of free speech, and thus dropped an ethics complaint in September.

Several members of the House condemned Rep. Brady’s comments at the time, including the Ethics Committee’s chairwoman Valerie Longhurst, D-Bear, and Rep. Madinah Wilson-Anton, D-Newark, as well as state Republican Party chair Jane Brady, who said GOP officials originally called on him to resign.

Rep. Brady issued apologies in the weeks following the email and openly participated in a sensitivity training course.

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