In April 2024, she announced her candidacy for governor of Delaware in 2024 but was defeated in the Democratic primary by Matt Meyer. She is expected to assume the governorship when John Carney resigns to become mayor of Wilmington and complete the remaining two weeks of Carney's term.[2]
Hall-Long began a teaching career at George Mason University before moving to the University of Delaware, where she is a professor of nursing.[5]
Lieutenant Governor of Delaware
Hall-Long was elected Lieutenant Governor of Delaware in 2016, taking office on January 17, 2017. She helped create a Behavioral Health Consortium in June 2017, which she now chairs.[6] The consortium's role is to develop short-term and long-term plans to address addiction and mental health issues in Delaware.[7] In 2018, Pew Charitable Trusts partnered with the Consortium to help increase access to opioid treatment.[8] In June 2022 Hall-Long worked with state senator Sarah McBride and state representative Melissa Minor-Brown to secure $3.2 million in funding from the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services for the first in-patient addiction treatment facility for pregnant and parenting women in Delaware.[9] She was reelected in 2020 over Republican Donyale Hall.
She served as Chair of the National Lieutenant Governor's Association from 2020 to 2021.[10]
In April 2024, Hall-Long announced her candidacy for governor of Delaware, joining New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer and former Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Collin O’Mara in the Democratic primary race.[11] She faced controversy when her campaign team discovered that she has provided more than $200,000 in undisclosed payments to her husband, Dana Long.[3] She eventually amended seven years of campaign finance reports in response to the scandal.[3] Meyer ultimately won the primary and went on to win the general election.
Tenure
Despite losing her gubernatorial bid, Hall-Long is expected to become the 75th governor of Delaware in January 2025 when incumbent Governor John Carney resigns early to become mayor of Wilmington. She is expected to serve the remaining two weeks of Carney's term before being succeeded by Meyer.[2]
Personal life
Hall-Long met her husband, Dana Long, while in high school, and they married in 1987. Dana served in the U.S. Navy from 1982 to 1991 as a data systems technician. On October 30, 2014, he was arrested after being caught on video taking down political signs erected by Republicans.[12]
Electoral history
In 2000, Hall-Long initially challenged incumbent Republican Representative Richard C. Cathcart for the District 9 seat, but lost in the general election.[13]
In 2002, Hall-Long was redistricted to District 8 and won the general election with 3,591 votes (60.7%) against Republican nominee William Hutchinson.[14]
In 2004, Hall-Long won the general election unopposed with 8,228 votes.[15]
In 2006, Hall-Long won the general election with 5,864 votes (77.0%) against Republican nominee Edward Colaprete.[16]
In 2008, Republican Senator Steven H. Amick retired and left the District 10 seat open. Hall-Long won the general election with 13,965 votes (64.9%) against Republican nominee James Weldin for the senate seat.[17]
In 2012, Hall-Long won the general election unopposed with 16,498 votes.[18]
Italics indicate next-in-line of succession for states and territories without a directly elected lieutenant governor or whose lieutenant governor office is vacant:
