Delaware Democrats Pick House Leadership

The Delaware House Democratic Caucus has elected its leadership for the 153rd General Assembly. Representative Melissa Minor-Brown has been chosen as speaker-elect, Representative Kerri Evelyn Harris as House Majority Leader, and Representative Ed Osienski as House Majority Whip.

Rep. Minor-Brown, who has served since 2018, has previously held roles as House Majority Whip and House Majority Leader. In 2023, she introduced House Bill 205, which proposed significant revisions to Delaware’s Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights, sparking considerable debate among lawmakers and the public.

Rep. Harris, elected in 2022, previously served as House Majority Whip. She has been active in legislation related to voting rights and social justice.

Rep. Osienski, who has served since 2010, has chaired the Labor Committee and served as Vice-Chair of the Transportation and Public Safety and Homeland Security Committees. He sponsored House Bill 1 and House Bill 2 in 2023, which aimed to legalize and regulate recreational marijuana in Delaware, both bills becoming focal points of extensive debate before their eventual passage.

The full House of Representatives will formally elect the speaker on January 14, 2025. The Democratic Caucus also welcomes six new members: Josue Ortega (3rd District), Melanie Ross Levin (10th District), Claire Snyder-Hall (14th District), Kamala Smith (15th District), Frank Burns (21st District), and Mara Gorman (23rd District).