SPOTLIGHT RACE: Ray Seigfried for DE-SD05
Brandywine, Claymont, and The Ardens share a common goal: community. As a former State Representative in the 7th House District, I worked to balance policy in Dover and bring state government services to our communities for your individual needs. I also fixed intersections and filled potholes, participated in local meetings, and listened to you and your concerns. I am running for Senate because I have the experience, knowledge, and compassion to serve our district as a full-time Senator.
My upbringing in a blue-collar neighborhood in Philadelphia, as the son of a union electrician and a mother who ran a small business, instilled me with the values of hard work and the importance of community service. I was the first in my family to attend college, graduating from Bloomsburg University with a BA in political science and an MA in Administration from Antioch University. The school's motto, 'Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity,' has been my guiding principle. These life experiences have inspired me to dedicate my life to serving others.
Over the years, working at several hospitals, I worked my way up to become Senior VP at the most extensive Delaware hospital system. I then became a full-time professor teaching health policy, finance, and business classes at the School of Global Business at Arcadia University. Later, I was elected as State Representative of District 7, where I was vice chair of the Health and Human Development Committee and earned the respect and trust of both House and Senate members. Most recently, I became a founding member of RISE Delaware, an organization whose purpose is to ensure that retirees and state employees maintain their health insurance.
I was elected to the Arden Community Planning Committee, where I served as chairman. I provided solutions to many issues facing our neighborhood. Working with County Councilman John Cartier, I led the effort to certify all of The Ardens Accessory Dwelling Units. I also led the way again to create and implement a vacant housing ordinance that protects our community's health, safety, and welfare. I chaired the Governance Task Force this year to recommend changes to our state charter.
I served on the Wilmington Hope Commission, an organization that provides education that focuses on breaking the chain of recidivism that sees too many young black men leave prison only to be caught up in crime again. I hired graduates of this program to work at the hospital.
I chaired the task force that operationalized the Cease Violence program in Wilmington, modeled after the Cure Violence program from Chicago. The program's purpose was to stop gun violence in Wilmington.
It has been an honor to serve my community and state government, working to improve the quality of life for the people of our district. I am grateful for the opportunities I have had to make a difference, and I ask for your vote to continue building a healthier, safer, and more affordable future for all of us.
https://www.rayfordelaware.com