Why Should Delaware Care?
Matt Meyer has now become the new governor of Delaware, and can direct state agencies and propose new budget priorities and policies. Inaugural addresses are often a window into a new governor’s priorities.
After being sworn in as the 76th governor of Delaware on Tuesday morning, Matt Meyer said the moment marked “a bold step in a new direction.”
The former New Castle County executive, lawyer, school teacher and entrepreneur took the oath of office at a ceremony at Delaware State University in Dover, after frigid temperatures forced the festivities from their typical Legislative Mall location. It’s believed to be the first time nationwide that a historically Black college and university (HBCU) has hosted such a ceremony.
While the new governor’s remarks were filled with many of the platitudes that are to be expected by such a speech, Meyer also highlighted the challenges that he is now tasked with addressing.
“In Delaware, civility is alive and well. It’s who we are. At the same time, we cannot afford to shy away from speaking the truth. From taking a stand,” he said. “In Delaware — and across our country — we feel unsettled in these tumultuous times. Life’s essentials still cost too much, and wages aren’t keeping pace. Our schools aren’t preparing our kids like they should. Inequalities are becoming more extreme.
“So it’s not just the speed and volume of change that’s got people concerned — it’s the direction those changes threaten to take us. That’s true whether we’re talking about our economy, our climate, or our politics,” he added.
In winning the governorship, Meyer bucked the precedent and paved his own path. Unlike his five predecessors, he has never held a statewide office. In the primary election, he did not receive the endorsement of the state Democratic Party or any of the top party officials.
Despite a gap in name recognition and party support, he raised a significant amount of campaign funds by running against the status quo and offering a progressive platform on issues like marijuana, physician-assisted death, taxes and more.
In the end, he not only won his home New Castle County in the primary, but also Sussex County, where he built connections over the past year. He easily coasted through the general election to become the fifth consecutive Democrat to hold the governor’s office.
Education leads speech’s themes
Three major themes rose from Meyer’s inaugural speech, which lasted about 21 minutes: education, health care and operating under a Trump presidency.
Meyer mentioned his time in the classroom at least five times throughout his speech.
“I’ve shared many of my plans for reform, and I’ll discuss more details in the coming weeks. But for now, let me say to Delaware’s schools, teachers, and students: you all have an ally in the governor’s office,” he said. “We have one of the highest number of PhDs per capita in America. But we also have one of the five worst-performing public school systems in America.”
“Students aren’t failing; our schools are failing our students. As a teacher and as governor, I refuse to accept that. I refuse to write off any of our kids,” he said.
Taylor Hawk, the legislative and policy director for the Delaware State Education Association, the state’s teacher union, said her organization was thrilled that education was the focus for so much of Meyer’s first speech.
“We were very pleased to hear education within 30 seconds [of his speech],” she said, noting that she also appreciated the anecdote he shared of adjusting his lesson for his students when he realized his initial approaching wasn’t reaching them. “He really demonstrated what’s possible when you give educators the support and the autonomy they need.”
Meyer and Lt. Gov. Kyle Evans Gay are the also first state leaders in generations to have school-age children while in office. Meyer’s son Levi is 11 months old while his stepsons Owen and Wyatt, and Evans Gay’s daughters Ellen and Alice, are in elementary school.
That reality is “very exciting” as teachers begin to work with the new administration on how to reform education in Delaware, Hawk said.
Health care as a ‘human right’
Later in his speech, Meyer called health care “a human right,” but added that the “health care system often treats us as less than human.” He noted that First Lady Lauren Meyer, who works as an emergency room doctor at ChristianaCare, sees heroic work by professionals, but that patients experience long waits in emergency rooms.
“Delawareans are being denied coverage for essential health care and Delawareans are driving to Philadelphia or Baltimore or DC to get the basic care they need,” he said. “These are national problems. Delaware is not alone. But that doesn’t mean we have to accept this.
“I’m going to work every day to make health care in Delaware more affordable, more accessible, more reliable and more innovative,” he added.
The Delaware Healthcare Association, which represents the state’s hospitals, applauded the attention from the Meyer administration on health care needs.
“At a time when there is so much uncertainty on the direction of health policy, there’s great potential for bold progress in Delaware under the leadership of Governor Meyer and Lt. Governor Evans Gay. This swearing-in marks an exciting time in Delaware to build an even stronger, more innovative healthcare system. Hospitals are essential to that progress, and the Delaware Healthcare Association stands ready to assist the incoming administration reach our shared goals of high-quality, affordable, accessible, and equitable health care for all,” said Brian Frazee, the president and CEO of the DHA, in a statement.
The Trump effect
Lastly, Meyer’s comments on the Trump presidency drew the most applause of the morning. He said that he’d be willing to work with the president on initiatives that benefited Delawareans, but he also warned that he would not stand idly by if policies threatened them.
“But I want to make this absolutely clear: if the president or his administration try to take away your health care coverage, or further restrict your reproductive rights, or undermine our schools, or try to come into our communities to harass folks who came to our country, and our state, in search of a better life … If they do these things, I will use every power you’ve vested in me as governor to protect our residents, our livelihoods, and our values. That is my pledge to you,” he said.
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