Wilmington, Delaware

Wilmington, Delaware officials and residents held a community meeting to discuss violence prevention after a spike in shootings this month. Police reported eight shootings in September involving 13 victims, aged 15 to 47, three of whom died. Police Chief Wilfredo Campos noted the increase follows a two-decade low in shootings last year and said intervention partnerships with community organizations and youth programs are ongoing.

Community Safety Director John Cook emphasized expanding employment opportunities and individualized outreach plans, while Mayor John Carney pointed to efforts to remove guns from youth and curb gang involvement. Residents raised concerns about parental responsibility and strained trust with police. The meeting also touched on the June police shooting death of 19-year-old Kadir Skinner, with his father demanding transparency as an attorney general's office investigation continues. City officials said this was the first of several planned community meetings.

Delaware state Rep. Josue Ortega has pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor offensive touching charge stemming from an alleged May domestic incident. He was charged in August after Kaywren Phelps, a woman he had been in a relationship with, alleged he punched her in the face and took her phone during an argument near a Wilmington shopping center. Police documented swelling and discoloration on her face when she reported the incident. Ortega entered his plea on September 22, ahead of a scheduled arraignment, and a trial has been set for December.

Phelps' allegations, made public earlier this summer, prompted a Delaware House Ethics Committee investigation whose findings have not been disclosed. Both Ortega and Phelps previously filed competing protection-from-abuse petitions against each other. Ortega, whose district covers parts of Wilmington, lost his reelection bid in a three-way Democratic primary this month. His attorney has declined to comment on the case.

Joe Arminio, the Republican nominee challenging Democratic Rep. Sarah McBride for Delaware's House seat, issued a statement defending his conduct after a misgendering controversy at a recent event. Arminio repeatedly referred to McBride, who is openly transgender, as "he" and "gentleman," prompting organizers to cut his speaking time short. McBride, notably, did not ask for him to be removed from the event.

In his statement, Arminio said he appreciated McBride's defense of his freedom of speech and reaffirmed his support for the Constitution. He argued that this support extends to an individual's right to assert their own gender identity, as well as his own right to state the facts as he sees them. The incident has drawn attention to the tone of the Delaware House race, in which McBride, the first openly transgender member of Congress, is seeking reelection.

Delaware voters headed to the polls Tuesday in the last state primary before November, choosing nominees for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, attorney general, treasurer, and legislative seats. Polls closed at 8 p.m. ET.

Democratic Sen. Chris Coons, seeking a third full term, faced three primary challengers, including Eric Hansen, the 2024 Republican Senate nominee now running as a Democrat under the ballot name "E. No-Trump Hansen." Coons significantly outraised his rivals. On the Republican side, former state Sen. Michael Katz and Army Reserves Col. John Shulli competed for the nomination. Rep. Sarah McBride ran unopposed for a second term. Attorney General Kathy Jennings faced two Democratic primary challengers, while Republican David Graham ran unopposed. The treasurer's race was the state's only open statewide seat, with three Democrats competing and Republican Michael Ramone unopposed.

Despite a midterm climate historically unfavorable to the president's party, Delaware's statewide offices are expected to remain solidly Democratic, extending a streak dating to the 1990s. All 41 state House seats and about half of the state Senate seats were also on the ballot.

Thousands of union workers and supporters marched in Wilmington's Labor Day parade, blending celebration with anxiety over automation, trade policy and housing costs. Longshoremen from ILWU Local 13 described losing more than 2,000 jobs to automation over roughly 15 years and fear that foreign-owned terminal operators could accelerate workforce reductions. Some workers criticized President Trump's tariffs for raising domestic prices, while at least one longshoreman praised the current economy over the Biden era. Younger union members, including ship scalers who handle hazardous cleanup work, voiced separate concerns about workplace safety.

The event doubled as a campaign stop ahead of midterm and local elections. California gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and challenger Nithya Raman all addressed the crowd, with Bass and most labor leaders aligned, though the Western States Regional Council of Carpenters backed Raman over housing affordability concerns. Nationally, union membership grew in 2025, pushing overall density to 10%, though private-sector unionization held flat at 5.9%, with gains concentrated in government jobs. Workers also raised concerns about housing costs and self-checkout staffing burdens.