Senator Richardson slams Carney over handling of coronavirus pandemic, announces run for Governor

Delaware State Senator Bryant Richardson has announced that he is running against Governor John Carney, who he slammed for his handling of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Senator Richardson first made the announcement that he was running for the Republican nomination at a religious freedom rally over the weekend where dozens turned out to protest Governor Carney’s restrictions on places of worship and his handling of coronavirus shutdown.

Early Friday morning, Senator Richardson appeared LIVE on WGMD where he explained why he decided to run for the highest office in the state, expressing concerns over how Governor Carney has handled the COVID-19 crisis.

“Three main reasons, one I feel the Governor has overstepped his authority during this crisis,” Sen. Richardson explained. “Two, I think the problems that have existed in Delaware for a long time are not being addressed by the current administration, and three, the main reason is I feel that four more years under the leadership of our current Governor will not bring about any improvement.”

Senator Richardson for quite some time has been critical of Carney’s directives and executive orders over the course of the coronavirus pandemic. He was one of several lawmakers who introduced legislation that seeks to limit the Governor’s emergency powers.

Governor Carney was not immediately available for comment.

Senator Richardson said he plans to officially file with the Department of Elections on Monday, June 1, 2020.

As it stands right now, Sen. Richardson will face a challenge in the GOP primary. Neil Shea, a veteran and business owner from Wilmington, recently filed to run and has been involved in Reopen Delaware, a movement that has been critical of the Governor’s handling of the coronavirus crisis. A Greenwood man, David Bosco, has also filed to run in the Republican primary.

Several other third party candidates have also announced plans to run for Governor.

The primary election is set for September 15, 2020.