Priorities
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A lifelong union electrician, Senator Walsh is fighting for Delaware's working people, championing legislation like the $15 minimum wage increase and the Service Worker Protection Act to ensure hardworking Delawareans can support their families and share in the state's prosperity.
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From improving our infrastructure to sustainable community development, Senator Walsh is committed to strengthening Delaware's economic future and creating opportunity in the 9th Senate District and across the state.
Accomplishments
Public Safety:
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Senator Walsh co-sponsored legislation in 2024 to prevent ammunition theft by requiring employee assistance for access and display, strengthening community safety by closing a gap in gun safety protocols.
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In 2024, Senator Walsh also sponsored SB 279, which ensures that newly constructed schools and those undergoing major renovations include essential safety features that protect students and staff while maintaining secure, conducive learning environments
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Senator Walsh supported House Bill 94 in 2026, which restricts immigration enforcement activity at sensitive locations like schools, places of worship, and hospitals, helping keep Delaware communities safe and accessible for all residents.
Civil Rights
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Senator Walsh supported passage of Delaware's John Lewis Voting Rights Act, strengthening protections for early and absentee voting and safeguarding fair access to the ballot for all Delawareans.
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Senator Walsh supported Senate Bill 100 in 2026, the constitutional amendment enshrining marriage equality in Delaware, protecting the right to marry for same-sex and interracial couples.
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When the federal government shutdown put food assistance at risk for more than 100,000 Delawareans, Senator Walsh backed the state's emergency response and legal fight to protect SNAP benefits for Delaware families.
Worker’s Rights:
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A proud union member, Senator Walsh fought for workers by sponsoring SB 15 in 2021 to raise Delaware's minimum wage to $15 an hour, delivering meaningful results to thousands of Delaware's working families.
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SB 233, The Service Worker Protection Act, was sponsored by Senator Walsh in 2024 to safeguard vulnerable workers during business ownership transitions through transparent notification requirements.
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A proud co-sponsor of Delaware's Healthy Delaware Families Act (SB 1), Senator Walsh helped create a statewide paid family and medical leave insurance program in 2022, giving Delaware workers up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave to care for themselves or a family member.
Infrastructure and Local Business:
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Senator Walsh secured $1.1 billion in capital improvements through HB 475 (The FY2025 Bond Bill) in 2024, including school construction funding for the Christina School District and infrastructure upgrades across New Castle County, driving economic growth and job creation close to home in the 9th Senate District.
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In 2023, to fund small-scale infrastructure projects in economically disadvantaged communities, Senator Walsh sponsored SB 35, The Mini Bond Bill, ensuring that smaller municipalities also benefit from state investment and development opportunities.
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Senator Walsh created the Site Readiness Fund through SB 127 in 2021, converting abandoned industrial and commercial sites for reuse by new employers, successfully bringing hundreds of good-paying jobs to Delaware and revitalizing underutilized communities.
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To modernize Delaware's alcohol laws, Senator Walsh sponsored SB 166 in 2024, a bill supporting local businesses by expanding delivery options, helping them compete in changing markets and adapt to consumer demand.
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As co-chair of the Joint Capital Improvement Committee, Senator Walsh co-sponsored the FY 2026 Mini Bond Bill (HB 270) with Representative Debra Heffernan, making targeted clarifications to refine how existing capital funds were allocated across the state's infrastructure priorities.
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With the Joint Capital Improvement Committee, Senator Walsh also helped craft the FY 2027 Bond Bill ($1.255 billion), a comprehensive capital investment funding school construction across four districts, statewide road improvements, affordable housing support, and clean water infrastructure.
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As federal tax changes threatened to drain hundreds of millions of dollars from Delaware's budget, Senator Walsh supported House Bill 255 in 2025, decoupling the state's tax code from certain federal corporate tax breaks to protect funding for schools and essential services.
Health and Emergency Services:
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Senator Walsh guided the passage of SB 223 in 2024, establishing a framework for mobile healthcare access and community paramedicine that brings innovative, patient-centered care directly to communities, reducing strain on traditional emergency services.
Animal Rights:
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To raise care standards in animal shelters, Senator Walsh sponsored SB 129 in 2023, ensuring that animals in state facilities are treated with the compassion and dignity they deserve.
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Senator Walsh also sponsored HB 190 in 2024, a bill to streamline the administration of the Spay Neuter Fund, making it easier to disperse collected funds for animal population control programs across Delaware.
Sen. Jack Walsh represents the 9th Senate District, which includes Christiana and portions of Newark, Pike Creek, Stanton and Newport.
A lifelong Delawarean and graduate of St. Mark’s High School, Walsh is an electrician by trade and has been a proud member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 313 for nearly 38 years.
From 1993 to 2002, he served on Local 313’s board of directors, executive board and its political action committee. He also led the union’s Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee from 1996 to 2001. Today, Sen. Walsh works as a project manager for Preferred Electric Inc.
He entered public service as a long-time member of the Montclare Civic Association, where he served as president. He then was elected to the Delaware Senate in 2016.
Since joining the Senate, Sen. Walsh has focused on economic development, education, workforce issues and animal abuse legislation.
He currently serves as chair of the Senate Capital Improvement Committee, vice chair of the Senate Labor Committee and a member of the Senate Banking, Business, Insurance & Technology Committee, Housing & Land Use and Veterans Affairs committees.
He also serves as vice president of the board of directors for the Humane Animal Partners, a board member of the Certified Thoroughbred Program, and a board member of the Delaware Prosperity Partnership, a nonprofit co-funded by the state and the private sector to lead economic development efforts in the First State.
Sen. Walsh is a former baseball coach for Midway Little League and St. John the Beloved, where he and his family have long been parishioners.
He and his wife Jeanmarie live near Pike Creek, where they raised their three children Ryan, Lindsey and Kelsey. Walsh is the proud grandfather of three grandchildren, Ava, Emery, and Brayden.
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Paid for by Delaware Senate Majority Caucus Campaign Committee