On The Issues

Below is a comparison of the two leading candidates for the 12th Senate District on key issues.

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Community Development

• Keonna Watson: Believes a stable, affordable home is the foundation for health, education, and opportunity — and will fight for development that serves the people already living in our communities, not just those who can afford to move in.

• Sen. Nicole Poore: An investigation by Fight Delaware Corruption found Sen. Poore continued to allocate funds to a redevelopment corporation converting public parks into commercial spaces despite public outcries.

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Environment

• Keonna Watson: With a doctorate in Prevention Science, will fight to keep the Coastal Zone Act strong — protecting the 50-year-old limits on heavy industry along our shoreline instead of weakening them.

• Sen. Nicole Poore: Voted to support House Bill 190 which weakened Coastal Zone Act protections to allow some heavy industry activity. The Coastal Zone Act has preserved and protected Delaware's coastline for over 50 years.

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Public Health

• Keonna Watson: The Delaware City Refinery has received over 50 violations while releasing over 4.6 million pounds of pollutants into our air and water in recent years. Keonna Watson will push to require the refinery to install backup pollution-control equipment, so a single equipment failure doesn't release toxins into our neighborhoods in the first place.

• Sen. Nicole Poore: The Delaware City Refinery received over 50 violations while releasing over 4.6 million pounds of pollutants in the air and water in recent years. Despite overseeing the district for over 10 years and seeing this impact Sen. Poore has accepted donations from the refinery.

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Ethics in Office

• Keonna Watson: Earned her degrees to bring more tools back to her community — not to enrich herself. "I'm for the people. I am the people."

• Sen. Nicole Poore: A report by WHYY found Sen. Nicole Poore continually voted to use public money to fund the organization she directs. Together with her taxpayer funded legislative role she previously made $194,200 a year. Watchdogs call it a “severe appearance of impropriety."

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Government Surveillance

• Keonna Watson: Believes Delawareans shouldn't be swept into police searches simply for what they typed into a search engine. Supported House Bill 145 — the nation's first near-ban on reverse-keyword warrants — to make sure our digital lives aren't searched without cause.

• Sen. Nicole Poore: Was one of the only Democrats to join with Republicans in failing to support House Bill 145, Delaware's landmark ban on reverse-keyword warrants — searches that sweep up the private data of people suspected of no crime.

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For photos and other materials about Keonna Watson. Click here.