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Bryan Shupe Wins Republican Primary for House District 36

Sara Uzer September 16, 2026Government & Politics, Headlines

Bryan Shupe Wins House District 36 Republican Primary

State Rep. Bryan Shupe won the Republican nomination for Delaware House District 36 in Tuesday’s primary election, receiving 1,531 votes to challenger Patrick Smith’s 681 votes, according to unofficial results. (Photo courtesy of Bryan Shupe campaign.)

State Rep. Bryan Shupe won the Republican nomination for Delaware House District 36 in Tuesday’s primary election, receiving 1,531 votes to challenger Patrick Smith’s 681 votes, according to unofficial results. (Photo courtesy of Bryan Shupe campaign.)

Incumbent state Rep. Bryan Shupe won the Republican nomination for Delaware House District 36 in Tuesday’s primary election, defeating challenger Patrick Smith and advancing to the general election in November.

Shupe received 1,531 votes, while Smith received 681 votes, according to unofficial results reported following the primary.

The race marked a rematch between Shupe and Smith, who also competed in the 2024 Republican primary. That contest was decided by a 12-vote margin after a recount request.

Shupe, a Milford native, has represented House District 36 since 2018. The district includes parts of the Milford area and surrounding communities, including Lincoln, Ellendale and Slaughter Beach.

Before serving in the Delaware House of Representatives, Shupe served as a Milford city council member and mayor. He is also a local business owner.

During the primary campaign, Shupe highlighted issues including government spending, education, public safety, healthcare access and local decision-making.

Following the primary results, Shupe will face Democratic nominee Andrew Gorlich in the Nov. 3 general election.

Delaware’s general election is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026.

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Sara Uzer is a journalist from Sussex County with more than 15 years of experience as a writer, editor, and community advocate. She started her career in Washington, DC and has lived in Sussex County for the past five years.

La Red wins $10.1 million to strengthen health care across Sussex County
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Milford Wellness Village to host falls prevention program today
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La Red gala celebrates 25 years of care and a vital role at Milford Wellness Village
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Its goal is to make care more accessible and coordinated by allowing residents to find multiple services in one location. La Red plays a vital role in that model by providing a direct entry point into primary and preventive health care for children, adults, seniors and families — including people who may have difficulty obtaining care because of cost, insurance status, language or transportation. A health care anchor within the Village La Red moved its Milford Family Practice into the Milford Wellness Village as the former hospital campus was being redeveloped into a collaborative health and wellness center. The move gave La Red room to expand pediatric and adolescent care, adult and senior services, women’s health, behavioral health and oral health services in northern Sussex County. That combination makes La Red more than another tenant at the Village. It is one of the organizations helping the campus fulfill its central purpose: connecting residents with care in a convenient setting where medical providers, rehabilitation programs, laboratories, child care organizations and social-service agencies can work near one another. “La Red was the first tenant to join the Milford Wellness Village and significantly enhanced its facility when it moved here, including the addition of a brand-new, six-chair dental center,” said Meir Gelley, founder and owner of Milford Wellness Village. “As a medical home serving uninsured and underinsured residents, La Red is a key component of primary care at the Village and plays a vital role in making quality health care accessible to the Milford community.” The Village’s model is intended to reduce the stress of traveling to separate locations for medical appointments, testing, rehabilitation and support services. For patients with multiple health needs — particularly older adults, families with children and people managing chronic conditions — having services concentrated on one campus can make it easier to remain engaged in care. La Red contributes broad family health services to that network. Its Milford center provides adult and senior care, pediatric and adolescent care, women’s health and prenatal services, health screenings, treatment for acute illness and chronic disease management. Services also include behavioral health care, dental care, substance-use disorder treatment, laboratory services, cancer screening referrals, HIV screening, diabetic retinopathy screenings and help obtaining affordable medications. La Red’s presence ensures that the Milford Wellness Village includes a community health provider whose mission is specifically focused on reaching people who might otherwise fall through gaps in the traditional health system. From hotline to health network La Red’s story began before its formal incorporation in 2001, when it operated as a 24-hour telephone hotline. The service helped people with limited English proficiency connect with bilingual physicians who offered discounted medical care. In 2001, a group of Sussex County physicians joined with a hospital, community center, faith-based organization and local government to establish La Red Health Center. “La Red” means “the network” in Spanish, a name that reflects both its origins and its continuing reliance on partnerships. The organization became an independent ambulatory care center in 2003 and later received full status as a Federally Qualified Health Center. That federal designation helps nonprofit, community-based providers deliver care in areas where residents may face financial barriers or shortages of medical services. Today, La Red operates health centers in Georgetown, Seaford, Milford and a mobile health unit. It welcomes patients regardless of insurance status, income, language or background. Care beyond an appointment La Red’s role extends beyond examinations and treatment. Bilingual community health workers, known as promotoras, help patients understand medical information and navigate the health system. Transportation assistance helps residents reach appointments, while the organization’s mobile health unit carries primary care, vaccinations and pharmacy assistance into Sussex County communities. La Red also helps patients enroll in insurance programs, obtain medications and coordinate care among providers. Its outreach includes support for people experiencing homelessness, individuals returning to the community after incarceration and businesses seeking employee wellness programs. The Produce RX program works with local farms to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to patients in need. On-site services through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, commonly known as WIC, offer nutrition education and assistance to families at La Red’s Georgetown location. Those programs support the same principle behind the Milford Wellness Village: Health is affected not only by what happens during a medical appointment, but also by whether a patient has food, transportation, information and access to continuing support. Partnerships drive the mission La Red works with hospitals, schools, nonprofits, businesses and government agencies across Sussex County. Its regional partners […]
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