Thursday, December 1, 2011 – For Immediate Release
Lopez announces run for 6th State Senate District
Longtime UD Official to run for new State Senate Seat in Eastern Sussex County
Ernesto B. “Ernie” Lopez of Lewes, an Extension Specialist in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Delaware, has announced his plans to run for the newly created 6th State Senate district in eastern Sussex County. The new senate district encompasses areas including, Milton, Lewes, Rehoboth and Dewey Beach. Elections will be held in 2012.
Lopez, 35, is a Republican and has lived in Delaware for over 30 years. He is a graduate of the Wilmington Christian School and Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. He holds a master’s degree from the University of Delaware and is completing his doctoral dissertation at Delaware in the spring of 2012. As the former Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions, Lopez became a well-known face to Sussex County families and educators for his work counseling and advising students. In 2006, Lopez was promoted to a position in the Cooperative Extension unit of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources as the State 4-H Volunteer Coordinator. Lopez’s current responsibilities include all aspects of recruitment, retention and risk management for over 3,400 adult volunteers and 64,000 youth in Delaware 4-H, the largest youth development program in the state.
“I have been honored and humbled by the phone calls and messages over the last few months by Republicans, Democrats and Independents, encouraging me to run for this new seat. This is a great opportunity to bring a fresh vision of leadership and accountability to the state legislature. The Cape region is the crown jewel of Delaware and I’m proud to live and raise my family here. I’m looking forward to serving all the people of the new 6th district with energy and integrity. These have been difficult times for many residents of this area. Our faith in government and those in positions of trust has been severely tested. My experience and expertise at marshaling the resources of a large institution for the benefit of our kids and families will be a strength as I seek to leverage state services to provide the maximum benefit at the least cost to our residents.”
Lopez is a member of Epworth United Methodist Church in Rehoboth where he is active in the Sunday school program. He is also serving on the board of the Sussex Child Health Promotion Coalition. Lopez is married to Janis Christine Lopez, the Assistant Dean for Graduate Services at the College of Earth, Ocean and the Environment at the University of Delaware. She is a graduate of Cape Henlopen High School and is the granddaughter of the late State Senator Charles Evans “Pete” Hughes who served in the Delaware General Assembly from 1973-1981.
Janis and Ernie are the parents of two daughters: Anna, age 6, who is a student in the Cape Henlopen School District and Claire, age 4, who attends a Rehoboth area pre-school. A formal campaign kickoff will be held in early spring of 2012.
