Matt Meyer in the Democratic primary for Delaware governor | Endorsement

Delaware prides itself as the First State, a nickname earned by its quick ratification of the United States Constitution just 82 days after it was drafted. Yet, when it comes to critical issues like education and access to health care, the state has been falling behind.

As Democratic voters cast their ballot for governor in next month’s primary, The Inquirer endorses New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer as the best candidate to move the state forward once again.

In his two terms in office, Meyer has led county government through the pandemic, created the HOPE Center — the largest shelter in Delaware — got vacant homes back onto the market, created a behavioral health task force for law enforcement, and appointed the most diverse leadership team in county history.

Even before his time in office, his dedication to service was evident, with stints as a public school math teacher and as a diplomat embedded with the U.S. Army in Iraq. Meyer has detailed and extensive plans to fix problems in Delaware’s education system — which was recently ranked 45th in the nation by the Annie E. Casey Foundation — as well as the demonstrated political skill to get it done.

Collin O’Mara, the president and CEO of the National Wildlife Foundation, is another impressive candidate, whose focus on the environment is welcome and buoyed by his time as the state’s secretary of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. On the issue of paper temporary license plates originating from Delaware — which can be easily forged, creating a problem that affects law enforcement across the region — O’Mara had the clearest answer during an interview with the Editorial Board, promising to stop issuing paper tags after taking office. But while O’Mara has served in a cabinet post, this would be his first elected office.

The front-runner in the race, Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long, balances her own inspiring life story with some significant red flags. Hall-Long, who grew up in rural Sussex County at the southern end of the state, is rightly proud of her record as a rare nurse-politician. Still, multiple issues with her husband, Dana Long, make voter support for her difficult.

The state’s Department of Elections released a letter detailing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of misstatements on Hall-Long’s campaign finance reports, including the omission of significant payments to her husband.

In an interview with the Editorial Board, she described these as reimbursements for expenses, citing her family’s working-class background vs. her opponents’ ability to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on their campaigns. If that’s the case, it only makes it more important that these reports were filed accurately.

This isn’t Long’s first run-in with controversy. In 2014 he was arrested after removing Republican campaign signs from a roadside near Odessa, Del. In 2016, after being appointed a housing inspector for housing choice voucher rentals, Long and then-County Executive Tom Gordon were accused of using housing records to solicit votes. While politicians aren’t responsible for every misstep by a spouse or family member, in this case, Long’s actions were done in support of his wife, and he remains the treasurer of her campaign.

Hall-Long’s conduct has come under scrutiny, too. Emails obtained by the Associated Press show her office staff, whose salaries are paid for by taxpayers, engaged in campaign activities while on the clock, in violation of Delaware law and basic political ethics. Long was deeply involved in those issues, as well, the emails show.

Delawareans simply can’t afford four years of a governor who would likely spend more time answering questions about her husband’s conduct than pushing the state forward.

For voters in the Democratic primary for governor, Matt Meyer is the best choice.