Mike Ramone in the Republican primary for Delaware governor | Endorsement

When considering endorsements, The Inquirer Editorial Board extends interview invitations to all candidates running for office in contested races. From those interviews and additional research and reporting, the board arrives at a consensus recommendation. That has been the process for decades, and while over the years some candidates may have declined to participate, it was a rare course of action by a political campaign.

As political polarization has increased, however, that is no longer the case. A growing number of Republican candidates have been unwilling to discuss their policy positions with the board, including Doug Mastriano, Brian Fitzpatrick, and Mehmet Oz.

The role of the board during endorsement interviews is to ask the tough questions in voters’ stead, but for some candidates, it is the questions with what should be easy answers they seek to avoid. They include whether they would limit a woman’s right to make her own health-care decisions or if they accept the lawful outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

It was refreshing, then, to speak with state Rep. Mike Ramone, who has earned The Inquirer’s endorsement for Delaware governor in the Republican primary.

A business owner and minority leader in the Delaware House of Representatives, Ramone calls himself a Pete DuPont Republican — a reference to the former governor who devised the state’s corporate structure — rather than a MAGA devotee.

Ramone pledged that he would not seek any changes to Delaware’s abortion law and while he eschewed the “moderate” label — preferring to identify himself as a problem solver willing to work with anyone for the benefit of his constituents — he readily accepted the reality of Joe Biden’s win. This may be a low bar to clear, but unlike many of his fellow partisans, Ramone hurdled it without stumbling.

Instead of fighting the culture wars, Ramone is rightly focused on issues that affect ordinary residents of Delaware, including the state’s rising cost of living and inefficient government structure. He’s also committed to maintaining the corporate system that has made the state “the financial Luxembourg of America.” He also cited his independence from the state’s Democratic Party, which has dominated state politics.

For Delaware Republicans, the choice is clear. Mike Ramone is their best option for governor.