Del. House Republicans pick new minority leader, whip:

Delaware House Republicans will be led by a new pair of officers when the General Assembly reconvenes in January.

The caucus on Tuesday elected Rep. Mike Ramone of Hockessin as minority leader and Rep. Lyndon Yearick of Camden as minority whip.

 CHARLIE MEGGINSON NOVEMBER 22, 2022 GOVERNMENT,  HEADLINES

The minority leader is the floor leader of the Republican caucus. In this role, he is the principal speaker for the minority party during debates on the House floor and works to coordinate the party’s legislative agenda.

The minority whip effectively serves as an assistant leader. Theoretically, the whip is responsible for enforcing party discipline on votes deemed crucial by party leadership, helping to ensure that members vote in accordance with the caucus’s legislative agenda.

Ramone, 61, replaces Rep. Danny Short, 61, of Seaford. Short has served as minority leader since 2013.

Yearick, 58, replaces Rep. Tim Dukes, 58, of Laurel. Dukes has served as minority whip since 2019.

It’s not clear what inspired the caucus to change directions or how the vote went down after the two-hour closed-door meeting. 

Ramone’s appointment is noteworthy because he comes from an overwhelmingly Democratic district. In this year’s election, Ramone won by just 41 votes.