Bethany Hall-Long

Bethany A. Hall-Long (born November 12, 1963) is an American politician. A member of the Democratic Party, Hall-Long served as the 75th governor of Delaware for two weeks in January 2025, after having served as the 26th lieutenant governor of Delaware from 2017 to 2025. She previously served in the Delaware Senate from 2008 to 2016 and the Delaware House of Representatives from 2002 to 2008.^[1]

She ran for governor in the 2024 Democratic primary election but was defeated by Matt Meyer. She assumed the governorship when John Carney resigned to become mayor of Wilmington and completed the remaining two weeks of Carney's term in January 2025.^[2]

Hall-Long was born on November 12, 1963, in Sussex County. She is a descendant of David Hall, the 15th governor of Delaware.^[3] She was raised on a farm with her two older brothers and attended Indian River High School. She earned a BSN from Thomas Jefferson University, an MSN from the Medical University of South Carolina, and a PhD in health policy and nursing administration from George Mason University.^[4]

Hall-Long began a teaching career at George Mason University before moving to the University of Delaware, where she is a professor of nursing.^[5]

Hall-Long was elected Lieutenant Governor of Delaware in 2016, winning a six-way primary election, and defeating Republican La Mar Gunn in the general election, receiving nearly 60% of the vote. Hall-Long took office as Delaware's 26th Lieutenant Govenor on January 17, 2017. ^[6]

As Lt. Governor, Hall-Long helped create Delaware's first Behavioral Health Consortium in June 2017, which she chaired. ^[7] The consortium's role is to develop short-term and long-term plans to address addiction and mental health issues in Delaware.^[8] In 2018, Pew Charitable Trusts partnered with the Consortium to help increase access to opioid treatment.^[9]

Through her work on the Behavioral Health Consortium, Hall-Long spearheaded legislation that created the first overdose system of care in the United States. ^[10] The legislation was signed into law by Governor Carney in 2018. Hall-Long also led a pilot program in Delaware to launch the nation’s first combined xylazine and fentanyl testing strips, a harm reduction tool aimed at curbing the opioid epidemic. ^[11]

In June 2022 Hall-Long worked with state senator Sarah McBride and state representative Melissa Minor-Brown to secure $3.2 million in funding from the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services for the first in-patient addiction treatment facility for pregnant and parenting women in Delaware. ^[12]

Along with Attorney General Kathy Jennings, Hall-Long co-chaired Delaware’s Prescription Opioid Settlement Distribution Commission. ^[13] The Commission is tasked with recommending where more than $250 million in settlement funding from pharmaceutical companies should be allocated across the state to aid in addiction treatment and resources. ^[14]

Throughout her tenure, Hall-Long worked to improve mental health resources for veterans. In 2022, Hall-Long became co-chair of the Delaware Governor's Challenge alongside former Delaware Adjutant General Francis Vavala. ^[15] The Governor's Challenge is part of a nationwide effort to facilitate community and state-level strategies to prevent veteran suicide. ^[16] Additionally, Hall-Long and the Behavioral Health Consortium helped propose legislation that created a Green Alert system in Delaware for at-risk missing veterans, similar to a Gold Alert. The legislation was signed in 2018. ^[17]

As part of her role as Lt. Governor, Hall-Long served as Chair of Delaware’s Board of Pardons, where she led significant reforms to modernize the board’s operations. Under her leadership, wait times were reduced and outdated procedures were streamlined, resulting in more Delawareans receiving pardons and commutations than at any point in the past 30 years. During her tenure, pardon hearings increased by over 12%, and commutation hearings rose by more than 90%, offering more individuals a meaningful opportunity for a second chance. ^[18]

During the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Hall-Long helped lead the states COVID response efforts. In 2020, she was asked by Governor Carney to co-chair the state’s Pandemic Resurgence Advisory Committee (PRAC) along with Secretary of State Jeffrey Bullock. Comprised of over 50 Delaware leaders in both the private and public sectors, the PRAC was tasked with preparing a pandemic playbook that included a strategy focused to develop new public health strategies, identify critical resources, and assess methods to protect vulnerable populations. ^[19]

In 2023, in response to the nationwide infant formula shortage, Hall-Long worked with public, private and non-profit organizations to lead efforts to increase the distribution of infant formula to high-needs areas across Delaware. The initiative helped distribute over 44,000 canisters of infant formula to Delaware families in need. ^[20]

Hall-Long serves as a principal investigator of the Delaware Medical Reserve Corps (DMRC), where she helps lead the state’s response to public health emergencies. ^[21]

As a research scientist and Lt. Governor, Hall-Long spent much of her tenure working to close education and opportunity gaps in the STEM field. ^[22] Notably, she served as national co-chair of Million Women Mentors, an organization championing women and girls in STEM. ^[23]

In 2018, Hall-Long was appointed by Governor John Carney to Chair the Governor's Complete Count Commission, which led Delaware's 2020 U.S. Census efforts. ^[24] The commission found that between 2010 and 2020 the state’s population grew by more than 10%, the highest growth rate in the northeast. ^[25]

Hall-Long has also led the effort to establish basic needs closets in 43 Delaware schools. The initiative helps elementary and middle school students with free products like hygiene products, school supplies, clothes and more. ^[26]

In 2023, Hall-Long partnered with the Delaware Art’s Alliance to develop a strategic plan to grow Delaware’s Creative Economy and grow cultural tourism across the state. ^[27]

She served as Chair of the National Lieutenant Governor's Association from 2020 to 2021.^[28]

Hall-Long was reelected in 2020 over Republican Donyale Hall.

In April 2024, Hall-Long announced her candidacy for governor of Delaware, joining New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer and former Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Collin O’Mara in the Democratic primary race.^[29] She faced controversy when her campaign team discovered that she has provided more than $200,000 in undisclosed payments to her husband, Dana Long.^[3] She eventually amended seven years of campaign finance reports in response to the scandal.^[3] Meyer ultimately won the primary and went on to win the general election.

Despite losing her gubernatorial bid, Hall-Long became the 75th governor of Delaware on January 7, 2025, when incumbent Governor John Carney resigned early to become mayor of Wilmington. She served the remaining two weeks of Carney's term and was succeeded by Meyer.^[2]

During her tenure, Hall-Long signed executive orders that created Delaware’s first ever LGBTQ+ Commission, ^[30] Delaware's Foster Care Ambassador Program, ^[31] and an artificial intelligence driven application to address food insecurity and food waste. ^[32]

Hall-Long met her husband, Dana Long, while in high school, and they married in 1987. Dana served in the U.S. Navy from 1982 to 1991 as a data systems technician. On October 30, 2014, he was arrested after being caught on video taking down political signs erected by Republicans.^[33] They currently reside in Middletown and have a son, Brock.

• In 2000, Hall-Long initially challenged incumbent Republican Representative Richard C. Cathcart for the District 9 seat, but lost in the general election.^[34]
• In 2002, Hall-Long was redistricted to District 8 and won the general election with 3,591 votes (60.7%) against Republican nominee William Hutchinson.^[35]
• In 2004, Hall-Long won the general election unopposed with 8,228 votes.^[36]
• In 2006, Hall-Long won the general election with 5,864 votes (77.0%) against Republican nominee Edward Colaprete.^[37]
• In 2008, Republican Senator Steven H. Amick retired and left the District 10 seat open. Hall-Long won the general election with 13,965 votes (64.9%) against Republican nominee James Weldin for the senate seat.^[38]
• In 2012, Hall-Long won the general election unopposed with 16,498 votes.^[39]

• List of female governors in the United States
• List of female lieutenant governors in the United States

• Lt. Governor of Delaware official government website
• Campaign website

• Profile at Vote Smart
• Bethany Hall-Long at Ballotpedia