DeShanna Neal Wins Reelection in Delaware

Neal, Delaware's first nonbinary elected official, won a second term in the state House for District 13 on Tuesday.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in LGBTQ+

A pale civic building facade under open sky on a flat coastal plain, with a single flag hanging limp in still air and marsh grass beyond. — DeShanna Neal won reelection to Delaware's House District 13 on Tuesday, becoming the state's first nonbinary elected official to win a second term. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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DeShanna Neal won reelection to the Delaware Statehouse for District 13, running unopposed, after Decision Desk HQ called the race at 8 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday. Neal is Delaware's first-ever nonbinary elected official and was first elected in 2022.

Why it matters

Neal's win extends the representation of nonbinary and LGBTQ+ residents in Delaware's state legislature. The campaign centered on accessibility, housing rights, and education, and drew endorsements from LGBTQ+ groups.

Neal has held the District 13 seat since winning the 2022 election and retained it in 2024 and again on Tuesday, with the 2026 race uncontested. Vote totals for the race were not included in the available data.

The players

DeShanna Neal

Neal is a Delaware state representative and the state's first-ever nonbinary elected official, known for advocacy on trans family issues and children's literature.

Nemours Children's Hospital

Nemours Children's Hospital is a pediatric health system in Delaware that opened a gender-affirming care clinic in 2018; the clinic has since stopped accepting new patients amid federal scrutiny.

The details

Neal, who ran on a progressive platform focused on accessibility, housing rights, and education, received endorsements from LGBTQ+ groups. Neal previously wrote an essay for The Advocate in 2016 on trans family advocacy and released the children's book My Rainbow in 2020.

2016: Neal wrote an essay for The Advocate on trans family advocacy.
2018: The Nemours Children's Hospital pediatric gender-affirming care clinic formally opened.
2020: Neal released the children's book My Rainbow.
2022: Neal was first elected to the Delaware Statehouse.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026: Decision Desk HQ called Neal's reelection at 8 p.m. Eastern.

Culture Shift

Neal's reelection continues the pattern of openly nonbinary candidates winning state legislative seats, which Neal first established when elected in 2022. Her continued tenure marks a sustained rather than singular presence in Delaware's legislature.

Delaware residents in District 13 will continue to have Neal as their state representative for the next legislative term. The extraction does not describe any changes to voting access, district boundaries, or public services resulting from this election.

The takeaway

Neal's reelection shows that nonbinary candidates can win and hold state legislative office. Residents who want to follow the district's representation can track Delaware Statehouse records for District 13.