Races To Watch: Republicans seek to hold House District 4 seat

Hilovsky was elected in 2022 and reelected in 2024 in a district that’s relatively new. House District 4 was in New Castle County near Wilmington prior to 2022, but redistricting earlier this decade moved it to Sussex County. It now represents Oak Orchard, Angola and Long Neck near the Indian River Bay and Rehoboth Bay.

When Hilovsky announced in May he was not seeking reelection to spend more time with his family, Republican Dan Zitofsky stepped up to run and earned Hilovsky’s backing. He’s opposed by Democrat Gregg Lindner.

While Lindner would be a new face in Dover, he’s not exactly a new face to voters in this district. He ran against Hilovsky in 2024. His resume includes a stint as president of a large media and marketing business across the United States and Latin America as well as serving as an elected school board member in Pennsylvania. Lindner explains why he’s running for this seat again.

“The amount of growth that’s occurred here. The impact that infrastructure plays within this particular district. The impact that people have felt from different affordability issues that have become a part of our everyday life. To me it was really important that I could use the experience that I have had, and to see how we can make things better. And focus laser like on how we can do things better for those people that live within our district.”

Zitofsky is completely new to the political scene as a candidate. While he’s been active in the community in the district, he’s also a veteran of the Navy as well as a retired New York Police Officer who was on call during 9/11. He says he put his hat into the ring because he wants to help his district.

“I’m running because Dr. Hilovski, the current State Rep is retiring, and I want to make Delaware’s voices, the constituents of the fourth district are heard. I’m very concerned about certain things going on here. Obviously the growth happening here, the infrastructure, the lack of infrastructure here, our education.”

Both candidates have been hitting the pavement knocking on doors around the community talking to voters. Zitofsky says voters seem focused on a few particular issues.

“The biggest thing I’m hearing are two things right now. One is the whole issue with the home association groups, right? I’m working directly with SHARP – they’re a group that represents them. They’re a group that represents people that live in homeowner associations. That ‘s one of the big issues I’m hearing. The other big issue I’m hearing, obviously is growth and infrastructure.”

But Zitofsky sees some other issue he wants to prioritize.

“Clean water is a big, a big concern of mine here in the area, and i’m going to continue to represent Hilovsky has done with DNREC to do testing on wells to make sure that our people are taken care of to make sure they have clean, quality water. Our energy bills have gone through the roof, and I’m going to protect the constituents on that side with the energy bills to make sure that we bring power back to this area. I would fight for things like natural gas. Besides the green energy that has been pushed we need more sustainable energy in the area.”

Zitofsky is focused on assistance for veterans – especially disabled veterans. He also wants to continue work on things he says Hilovsky made priorities , especially constituent services such as helping with stop lights, crosswalks, water issues and dredging issues.When Lindner talks to voters he hears about a laundry list of topics.

“Infrastructure at the top of the list, medical access, various issues around schools. Water quality is an issue here. We are also a district that has the largest number of manufactured housing units that are within the state in any district, and so I hear from manufactured housing communities.”

Beyond those issues, Lindner says some national issues that affect the district are also top of mind – like affordable housing and more…

“Impact on what could be happening with SNAP programs and how that impacts the hungry within our community, the impact on Medicare/Medicaid reimbursements and what that’s doing, as far as people being able to get health care. Those that have lost health care because they can’t afford the changes that have occurred federally that have hit thousands of our residents.”

While both candidates entered this race as political newcomers, each points to their resume, citing experience they believe will help them if elected.

Lindner points to his past being the president of a business where over 1,000 people were working. He also says his time on local school boards can be helpful if elected.

“So i’ve had the ability to be elected in previous runs. So there was twice that I ran, and I was elected to local school boards. Certainly there’s things you take from those campaigns, and the constituent service aspect of it.”

Lindner says he also learned from running two years ago and losing to Hilovsky. He says that campaign gave him a better idea of what the voters are looking for.

Zitofsky touts his extensive involvement in the community as an important assest, and along Hilovsky’s endorsement of his candidacy.

“It’s very humbling to be honest with you, and I can tell you for two months before Representative Hilovsky come to me. I said, no I have no interest in running. In fact at one point I got asked to run US Congress, and I had no interest in running, very happy helping the way I was helping. And it was a gut punch to me when Representative Hilovsky decided he was retiring because for the first time, I felt from where I came from up north I felt like I had no representation. And when I moved here and then they redistricted around my house, and back then they asked me to run, and I said, no, because I knew Represents Hilovsky was running.”

Zitofsky – if elected – admits Hilovsky will be a tough act to follow. He calls Hilovsky one of the best State Reps he’s ever seen because he says he was truly for the people and offered legislation that reached across party lines to help everyone. He hopes to continue that approach – starting with legislation Hilovsky didn’t get to the finish line..

“The first bill I want to work on immediately is the bill that didn’t get heard last year was HB469 from Representative Hilovsky, which was a phenomenal bill it’s an ombudsman a true ombudsman program to work with the SHARP group. That would make four ombudsmen, one in each county with a head ambulance that works with the Department of Justice. And make sure that we can carve out funding for that group, because that’s going to protect 20,000 out of 27,000 constituents in the fourth district.”

Lindner believes his experience could be useful on budget committees and he wants to dive into education issues following his school board experience. But his top priority if he gets to Leg Hall in Dover would be healthcare.

“We’ve seen the discussions that have taken place or hear about the discussions that have taken place relative to healthcare. And how we need to do more, certainly down in Sussex County, to make sure that we have enough healthcare that’s here for everybody within such a large growing community. So we need to do more there. We need to do more when it comes to the schools that are here.”

Republicans hold a 96 hundred to 83 hundred edge in voter registration in the 4th District – but there are also about 92 hundred other registered voters who not members of the 2 major parties. Lindner will need to do better with those votes this time to improve on the result two years ago when he lost to Hilovsky by a 58-42 percent margin.