On the morning of January 21, 2025, Matthew S. Meyer was sworn in as the 76th Governor of Delaware at the William B. DeLauder Education and Humanities Center at Delaware State University. Kyle Evans Gay also took the oath as the Lieutenant Governor. In his inauguration speech, Meyer emphasized his focus on core issues such as public education, housing, employment, and healthcare.
From 2017 to 2025, Meyer served as the County Executive of New Castle County in Delaware. Prior to his political career, he was a small business owner, a math teacher in public schools, and a U.S. Army diplomat stationed in Iraq for a year.
Meyer succeeds Bethany Hall-Long, who served as Governor for only two weeks. She previously held the position of Lieutenant Governor before assuming the role of Governor following John Carney’s resignation to become the Mayor of Wilmington.
In his inaugural address, Meyer highlighted the importance of unity and civility in addressing challenges and differences among the people of Delaware. He stressed values such as respect, integrity, and humility, urging for a collaborative spirit to overcome past grievances.
As a former teacher, Meyer expressed his deep concern for the state of public education in Delaware. Despite having one of the highest proportions of doctoral degrees per capita in the U.S., he pointed out that Delaware also has one of the poorest-performing public school systems. Meyer firmly stated that he refuses to abandon any child and is determined to address the shortcomings in the education system.
Meyer has nominated Cynthia “Cindy” Marten, former Deputy Secretary of Education, to serve as the Secretary of Education in Delaware. If confirmed by the state senate, Marten will be responsible for formulating policies and funding plans aimed at improving public education throughout the state, covering 19 districts and 26 charter schools, with a focus on issues such as school funding, teacher recruitment and retention, and student behavior.
During his speech, Meyer also made references to the newly elected U.S. President, Donald Trump, expressing his willingness to cooperate with anyone who prioritizes the best interests of the people of Delaware, regardless of their political affiliation.
Meyer emphasized the need for collaboration and unity in the face of rising societal costs and widespread unease. Drawing from his experience in Iraq, he highlighted the importance of coming together in times of adversity and standing as a united front, transcending barriers of region, race, income, and education.
On his first day in office, Meyer signed an executive order directing state government agencies to prioritize the development of a statewide Youth Apprenticeship Program. The initiative aims to reform vocational education, ensure young people are prepared for future employment opportunities, and address the needs of working-class families by investing in their children’s futures.
Meyer graduated from Brown University with a major in Computer Science and Political Science. Following his university studies, he founded an eco-friendly footwear company called Ecosandals in Kenya, which distributed sustainable footwear to 17 countries worldwide. He later served as a diplomat in Iraq and spent a year in active duty with the U.S. Army during the Second Iraq War.
In the Democratic primary elections last September, Meyer defeated incumbent Lieutenant Governor Hall-Long and Collin O’Mara, President of the National Wildlife Federation, and went on to win the November election against Republican State Representative Mike Ramone, securing his position as Governor of Delaware.