{{short description|Delaware state senator elected in 2017 special election}} {{about|the American politician|the American physicist|Stephanie B. Hansen}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2018}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Stephanie Hansen | image = | caption = Official State Senate photo | state_senate = Delaware | district = 10th | term_start = February 2017 | term_end = | predecessor = Bethany Hall-Long | successor = Incumbent | office2 = President of the New Castle County Council | term_start2 = November 12, 1996 | term_end2 = January 1, 2001 | predecessor2 = Theodore W. Ryan | successor2 = Chris Coons | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1961|07|24}} | birth_place = Limestone, Maine, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = Democratic | spouse = David Marturana | children = | relations = | alma_mater = University of Delaware<br />University of New Orleans<br />Widener University School of Law | profession = Environmental lawyer | website = [http://www.hansenforsenate.org/ Official website] }} '''Stephanie Leigh Hansen''' (born July 24, 1961) is an American politician.<ref name="birth date">{{cite web|title=Hansen, Stephanie Leigh|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=128491|publisher=OurCampaigns.com|accessdate=February 26, 2017}}</ref> She is a Democratic member of the Delaware Senate, representing District 10.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://electionsncc.delaware.gov/senate/2012/senate_10.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110917214438/http://electionsncc.delaware.gov/senate/2012/senate_10.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 17, 2011 |title=State Senate District 10 |location= Dover, Delaware |publisher= State of Delaware Department of Elections Senate |accessdate= February 25, 2017}}</ref> She was elected in 2017 after winning a special election to fill the seat of Bethany Hall-Long, who had resigned to take office as the state's lieutenant governor. Prior to being elected to the state senate, Hansen served as president of the New Castle County Council.
==Early life==
Hansen was born at Loring Air Force Base in 1961 while her father was serving in the U.S. Air Force. In 1963, her family moved from the Eastern Shore to Seaford when her father was employed by the DuPont company. She graduated from Seaford Senior High School in 1979.<ref name="Campaign about page">{{cite web |url= http://www.hansenforsenate.org/about.html |title= Fighting for First State families like mine |publisher= Stephanie Hansen: Democrat State Senate |accessdate= February 26, 2017 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170227063621/http://www.hansenforsenate.org/about.html |archivedate=February 27, 2017 }}</ref> She later attended the University of Delaware and earned a BS in geology. After graduating, she earned a MS in earth science from the University of New Orleans.<ref name="Law firm bio page">{{cite web|title=Stephanie L. Hansen|url=http://www.youngconaway.com/stephanie-l-hansen/|publisher=Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor|date=2016|accessdate=February 26, 2017}}</ref>
==Career== Starting in 1988, Hansen worked as an environmental scientist and hydrologist for the state Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC). She worked in the agency's Superfund and underground storage tank branches.<ref name="Law firm bio page" />
In 1996, she was elected president of New Castle County Council, the only at-large position on the council, after successfully challenging incumbent Theodore Ryan for the Democratic nomination in the September primary election.<ref name="1996 primary election">{{cite web|title=1996 Primary Election|url=http://electionsncc.delaware.gov/1996p/1996p_office.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140111185102/http://electionsncc.delaware.gov/1996p/1996p_office.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 11, 2014|publisher=Department of Elections for New Castle County|date=September 7, 1996|accessdate=February 27, 2017}}</ref> During her tenure she helped shape the county's land use code.<ref name="Law firm bio page" />
While on the county council, Hansen began to transition her career from science to environmental law by taking classes at Widener University School of Law, eventually graduating ''cum laude''. She decided to not seek reelection in 2000, and was succeeded by Chris Coons. She remained politically active as the chair of her local Democratic committee. After her admission to the Delaware bar, she practiced environmental law at the firm of Richards, Layton & Finger for four years. Hansen left Richards Layton in 2005 for Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor in Wilmington. At Young Conaway, she has specialized in legal matters concerning environmentally-degraded properties and has represented local governments on federal Civil Rights Act and Fair Housing Act issues.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/politics/2016/12/21/democrats-senate-seat/95710640/ |title=Democrats name contender for crucial Senate race |location=Wilmington, Delaware |newspaper=The News Journal |date=December 21, 2016 |accessdate= February 25, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Law firm bio page" />
==2017 Delaware Senate special election== {{main|Delaware's 10th state senate district special election, 2017}} After Bethany Hall-Long was sworn in as Lieutenant Governor on January 17, 2017, she resigned from her seat in the Senate. Governor John Carney announced a special election to fill her vacancy to be held on February 25. In anticipation of Hall-Long's resignation, Democrats from the local 10th district committee had selected Hansen as their nominee in December.<ref name="DEL">{{cite web |url=http://www.deldems.org/news/press/delaware-democrats-nominate-stephanie-hansen-10th-senate-district-special-election |title=Delaware Democrats nominate Stephanie Hansen for 10th Senate District special election |location=New Castle, Delaware |publisher=Delaware Democratic Party Senate |date=December 24, 2016 |accessdate=February 26, 2017}}</ref>
The election had more significance than the average state senate race and received national attention. At the time, the 21-member Delaware Senate was split evenly between 10 Democrats and 10 Republicans. While Democrats remained in control with the tie-breaking vote of Lieutenant Governor Hall-Long as senate president, a Republican victory would have given Republicans control of the chamber for the first time in over four decades, ending the complete Democratic control of the General Assembly.<ref name="nj special election">{{cite web |url=http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2017/02/21/senate-election-nears/98191870/ |title=Delaware special election spending nears $1 million |location=Wilmington, Delaware |newspaper=The News Journal Senate |date=February 21, 2017 |accessdate= February 25, 2017}}</ref>
On a national level, the race was one of the first since Donald Trump took office and was described as important in showing the strength of Democrats in "a traditional stronghold like Delaware."<ref name= "NYT">{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/22/us/joe-biden-delaware-election-stephanie-hansen.html |title=Joe Biden Campaigns for Delaware Candidate in Crucial State Race|newspaper=The New York Times |date=February 22, 2017|accessdate=February 25, 2017}}</ref><ref name="BAL">{{cite web |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Delaware_state_legislative_special_elections,_2017 |title=Delaware state legislative special elections, 2017 |publisher=Ballotpedia |accessdate= February 25, 2017}}</ref> The race received a large amount of national attention for an off-year state election race, and Democrats were poised to spend a "record-shattering" $1 million.<ref name="nj special election" /> Hansen's campaign itself raised more than $300,000 over the course of three weeks—six times that of her opponent—with money from across the country, including over 14,000 donations under $100.<ref name="NYT" /><ref name="HUF">{{cite web |last=Blumenthal |first=Paul |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/delaware-special-senate-election_us_58b22659e4b060480e089560 |title=Buoyed By Anti-Trump Activism, Democrat Wins Delaware Special Election |work=HuffPost |date=February 25, 2017 |accessdate= February 26, 2017}}</ref>
Former Vice President Joe Biden took a visible role in the campaign by fundraising, appearing in ads, and even going door-to-door with Hansen.<ref name="NYT" /> Other prominent volunteers included Carney and former Maryland governor and 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Martin O'Malley.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/politics/2017/02/13/senate-race-biden/97866622/ |title=Biden, Democrats pull out stops for state Senate race |location=Wilmington, Delaware |newspaper=The News Journal |accessdate= February 26, 2017}}</ref> Hansen was also endorsed by the Delaware State AFL–CIO, the Delaware Building Trades, Delaware United, the Delaware State Education Association, the District Council of Delaware Laborers, Mary Ann's List, and the Barbara Gittings Delaware Stonewall Democrats.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.scsuntimes.com/news/20170126/state-education-association-endorses-hansen-in-10th-district-election |title=State Education Association endorses Hansen in 10th District election|work=Smyrna-Clayton Sun Times |date=January 26, 2017|accessdate=February 26, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hansenforsenate.org/endorsements.html |title=Endorsement |publisher=Stephanie Hansen: Democrat State Senate |accessdate=February 25, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170226143358/http://www.hansenforsenate.org/endorsements.html |archive-date=February 26, 2017 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Her campaign focused on a multitude of issues including the cost of living for seniors, the opioid addiction epidemic, and affordable college education.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hansenforsenate.org/issues.html |title=Issues |publisher=Stephanie Hansen: Democrat State Senate |accessdate=February 25, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170226140437/http://www.hansenforsenate.org/issues.html |archive-date=February 26, 2017 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Her campaign manager, Erik Schramm, emphasized the effort to "highlight local issues while harnessing the national mood to excite volunteers."<ref name="HUF" /> As Hansen said that many of the voters she met while going door-to-door were watching television coverage of the protests against the new administration when she came to their homes.<ref name="NYT" />
While special elections usually see lower voter participation, the turnout on election day was over 35%, higher than the 2014 midterm election. Hansen won with 7,315 votes (58%) against Republican nominee John Marino and Libertarian nominee Joseph Lanzendorfer.<ref name="State election results page">{{cite web|title=Special Election (Official Results)|url=https://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect17/elect17_special_ncc_sd10/html/election.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170228155717/http://elections.delaware.gov/archive/elect17/elect17_special_ncc_sd10/html/election.shtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 28, 2017|publisher=Delaware Department of Elections|department=Office of the State Election Commissioner|date=February 27, 2017|accessdate=January 7, 2019}}</ref> Democrats nationwide celebrated the victory as a big win for a new generation of activists after the election of Trump as president.<ref name="HUF" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=Perez|first=Tom|author-link=Tom Perez|title=Great work. We kept the majority in Delaware. Let's keep the momentum going, this is only the beginning.|url=https://twitter.com/TomPerez/status/835687250105098240|publisher=Twitter|date=February 25, 2017|accessdate=February 26, 2017}}</ref>
== Legislation == Hansen is known for her work in energy and environmental policy. In 2021, she sponsored legislation to extend and expand Delaware's Renewable Portfolio Standards to increase the state's investment in renewable energy sources.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bill Detail - Delaware General Assembly |url=https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=48278 |access-date=2025-09-23 |website=legis.delaware.gov}}</ref> She has introduced legislation to conserve native species and prevent the importation of invasive species.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stephanie L. Hansen |url=https://senatedems.delaware.gov/members/senate-district-10/ |access-date=2025-09-23 |website=Senate Democrats |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Bill Detail - Delaware General Assembly |url=https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=48260 |access-date=2025-09-23 |website=legis.delaware.gov}}</ref>
== Electoral history == 2017: Hansen won the Special Election held on February 25, 2017, with 7,315 votes (58.14%), defeating Republican candidate John Marino and Libertarian candidate Joseph D. Lanzendorfer.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 27, 2017 |title=2017 State Senate District 10 Special Election |url=https://elections.delaware.gov/elections/resultsarchive/elect17/elect17_special_ncc_sd10/html/election.shtml |access-date=September 23, 2025 |website=State of Delaware Department of Elections}}</ref>
2018: Hansen defeated Republican nominee Christine Metzing with 11,665 votes (62.06%) in the general election held on November 6, 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 19, 2018 |title=2018 General Election |url=https://elections.delaware.gov/elections/resultsarchive/elect18/elect18_general/html/election.shtml |access-date=September 23, 2025 |website=State of Delaware Department of Elections}}</ref>
2022: Hansen was unopposed in the general election held on November 8, 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 12, 2022 |title=2022 General Election Report |url=https://elections.delaware.gov/results/html/index.shtml?electionId=GE2022 |access-date=September 23, 2025 |website=State of Delaware Department of Elections}}</ref>
2024: Hansen was unopposed in the general election held on November 5, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 12, 2024 |title=2024 General Election Report |url=https://elections.delaware.gov/results/html/index.shtml?electionId=GE2024 |access-date=September 23, 2025 |website=State of Delaware Department of Elections}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== *[https://legis.delaware.gov/AssemblyMember/150/Hansen Official page] at the Delaware General Assembly *[http://hansenforsenate.org/ Campaign site] *{{CongLinks | congbio= | votesmart=176088 | fec= | congress= }}
{{Delaware State Senators}} {{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hansen, Stephanie}} Category:1961 births Category:Living people Category:Democratic Party Delaware state senators Category:Women state legislators in Delaware Category:Members of the New Castle County Council Category:County council members and commissioners in Delaware Category:Delaware lawyers Category:21st-century American women lawyers Category:American environmental lawyers Category:American women earth scientists Category:American hydrologists Category:University of Delaware alumni Category:University of New Orleans alumni Category:Widener University Delaware Law School alumni Category:People from Seaford, Delaware Category:People from Middletown, Delaware Category:People from Limestone, Maine Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:20th-century Delaware politicians Category:20th-century American earth scientists Category:20th-century American scientists Category:20th-century American women scientists Category:21st-century American lawyers Category:21st-century members of the Delaware General Assembly Category:20th-century American women politicians