DeGroot announces re-election bid as Sussex commissioner

Sussex County Commissioner Jack DeGroot will seek a second term this year, he announced Thursday evening. 

DeGroot, a 27-year-old Republican, is the only Sussex commissioner up for re-election this year. He first won election in 2023 and is instantly the favorite to win in a county that Democratic Gov. Mikie Sherrill lost by more than 18 points last year.

“Since taking office, my priority has been simple: deliver real results for Sussex County families while protecting what makes our community special,” DeGroot said in the announcement. “I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together, and I’m ready to continue that work.”

DeGroot unseated a Republican incumbent in the 2023 primary, back when he was a 23-year-old graduate student and farmer. In announcing his re-election bid, he said he’s helped efforts to invest more than $1 million in 300 acres of family farmland, as well as other programs and preservation projects focused on assisting the county’s farms.

“I’m not making decisions from somewhere else — I’m making them right here, where I live, work, and plan to raise a family,” DeGroot said. “Sussex County is my home, and serving this community is an honor.”

As of Thursday, DeGroot is the only candidate who has filed to run for the seat.