Why I'm Running
Joe Jasper is running for the 23rd!
Environment - Equal Rights - Small Business
I’m Joe!
I spent twenty years as a brewer and brewmaster in the craft beer industry. With my wife Lindsay, I previously owned a small business here in Newark. I am running as a Democrat to represent District 23 because I want to make change that benefits us all.
I am a Newark resident, and I have experience working with local and state officials to change city ordinances and state laws in order to better serve small businesses in the state. I believe that people should be treated with dignity and respect. And I think we should do everything we can to address the impacts of the cost of energy, climate change and extreme weather.
As a resident I enjoy biking around Newark, and I look forward to creating a relationship with DelDOT to keep our streets safe for pedestrians and bicyclists. I also enjoy hiking in our state parks and getting out on the water in the cedar canoe my dad handcrafted for me. White Clay Creek is an important part of our district and so working with DNREC at the state-level is an important part of the work I will do as your state representative.
I hope that together we can make a Newark where we all can thrive.
- Joe
June 12, 2026 | Press Release
Democrat Joe Jasper Announces Candidacy to Represent Delaware’s 23rd District
What do you want to see change?
NEWARK – Today, June 12, 2026, Newark resident Joe Jasper announced that he is running for Delaware State House in the 23rd Representative District. Joe will serve to make Newark residents heard.
“I am here to listen and do the work.”
Joe is an award-winning brewmaster and former small business owner and knows firsthand the hurdles faced by local businesses. For the last twenty years Joe has worked in the brewing industry crafting beers for large and small companies. In 2017, with his wife Lindsay, he started a small-scale brewing company right here in Newark. Joe worked to change a city ordinance and later worked on state legislation to change Delaware law to make starting a small brewing company easier and more economical. Recently retired from the brewing industry, Joe has worked to increase his civic participation taking on a role as a representative on the Parking Advisory Committee for the City of Newark.
Joe has been supporting elections campaigns through a decade of volunteer work. His experience in Delaware began when he first phone-banked for Senator Carper in 2016. He recently canvassed for Vice President Kamala Harris in Pennsylvania in 2024. Beyond talking with people about democratic candidates, Joe has experience talking with elected reps. As a member of the Brewers Association Joe lobbied on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC in 2023 and 2024, to address issues such as industry-related taxes, restrictions on small breweries, and environmental protections for water and waterways. Joe also shows up in Dover—as recently as 2026, Joe went to the House of Representatives to advocate for HB94 in support of immigrant rights.
In addition to experience advocating for change at the federal and state level Joe also knows what it takes to craft legislation in Dover. Joe has worked closely with State Representatives and Senators to change Delaware law. Between 2019-2021 Joe and his partner Lindsay worked with Representative Baumbach and Senator Sokola to craft legislation (HB81) that made alternating proprietorships in the alcohol industry legal. This legislation allowed small businesses to collaborate and share space and equipment, clearing a significant hurdle for new small craft breweries to be established in the state. The success of this bill led to Joe and Lindsay being named in 2024 by The News Journal as one of Delaware’s Most Influential in Food & Drink in the state. In addition to his experience helping create a law that would support small businesses in the state, Joe also worked collaboratively with the Delaware Brewer’s Guild to change state restrictions on how beer is distributed from where it’s made to where it’s sold (Rule 911).
Joe’s priorities for District 23 are people-centered. “As a previous small business owner, I know how hard it is to make a small business survive—when they should be thriving!” In addition to thinking about the people who run small businesses, Joe is focused on equal rights and environmental concerns as part of the work he will do in representing the 23rd. Joe will fight for equal rights for everyone regardless of party. He will work to lift up the voices of the LGBTQIA+ community, immigrants, as well as those of Black, Indigenous and People of Color. He is a fierce advocate for reproductive rights of women and increasing healthcare access. Joe also believes that each person should have the right to a healthy environment and will work on legislation to address climate change, extreme weather, and increase environmental protection.
In addition to these foundational campaign issues, environment; equal rights; and small business, Joe also is attentive to life and livelihoods. This includes addressing issues of affordability, access to healthcare, housing, and striving for a strong public education system.
Visit www.joejasperfor23.com
Election Information
The primary election will be held on September 15, 2026.
The last day to change your party is May 29, 2026, and the last day to register to vote in the primary is August 22, 2026.
Are you in 23?
The 23rd Representative District includes the City of Newark north and west of Main Street, and the Corner Ketch and lower Pike Creek areas.