Congressional candidates clash over tech, privacy and AI in Delaware

When it comes to Delaware representatives in the US House, there can be only one.

Delaware is one of five states with a population low enough that there’s just one representative in the US House, so filling that seat is no small decision. 

Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester has held the role since 2017, but she’s running for Senate this year instead, leaving the representative spot open. Five candidates are vying for the spot, and four showed up at the Delaware Journalism Collaborative’s congressional debate on Tuesday to discuss their candidacy — one, Elias Weir, a last-minute addition required some on-the-spot recalibrating. 

Because of the limited space at the library, the audience was small, but it was enthusiastic and typically friendly despite political differences.

“Tonight’s debate serves as an important and meaningful conversation with the candidates for Delaware’s lone congressional seat,” said moderator Amy Cherry, chairman of the operating board for the Local Journalism Initiative.

State Senator Sarah McBride, business owner Earl Cooper and perennial candidate Weir are on the Democrat ticket. Military veteran Donyale Hall and John J. Whalen are on the Republican ticket, all of them waiting for the Sept. 10 decision before the general election in November.

All but Whalen showed up for the debate at the Main Branch of the Wilmington Public Library. The four candidates answered questions on foreign policy, the environment, social issues, technology and immigration. Three local journalists, including Amanda Fries of Delaware Online, Jake Owens of Spotlight Delaware and this reporter, wrote and asked the questions with assistance from DJC managing editor Darel La Prade. 

The candidates come from diverse backgrounds and hold vastly varied viewpoints. If McBride wins the election, she will be the first openly trans person in Congress. Cooper, another Democratic candidate, is a Black entrepreneur passionate about raising Americans out of poverty. Weir is an anti-abortion Democrat from New York who first ran for political office in Delaware in 2016. 

On the Republican ticket, Hall, in addition to being a vet, is a mother of ten children. Whalen, who did not attend the debate, is a Millsboro business owner who worked for the Delaware Police for 20 years.

What are the candidates’ stances on tech? We asked them three technology questions at the debate. We were unable to find any public statements from Whalen about his stance on tech issues.

Here’s how the other four candidates answered the questions. 

Federal involvement in AI regulation

Full question: Advancements in artificial intelligence have created great economic potential but also present significant risks in terms of disinformation and job replacement. How would you propose the federal government be involved, or not, in the future regulation of the technology?

McBride: “The government absolutely has to regulate artificial intelligence so that we’re maximizing the potential that it has to expand access to health care and improve health outcomes while also mitigating the risk. 

“We can’t stick our heads in the sand and pretend like this innovation is not without any risk.”

Cooper: “I do believe that innovation should be allowed. I don’t think that Congress has to intervene there.”

Weir: “If you stifle [AI], it becomes a problem, because the government should not have hands on everything.” He also expressed concerns that regulation could hinder competition with China.”

Hall: “[There is a] concept called ‘techquity,’ where, as we are replacing flesh and blood human beings with artificial intelligence, we would then [start] a fund that would be created for reinvestment, for retraining for those individuals who lost their job to be able to compete inside that AI world.”

Laws to protect consumer data

Full question: Unlike the European Union, the United States does not have a federal law protecting consumers’ data. The American Privacy and Protection Act, was introduced in the House in 2022 but hasn’t moved since December of that year. Would you support moving forward with the American Privacy and Protection Act?

McBride: “In Congress, I would absolutely support similar protections for consumer data from both an individual privacy perspective, but also from a national security perspective.” 

Cooper: “Yes, I would. That’s something that we should do as a business owner … but please don’t get it twisted. There are some obligations on the owners too.”

Weir: “The government should have a strong law protecting the consumers … But at the same time, the corporations that allow for their data to be stolen have strong obligations to the corporate to the consumers.”

Hall: “I have had some very difficult conversations within my own household with my kids and their reckless use of their cell phones … It’s a very slippery slope when it comes down to technology, and we have to do everything that we can to make sure that we ensure that our data stays protected.”

How to approach social media regulation

Full question: Congress has increasingly investigated and sought to rein in social media companies like Instagram, Facebook and TikTok for failing sufficiently to protect minors. Do you believe a continued tough stance on social media is warranted under a new Congress?

McBride: “There’s no question that social media is worsening the mental health crisis […] We need to make sure that we are holding social media companies accountable [and] we should guarantee that there’s transparency with regard to these algorithms.”

Cooper: Congress should continue its tough stance, “but I still don’t take the responsibility away from myself as a parent.”

Weir: “I absolutely agree that it’s warranted.” He added that people shouldn’t become millionaires running social media platforms and not have to be accountable for what happens there.

Hall: “I was chomping at the bit for this question … We have a social, conscious, moral obligation to do what we can to make sure that we protect our minors while they are browsing on whatever latest, greatest craze there is,” she said.

Watch the full congressional debate here.