Matt Meyer is the New Castle County executive and a Democratic candidate for governor.
I ran for office because I was fed up.
I taught middle school math in downtown Wilmington. Some of the children I taught came to school hungry. Some woke each morning to unimaginable instability at home. They had witnessed gun and domestic violence, even at a young age.
But you don’t become a teacher because you’re a pessimist. I became a teacher because I’m an optimist. You believe you can make a difference. You see education as the best way to get ahead. You work hard to give your students hope and the skills to have a brighter future.
I loved teaching, but I wanted to do even more to help the students I cared about. Being fed up never meant I was going to give up. I decided to run for office to fix broken systems, stand up to politicians who served themselves instead of their constituents and fight for greater equality in government services and programs.
So, in 2016, I ran for New Castle County executive. In the primary, I ran against a heavily favored three-term incumbent. I won the general election with 66% of the vote.