About John

John A. Kowalko Jr.

Representative John Kowalko Jr. was raised in Philadelphia by his parents—John Sr., a 24-year career Marine who fought in two wars, and Adele, a homemaker and a superb cook specializing in Polish delicacies. John earned an academic scholarship to St. Joseph’s Prep and graduated in 1963. He then apprenticed as a machinist at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, where he was a member of LL687 IAM and held the offices of Treasurer and Recording Secretary. He also served as Chief Steward of the Metal Trades Council, a coalition of various trade unions at the Shipyard. John was employed at Delaware City Refinery from 1978 to 2004 as a member of LL648 IAM, where he held the positions of Machinist Steward and General Foreman Machinist.

He moved to Newark, Delaware, in 1983 with his wife, Connie. They raised their two children in Windy Hills before moving to Kells Avenue. John coached both youth soccer and track for many years, and he belonged to each of his children’s PTA organizations. Connie was a member of the Christiana School District Board of Education and the director of the nonprofit Willa Road Day Care Center. Their daughter, Johanna, is a biology professor at Lehigh University and has two children with her husband, Jeff. Their son, John III, attended law school in Washington, D.C., and now works for Community Legal Services in Maryland, advocating on behalf of tenants facing eviction.

After moving to Delaware, John became more active in his quest for social justice. He wrote for the Community Advisory Editorial Board for The News Journal for two years, and his regular columns stirred his passion for both writing and activism. He became a member of the 25th RD and began participating in liberal activist causes and groups, including Alliance for Health Care Reform, Delaware Coalition for Health Care NOW, A. Philip Randolph Institute, Common Cause of Delaware, Pacem in Terris, SURJ (Stand Up for What’s Right and Just), and ACORN. John was one of the founding members of the Progressive Democrats for Delaware. He founded Citizens for Legislative Accountability in 2003 and began lobbying for causes in Dover. When the 25th District needed someone to represent Democrats in the 2004 election, John volunteered to run against a ten-year incumbent. Although his first run was unsuccessful, his dedication to community activism over the next two years ensured a solid victory against his Republican opponent in 2006.

Throughout his 16 years in office, John consistently won his elections by large margins with strong bipartisan support. John believes a State Representative represents everyone in his State, and his constituents knew him as the State Representative who would get things done. They knew they could count on him and could reach him at any time on his personal cell phone. He truly valued his role serving the public good as a State Representative.

John’s willingness to fight for what he believes is right did not go unnoticed by the Delaware Way. In 2013, John was removed as Chair of the powerful Joint Sunset Committee, and in 2015, he was removed as Chair of the Energy Committee and removed entirely from the Education Committee. The Democratic leadership in the House prevented numerous good government bills introduced by John from receiving a floor vote. John never bowed to this pressure and continued to fight for his convictions and take on party leadership when it stood in the way of what was best for the citizens of Delaware.

John’s breadth of knowledge allowed him to impact a range wide range of issues. From his role as an intervener in Delmarva rate cases, to taking a stand against the proposed power plant in Newark, pressuring for more transparency in government, fighting for union rights and state workers, putting a hold on excessive lobbying influence, drafting his own budgets and tax proposals to bring equity for ordinary Delawareans, protecting the environment and pushing for offshore wind power, and promoting equity in public school education on behalf of parents and children, John did not relent. He stood strong and stayed the course, challenging the orthodoxy of politics as usual and relentlessly fighting for the interests of all Delawareans.

As a result, John became one of the most influential legislators in Dover. His ideas of fair play and equitable funding spread through Dover and the public. His bills stirred the waters and forced change. John has been asked to speak on panels not just in his own District but across the State. Legislators from other states worked on bills with him. The British government invited him to England to collaborate on wind power issues. His fight against corporate welfare and corporate secrecy attracted the attention of international news organizations, and his efforts were referenced in author Hal Weitzman’s book, What’s the Matter with Delaware?: How the First State Has Favored the Rich, Powerful, and Criminal―and How It Costs Us All.

After retiring from the Delaware House of Representatives, John co-founded RISE Delaware, a group dedicated to preserving the health benefits of state workers and broadcasting the dangers of privatized Medicare Advantage plans. He continues to rally with other retirees and lobby his old colleagues in Dover.

John Kowalko picture

Proud recipient of the following Community Awards:

  • Common Cause Delaware John Gardner Lifetime Achievement Award, 2023
  • Delaware United Leadership Award 2021
  • Delaware Audubon Society 2019 Conservation Award
  • Government for the People Award from DelCOG, Delaware Press Association & League of Women Voters, 2018
  • DACA Community Truth Teller Award, 2015
  • Progressive Democrats for Delaware 2015 Bob Stachnik Progressive Courage Award
  • Progressive Democrats for Delaware 2008 Legislator Political Courage Award
  • ACORN Distinguished Award for Outstanding Community Service, 2008
  • DSEA 2013 Friend of Education Award
  • DSEA 2010 Friend of Education Award
  • Christina District School Board Citizenship Award
  • THUMBS UP AWARD for Outstanding Advocacy on Environmental and Energy Issues
  • Delaware Today’s People of Influence, for the Environment

Community Involvement:

  • St. John–Holy Angels Parish
  • International Association of Machinists
  • Newark Senior Center
  • Stonewall Democrats
  • Common Cause of Delaware
  • Pacem in Terris
  • Delaware State AFL-CIO
  • FMC BioPolymer Community Advisory Panel
  • Progressive Democrats for Delaware
  • Community Advisory Editorial Board for The News Journal, 2 years
  • Kirkwood Soccer Youth coach, 5 years
  • CYM Track coach for Holy Angels, 3 years
  • SURJ (Stand Up for What’s Right and Just)
  • Citizens for Legislative Accountability
  • Delaware Academy of Science
  • A. Philip Randolph Institute
  • Brookside Lions Club
  • Parent-Teacher Association
  • International Reading Association Board of Advisors
  • New Castle County Community Services Board
  • Citizen’s Solid Waste Solutions Commission
  • Iron Hill Museum Capital Fund Task Force
  • Delmarva Power Consumer Council

Former House of Representatives Committees:

  • Education
  • Energy
  • Health & Human Development
  • Labor
  • Legislative Oversight and Sunset
  • Manufactured Housing
  • Natural Resources

Former NCSL Committees:

  • Communications, Financial Services & Interstate Commerce
  • Health & Human Services
  • Labor & Economic Development
  • Natural Resources & Infrastructure

Committed to our community, fighting for your families.

Dedicated to open government and ensuring government transparency and accountability. We must not let the powerful interests control the policymaking in Dover. Our elected official needs to engage in meaningful public dialogue, and I will continue to challenge leadership that attempts to retain an almost dictatorial control over policies and issues preventing and obstructing votes on important policies. I will continue fighting against abuses of FOIA and working to bring legitimacy to the annual budget process.

Legislating solutions to the out of control, soaring utility rate increases by re-regulating the power generating industry costs, providing a sustainable program of affordable relief for our Seniors and low to moderate income families, and permitting public scrutiny of the process of rate increases and power purchases.

Guaranteeing health care for all Delaware residents from cradle to grave. This will be accomplished by implementing a single-payer system to finance Universal Health Care in Delaware. Single-payer health care uses savings from elimination of multi-payer brokers and for-profit insurance companies to provide health care coverage for all Delawareans. The savings engendered by this system will accelerate economic growth, enable new job creation, allow businesses to afford to pay livable wages, and secure an affordable future for our seniors and retirees.

A practical informed approach to improve our educational system. We can accomplish true educational reform and improvement by inviting Educators (superintendents, school board members, principals, and teachers) as well as the community into the process before legislating misguided or unrealistic laws that must later be reformed or repealed. We must use a well-informed, innovative, and visionary approach to legislating our public education system. We should concentrate on early childhood development, standardizing curriculum statewide, and narrowing the achievement gap between minorities and whites.

Halting the assault on the environment and our health. We must vigorously and stringently enforce the existing regulations. We must negotiate and demand new regulations by partnering with the community, environmental activists and Labor leaders, and the appropriate regulatory agencies in negotiating with the various companies excluding the lobbyists from the procedure.