Jesse R. Vanderwende is a Republican member of the Delaware House of Representatives, representing District 35 in rural Sussex County. Born in 1987, he is a local farmer and businessman who was first elected in 2018 after winning the Republican primary with nearly 60% of the vote and running unopposed in the general election. He serves on committees including Agriculture, Corrections, Gaming & Parimutuels, Natural Resources & Energy, Public Safety & Homeland Security, Technology & Telecommunications, and Veterans Affairs. Notable achievements include leadership in reforming Delaware's drainage and flood control network, advocacy for farm families and agriculture as one of the few active farmers in the General Assembly, and community roles such as former president of the Bridgeville Kiwanis Club, Delaware Soybean Board, and Sussex County Farm Bureau, plus current service on the Delaware State Fair Board. He is married to Taylor and they have two children.

Education and Political Experience

Education: Graduated from Woodbridge High School; associate degree in Agribusiness from Delaware Technical and Community College.

Political Experience: House of Representatives, 2018–present.