WILMINGTON, DE - Governor John Carney on Friday issued the following statement on the passing of Wilmington leader and Delaware NAACP President Richard “Mouse” Smith:   

“Tracey and I were so sorry to hear of Mouse’s passing. In many ways my relationship with Mouse felt like what I imagine an older brother to be like. He was always there for advice and support. He always had your back when you got in a jam. He was willing to stand behind you even if it made things more difficult for him. And he was an incredible listener - even when you disagreed - which always helped to develop a better approach. Together we were able to do good things for our state, especially for people of color and the City of Wilmington. 

Mouse became a friend years ago when I started in then-Senator Biden’s office. He and President Biden remained close friends - leaning on each other throughout their careers. When I decided to run for office, Mouse was by my side. 

His impact as a community advocate and President of the NAACP is immeasurable. Most recently, he pushed for improvements in our city schools and helped us advance the Wilmington Learning Collaborative. Because of his tireless work, I had the honor of awarding Mouse and his colleague and friend Dr. Freeman Williams with the Order of the First State a few weeks ago - the highest honor a Governor can bestow on a citizen. And there are few people more deserving of this honor.   

I will miss him personally as a friend, but his passing is a loss for the State of Delaware. May his legacy be a reminder that the work towards equal opportunity is never done. My thoughts go out to all who have worked with and learned from Mouse.”