In what is already being billed as the ‘Election of the Century’, having almost every state senator inside the city limits being challenged by either a strong, viable outside candidate or an elected democratic colleague of theirs from the House of Delegates; we now also have seen an influx of new, community-driven challengers running for various House seats.
In the 40th district, where first-term Delegate Antonio Hayes has already announced his intentions to take on the district’s newly appointed State Senator, Barbara Robinson; there have already been three challengers that have officially filed to run for one of the three state delegate seats – and a half a dozen more have declared interest in running in the West Baltimore district.
Currently, the three seats are occupied by Hayes, longtime Delegate Frank Conaway Jr. and newly appointed Delegate – and former city councilman – Nick Mosby.
However, rumors still swirl around the district that Mosby also may be eyeing a run for the district’s state senate seat; and with Hayes’ decision to run for the state senate seat, that leaves a guaranteed vacancy in the House and another possible vacancy if Mosby makes it a three-way race for Senate. While it is highly unlikely Mosby will make that leap, especially since he has never been elected to a state position, having been appointed to the seat by the district’s seven member state central committee; it still remains a viable option until otherwise debunked by Mosby himself.
The 41st district, which remains the city’s highest voter turnout district, will probably be the most interesting district to watch in terms of challengers, strategically formed alliances and strange bedfellows in regards to Election Day tickets between candidates. Here you have two newly appointed state delegates, Bilal Ali and Angela Gibson, and a newly appointed state senator, Nathaniel Oaks, who is currently under federal indictment.
The only politically branded name that still remains in that district is Delegate Sandy Rosenberg, who has typically gained the influential backing of the Jewish community vote, and relied on Oaks and former state senator Lisa Gladden to garner enough of the black vote to help get him elected. However, now that Gladden is gone and Oaks is under indictment and facing political uncertainty, Rosenberg will have to rely on a proven name in the black community to help get him votes, and they will have to hope Rosenberg helps garner votes for them in the Jewish community.
Once looked at as the sole representative for the Jewish community, Rosenberg’s influence in this community has been waning over the years, and may be even further cut short next year by an up and coming political rock-star in this community, Dalya Attar. A recently filed democratic candidate for state delegate, Attar seems to have the unyielding support of her Jewish community, possibly making her a future dealmaker as it relates to this district.
Ali and Gibson come in with no real political base throughout the district, though the power of incumbency will certainly help their cause. But with strong candidates such as Sean Stinnett and Attar already out knocking on doors and talking directly to voters, and Donovan Hatcher building coalitions across the district; now may be the ideal time that a newcomer, or several newcomers, successfully take on the establishment.
The Senate race in this district has been the most talked about possibility across the city, with former Mayor Sheila Dixon being rumored to potentially challenge Oaks – who everyone sees as vulnerable based on his criminal situation. The possibility of former 41st district state delegate Jill P. Carter running for the senate seat is also being discussed, possibly pitting Dixon v Pugh once again, as a Carter candidacy will assuredly be backed by Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh.
However, it could come down to which one of these candidates locks down the Jewish vote, which means Rosenberg and Attar could possibly wield their influence in this community in order to ensure their own success in the African American community.
Dixon’s dominance in the black community was highlighted during last year’s mayoral race, as was her weakness in the white community – particularly the Jewish community. So a possible Dixon ticket could potentially see both Attar and/or Rosenberg at the top of that ticket, with Stinnett, Hatcher or another one of the half dozen or more potential African American delegate candidates rounding out her potential ticket.
The 43rd district is the only district across the city with three House members that has yet to see a challenger file to run against the incumbents. And while two of the three current incumbents are set to run for re-election, Delegate(s) Curt Anderson and Maggie McIntosh, the third is more likely to challenge the incumbent state senator, Joan Carter Conway.
Delegate Mary Washington, who has seemingly outworked her entire team of colleagues combined over the past eight years on behalf of the citizens of this NE district, has been rumored to be considering a run for the senate seat. And since Conway flip-flops on an almost daily basis, in regards to whether or not she will run for a sixth term in the Maryland State Senate, it seems as if the voters of this district are itching for a more progressive, energized and steady hand at the wheel – and Washington seems to be just that.
East Baltimore’s 45th district has already seen two challengers file to run for state delegate over there; however, it’s the incumbent state delegate that worries the rest of the field in this district. Delegate Cory McCray, who has hinted at the possibility of running for state senator against the entrenched Senator Nathaniel McFadden, has shaken up his colleagues just based on the mere speculation of his run, so much so that they have already filed to run for re-election as a team.
Delegates Talmadge Branch and Cheryl Glenn, along with Senator McFadden, all jointly filed their re-election papers on June 23rd of this year, showing McCray and his supporters that they would be taking on the entire East Baltimore machine if they chose to “go against the grain” in next year’s democratic primary. However, this supposed show of strength seems to have done nothing to deter McCray from considering a run for Senate, as the 34-year old first-term state delegate continues knocking on the doors of area residents four to five days a week, taking his message of being a “Leader that Listens” straight to the voters of the 45th.
This district already has several candidates who have either filed or announced their intentions to run for state delegate, including Angela Mack-Boyd and longtime Dixon supporter and aide, Linzy Jackson. The latter has already been touring the district, getting his name known and his infrastructure in place to take on the establishment next year; and although McCray has yet to announce his plans for 2018, it is rumored that he is already forming a ticket to take on his district colleagues - and at this point, Jackson would be a likely candidate to be on the young and energetic McCray ticket.
Ironically, McCray was offered a spot on the establishment ticket four years ago when the McFadden team saw him as a possible threat. He eventually turned down their offer, winning the seat on his own; thereby drawing a line in the sand that seems to have led to the current competing political factions in this war-torn district.
Next door and a bit further south of this district is the only district that has yet to see a challenger file to run against the incumbent state senator, Bill Ferguson. However, that has not stopped several strong competitors from jumping in the race for state delegate – hoping to garner one of the three delegate seats, including the open seat that was filled earlier this year.
The Ferguson team, which is led in the House by first-term state delegate Brooke Lierman, and includes longtime state delegate Luke Clippinger; has already established their ticket by adding the newly appointed state delegate, Robbyn Lewis, to their ballot.
However, the voters of the 46th legislative district have never voted for Lewis, as she was appointed by the members of the district’s democratic state central committee following the departure of Delegate Peter Hammen – who retired to take a position in the Pugh administration. And now several candidates have lined up to take on the ticket, including Dea Thomas, a rising political superstar who lost a bid for the City Council last year.
Thomas seems to have a growing base of young, progressive democrats behind her campaign, which could give the Ferguson ticket fits, especially if she teams up with other progressive candidates to form a slate or district ticket. But they will be fighting a political goliath, as the incumbent ticket will likely be well-funded and supported by the establishment, having a proven track record of success that will likely serve them well in the democratic primary next June.
The city’s only remaining district, the 44th district, only has one state delegate and a portion of the district within the city limits. And it seems likely that the incumbent state delegate, Keith Haynes, will seek re-election instead of challenging the aging state senator, Shirley Nathan-Pulliam. If he does run for the House seat, it is highly unlikely any new challenger will defeat this well-funded incumbent; and to-date, nobody has filed to run against him.
