Theodore J. Sophocleus

Theodore J. Sophocleus is an American politician from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party.

In the legislature

Delegate Sophocleus is currently serving in his 4th full term in the Maryland House of Delegates, representing Maryland's District 32 in Anne Arundel County. Sopohcleus was originally appointed to the seat by Governor William Donald Schaefer in 1993 to replace Tyras S. Athey who resigned, but was only elected in his own right in 1998. He currently serves on the Appropriations Committee and as a Deputy Majority Whip.

Legislative notes

• voted against the Clean Indoor Air Act of 2007 (HB359)[1]

• voted against Tax Reform Act of 2007 to increase sales tax by 20% (HB2)[2]

• is a noted opponent of medical marijuana

• voted for the Maryland Gang Prosecution Act of 2007 (HB713), subjecting gang members to up to 20 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $100,000 [3]

• voted for Jessica’s Law (HB 930), eliminating parole for the most violent child sexual predators and creating a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in state prison, 2007 [4]

• voted for Public Safety – Statewide DNA Database System – Crimes of Violence and Burglary – Post conviction (HB 370), helping to give police officers and prosecutors greater resources to solve crimes and eliminating a backlog of 24,000 unanalyzed DNA samples, leading to 192 arrests, 2008 [5]

• voted for Vehicle Laws – Repeated Drunk and Drugged Driving Offenses – Suspension of License (HB 293), strengthening Maryland’s drunk driving laws by imposing a mandatory one year license suspension for a person convicted of drunk driving more than once in five years, 2009 [6]

• voted for HB 102, creating the House Emergency Medical Services System Workgroup, leading to Maryland’s budgeting of $52 million to fund three new Medevac helicopters to replace the State’s aging fleet, 2009 [7]

For the past four years, Delegate Sophocleus has annually voted to support classroom teachers, public schools, police and hospitals in Anne Arundel County. Since 2002, funding to schools across the State has increased 82%, resulting in Maryland being ranked top in the nation for K-12 education.

Education

Delegate Sophocleus attended the now closed Patterson Senior High in Baltimore City. After high school he graduated from the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, where he earned his Bachelor's of Science degree in pharmacy in 1962.

Election results

• 2006 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – District 32^[1]

Voters to choose three:

Name	Votes	Percent	Outcome
Pamela Beidle, Dem.	17,964	18.6%	Won
Mary Ann Love, Dem.	17,697	18.3%	Won
Theodore Sophocleus, Dem.	17,661	18.3%	Won
Mark S. Chang, Sr, Rep.	16,569	17.1%	Lost
Terry R. Gilleland, Jr., Rep.	13,632	14.1%	Lost
Wayne Charles Smith, Rep.	13,153	13.6%	Lost
Other Write-Ins	75	0.1%	Lost

• 2002 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – District 32^[2]

Voters to choose three:

Name	Votes	Percent	Outcome
James E. Rzepkowski, Rep.	18,299	19.84%	Won
Theodore Sophocleus, Dem.	16,842	18.26%	Won
Mary Ann Love, Dem.	16,646	18.05%	Won
Robert G. Pepersack, Sr, Rep.	14,628	15.86%	Lost
Victor A. Sulin, Dem.	13,694	14.85%	Lost
David P. Starr, Rep.	12,020	13.04%	Lost
Other Write-Ins	82	0.09%	Lost

• 1998 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – District 32^[3]

Voters to choose three:

Name	Votes	Percent	Outcome
Mary Ann Love, Dem.	15,823	19%	Won
Theodore J. Sophocleus, Dem.	15,382	18%	Won
James E. Rzepkowski, Rep.	14,959	18%	Won
Michael W. Burns, Rep.	13,247	16%	Lost
Victor Sulin, Dem.	12,658	15%	Lost
Betty Ann O'Neill, Dem.	11,752	14%	Lost

References

"Maryland Manual Online". Maryland State Archives. 2007. http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdmanual/06hse/html/hsedist.html. Retrieved 2007-07-17. 

References and notes