Maryland Republican Party

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Republican Party of Maryland
Chairman Diana Waterman
Senate leader David R. Brinkley
House leader Nic Kipke
Founded 1854
Headquarters 15 West Street, Annapolis, MD 21401
Ideology Conservatism
National affiliation Republican Party
Seats in State Upper Houses
12 / 47
Seats in State Lower Houses
43 / 141
Website
http://www.mdgop.org/
Politics of the United States
Political parties
Elections
The Maryland Republican Party is the branch of the United States Republican Party (GOP) located in the state of Maryland, headquartered in Annapolis.[2] It is historically the underdog party in Maryland state politics.[3]
Number of self-identified Democrats vs. self-identified Republicans, per state, according to Gallup, January–June 2010, showing Maryland as third most democratic.[1]

Current elected officials

Members of Congress

U.S. House of Representatives

Statewide offices

  • None

State Legislature

County government

As of 2011 the Maryland GOP is the majority party of county governments. It holds 15 of 23 counties excluding Baltimore City. It controls 9 out of the 15 Majority Control counties including all of Western Maryland for the first time.

State government

It doesn't control executive offices.

In the House of Delegates it gained six seats in the 2010 election. In the state Senate it lost two seats in 2010 including the seat that was held by the GOP Chairman Alex Mooney.

State Party

The Republican Party is the minority party in both houses of the Maryland General Assembly. In the House of Delegates, the Republicans control 43 seats to the Democrats' 98. In the Maryland State Senate, the Republicans control 12 seats to the Democrats' 35. Because of this more than two-to-one government majority, predominantly Republican areas of Maryland, such as the Eastern Shore, become worried that their representatives' voices are not being heard.

The Republican Party enjoys widespread support from Western Maryland and the Eastern Shore, both of which are mainly rural. In other areas of the state such as heavily populated Montgomery County, Prince George's County, and the City of Baltimore, Republicans are a minority.

The state of Maryland is mainly democratic because of its vast urban areas and cities such as Baltimore.[4]

In comparison to the national Republican Party, the Maryland Republican Party is trending more conservative. This is especially true concerning social issues and immigration. For example, Republican Congressman Wayne Gilchrest pro-choice on the abortion issue was defeated by pro-life state senator Andy Harris in the Republican primary in 2008.

Former chair of the Republican National Committee Michael Steele
In 2003, Michael Steele became the first African-American elected to statewide office in the state of Maryland, when he was elected Lieutenant Governor. Prior to this, Steele served as the Chairman of the Maryland Republican Party. In 2009, Michael S. Steele was elected chair of the Republican National Committee, the first African-American to hold that position.

Important historical members of the Maryland Republican Party have included former Governor and Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, the second vice president ever to resign the office, and former Senator Charles Mathias.

Current events

The Washington Post characterized the party as "close to broke" as of January 2009, with $703.10 on hand and $57,000 in loans and bills. The Maryland Election Board also ruled in 2009 that the Maryland GOP must return $77,500 to a campaign account of Steele for party legal expenses that he had paid.[5] As of November 2011 the Baltimore Sun reports that the Maryland Republican party now owes over $100,000 to vendors that stems from the 2010 election cycle.[6]

Current notable Maryland Republicans

Former Maryland governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. speaking at Healthier US summit.
Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. was the only Republican governor of Maryland since the 1960s who served as governor from 2003 to 2007. He was defeated by a landslide in the 2010 election against current Democratic governor Martin O'Malley. Ehrlich's wife, Kendel Ehrlich, is a notable state Republican who hosts, along with her husband, a conservative talk radio show on WBAL 1090-AM in Baltimore.

Andy Harris was one of the few bright spots for Maryland Republicans in the 2010 election as he won a congressional seat back from the Democrats.

Nicholaus Kipke is the current House Minority Leader. He unseated Anthony J. O'Donnell in 2013.[7]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.gallup.com/poll/141548/States-Competitive-Terms-Party-Identification.aspx
  2. ↑ "Contact the MGOP." Maryland Republican Party. Retrieved on May 13, 2010.
  3. ↑ Kent, F. R. (1968). The story of Maryland politics; an outline history of the big political battles of the State from 1864 to 1910, with sketches and incidents of the men and measures that figured as factors, and the names of most of those who held office in that period. Introd. by James H. Bready. Hatboro, Pa., Tradition Press, 1968.
  4. ↑ Roots of Maryland Democracy, 1753-1776. Skaggs, David Curtis. Westport, Conn., Greenwood Press [1973].
  5. ↑ Md. GOP Weighs Ouster of Chief Amid Debt and Decrease in Rolls
  6. ↑ http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-11-12/news/bs-md-gop-meets-20111112_1_party-plans-michael-steele-alex-x-mooney
  7. ↑

External links

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