Maryland Republican Party
AbbreviationMDGOP
ChairpersonNicole Beus Harris
House LeaderJason C. Buckel
Senate LeaderStephen S. Hershey Jr.
Founded1854
Headquarters91 Main St 2nd Floor, Annapolis, MD 21401
Student wingMaryland Federation of College Republicans
Youth wingMaryland Young Republicans
Women's wingMaryland Federation of Republican Women
LGBT WingLog Cabin Republicans of Maryland
Membership (2021)Increase1,021,513[1]
IdeologyConservatism
Political positionRight-wing
National affiliationRepublican Party
Senate
13 / 47
House of Delegates
39 / 141
U.S. Senate
0 / 2
U.S. House of Representatives
1 / 8
Statewide Officers
0 / 4
County Executives
3 / 9
Baltimore City Council
0 / 15
Montgomery County Council
0 / 11
Website
http://www.mdgop.org/

The Maryland Republican Party is the Maryland state branch of the Republican Party (GOP), headquartered in Annapolis.[2]

History

Founded as a local branch of the nationwide Republican Party in 1854, the Maryland GOP has largely functioned as the local rival to the Maryland Democratic Party. The party has had long been in the minority in both chambers of the House of Delegates, however has been able to control the governorship several times thanks to popular moderate Republicans such as Theodore McKeldin, Spiro T. Agnew, Robert Ehrlich, and Larry Hogan.[3]

The party's nominee, Daniel Cox, was defeated in a landslide to Democratic candidate Wes Moore in the 2022 Maryland gubernatorial election.[4] As of 2023, the party holds none of the statewide elected offices, holds only 1 of Maryland's congressional districts, and holds a superminority of the seats in both chambers of the General Assembly.

Number of self-identified Democrats vs. self-identified Republicans, per state, according to Gallup, January–June 2010, showing Maryland as third most Democratic.[5]

Current elected officials[6]

Members of Congress

U.S. Senate

  • None

Both of Maryland's U.S. Senate seats have been held by Democrats since 1987. Charles Mathias was the last Republican to represent Maryland in the U.S. Senate.

U.S. House of Representatives

District Member Photo
1st Andy Harris

Statewide offices

  • None

State legislature

State party

Historically, the Republican Party has been very weak in Maryland.[8] The Republican Party is the minority party in both houses of the Maryland General Assembly. In the House of Delegates, the Republicans control 39 seats to the Democrats' 102. In the Maryland State Senate, the Republicans control 13 seats to the Democrats' 34. Since 1854, the Republican Party has controlled both chambers of the General Assembly for only 5 years.[9] There have been only 9 Republican governors of Maryland, and just 2 of those have managed to win re-election.[10] In 2022, the Republican gubernatorial candidate, Dan Cox, lost by a landslide margin of 32.41%, which was the largest loss for any gubernatorial nominee since 1986, in which Republican Thomas J. Mooney lost by a margin of 64.74%.[11]

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.[12]

The majority of voters in the state of Maryland live in urban metropolitan areas such as Baltimore and are affiliated with the Democratic Party.[13]

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.[14]

Financial status

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's for party legal expenses that he had paid.[15] In November 2011 The Baltimore Sun reported that the Maryland Republican party owed over $100,000 to vendors that stemmed from the 2010 election cycle.[16]

The picture changed after Republican Larry Hogan was elected as governor in November 2014. According to The Washington Post, "Hogan raised nearly $1.4 million in the two months after the election" and the state party raised another $1 million.[17]

Notable Maryland Republicans

Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. was the first Republican governor of Maryland since the 1960s, serving as governor from 2003 to 2007. He was defeated in the 2010 election by Democratic candidate 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 R. Kipke became the House minority leader in 2013, by unseating Anthony J. O'Donnell.

Larry Hogan was the most recent Republican governor, he defeated Democratic candidate Anthony Brown in November 2014. Boyd Rutherford was Hogan's running mate and was Lt. Governor of Maryland.

In 2018, Hogan won re-election as governor against Democratic challenger, Ben Jealous. This made him the first two-term Republican governor of Maryland since Theodore Roosevelt McKeldin.

Current leadership

The current officers of the Maryland Republican Party were elected at the fall 2022 convention to two year terms with the exception of the national committeeman and committeewomen who were elected at the spring 2022 convention to four-year terms.[18]

In December 2022, the Maryland Republican Party elected Nicole Beus Harris, the wife of U.S. Representative Andy Harris, to serve as its chair following the resignation of Dirk Haire.[19]

Elected officers
Name Office Term
Nicole Beus Harris Chairwoman 2022–present
David Bossie National committeeman 2016–present
Nicolee Ambrose National committeewoman 2012–present
Nicole Bennett 1st vice-chair 2020–present
Vacant[20] 2nd vice-chair 2023–present
Dwight Patel 3rd vice-chair 2022–present
Mark Uncapher Secretary 2016–present
Chris Rosenthal Treasurer 2006–present

The Maryland Republican Party also employs several staff members, including an executive director, a deputy director, and a data director.[21]

State party chairmen

Former Maryland governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. speaking at Healthier US summit.
Name Term Notes
Harry M. Clabaugh 1891–1899
Isaac Ambrose Barber 1900–1904
Galen L. Tait 1942–1948
D. Eldred Rinehart 1955–1958
David Scull[22] 1962–1964
Newton Steers 1964–1966
Aris T. Allen 1977–1979 First African American to hold position
Joyce Lyon Tehres 1989–1998
Michael Steele 2000–2002 Resigned to become running mate of Bob Ehrlich
Louis Pope 2002
John Kane 2002–2006
Jim Pelura 2006–2009 Resigned
Audrey Scott 2009–2010 Elected in a Special Election
Alex Mooney 2010–2013 Resigned to run for Congress in West Virginia
Diana Waterman 2013–2016 Elected in a special election in 2013; elected to full term in own right in 2014
Dirk Haire 2016–2022
Nicole Beus Harris 2022–present

References

  1. ↑ Winger, Richard. "March 2021 Ballot Access News Print Edition". Ballot Access News. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Contact the MGOP." Maryland Republican Party. Retrieved on December 18, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Washingtonpost.com: In Md., a Rising GOP". www.washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2023-05-08.
  4. ↑ Gyimesi, Hanna Kang, Jenna. "Results: Democrat Wes Moore defeats Republican Dan Cox and becomes Maryland's first Black governor". Business Insider. Retrieved 2023-05-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ↑ Newport, Frank (2010-07-26). "More States "Competitive" in Terms of Party Identification". Gallup.com. Retrieved 2016-05-08.
  6. ↑ "Elected Officials". Maryland Republican Party. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
  7. ↑ Sears, Bryan P. (November 28, 2022). "Maryland Senate Republicans choose Hershey as new leader". The Daily Record. Retrieved November 28, 2022.
  8. ↑ Willis, John. Maryland Politics and Government: Democratic Dominance (Politics and Governments of the American States).
  9. ↑ "Archives of Maryland Online". msa.maryland.gov. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  10. ↑ "Our Campaigns - Container Detail Page". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  11. ↑ "Wes Moore's 30-point landslide improved over previous Democratic candidates' margins in every corner of Maryland". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  12. ↑ Cohn, John Fritze, Meredith. "Maryland's Eastern Shore, a GOP stronghold, home to thousands who now have insurance thanks to Obamacare". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved 2021-10-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. ↑ Roots of Maryland Democracy, 1753-1776. Skaggs, David Curtis. Westport, Conn., Greenwood Press [1973].
  14. ↑ "Michael S. Steele, Maryland Lt. Governor". msa.maryland.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-21.
  15. ↑ Wagner, John (2009-07-18). "Md. GOP Weighs Ouster of Chief Amid Debt and Decrease in Rolls". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2016-05-08.
  16. ↑ Linskey, Annie (2011-11-12). "Maryland Republican Party owes over $100,000 to vendors". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2016-05-08.
  17. ↑ Wagner, John (2015-02-03). "To the victor go the spoils: Md. Gov. Larry Hogan (R) is raking in the cash, including from lots of Democrats". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2016-05-08.
  18. ↑ "Party Leadership". Maryland Republican Party. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
  19. ↑ Weiner, Rachel (December 10, 2022). "Maryland GOP, reeling from disastrous election, picks new leadership". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  20. ↑ Kurtz, Josh; Sears, Bryan P. (July 19, 2023). "Political notes: 6th district GOP field is growing, O'Malley portraits unveiled". Maryland Matters. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  21. ↑ "Party Staff". Maryland Republican Party. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
  22. ↑ "Collection: David and Elizabeth Scull papers | Archival Collections". archives.lib.umd.edu. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
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