Several members of the Maryland Senate have recently announced they will not seek re-election and one has announced he will resign. The most recent to announce is Senator George Edwards from Garrett County. Senator Edwards, who served on the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, will retire after nearly four decades in the General Assembly, 24 years in the House of Delegates and 16 years in the Senate. As reported by Maryland Matters,
Edwards, 73, said in a Tuesday statement that he’s leaving the General Assembly to spend more time with his family. He said that, through three-month sessions over his roughly four decades as a legislator, he’s spent about ten collective years living and working in Annapolis.
“I will continue to work hard over the next 18 months and I will always fight to help Mountain Maryland whenever I can now and in the future,” Edwards said.
Earlier this month, Senator Doug Peters, District 23 Prince George’s County, announced he would resign from the Maryland Senate effective July 30 to take a position on the University of Maryland’s Board of Regents. Senator Peters also serves on the Budget and Taxation Committee, chairing the Capital Budget Subcommittee. As reported by Maryland Matters,
In a statement, he called it “an honor of a lifetime to serve my neighbors at the city, county, and state level.”
“I am proud that I participated in over 500 Eagle Scout ceremonies, created the [Richard W. Collins III Leadership With Honor] scholarship, and passed important legislation. No matter where I served, I only sought to help people,” he added. “I feel good about what I have accomplished and look forward to serving on the University System of Maryland Board of Regents.”
Maryland Senate Minority Whip Michael Hough announced in May that he will not seek re-election and instead run for Frederick County executive in 2022. Senator Hough has represented Frederick County in the State House since 2011, when he was sworn in to the House of Delegates. The next term, he ran and was elected to the Maryland Senate, where he sits on the Judicial Proceedings Committee. In the fall of 2020, he was elected by the Senate Republican Caucus as minority whip. Maryland Matters Article
Shortly after the session ended, Senator Bob Cassilly announced his plans to not seek re-election and instead run for Harford County Executive. Senator Cassilly has been a member of the Maryland Senate since 2015 where is also serves on the Judicial Proceedings Committee. As reported by Maryland Matters,
“While I have enjoyed representing Harford County in the Maryland State Senate for the past seven years, I know that we need strong leadership right here at home for our families, communities, and businesses,” Cassilly said in a statement. “My proven record of experience and leadership combined with my strong conservative views makes me the right person to help advance Harford County while maintaining the traditional values and rural character of our county’s heritage.”
