Maryland Republican Party

Republican Party of Maryland
Abbreviation MDGOP
Governor Larry Hogan
Lieutenant Governor Boyd Rutherford
Chairperson Diana Waterman
House Leader Nic Kipke
Senate Leader JB Jennings
Founded 1854 (1854)
Headquarters 69 Franklin Street, Annapolis, MD 21401
Membership  (2016) 959,858
(Registered Voters)
Ideology Conservatism
Fiscal conservatism
National affiliation Republican Party
Slogan "We're Back"
Senate
14 / 47
House of Delegates
50 / 141
U.S. Senate
0 / 2
U.S. House of Representatives
1 / 8
Website
www.mdgop.org

The Maryland Republican Party is the branch of the United States Republican Party (GOP) located in the state of Maryland, headquartered in Annapolis.[1]

Number of self-identified Democrats vs. self-identified Republicans, per state, according to Gallup, January–June 2010, showing Maryland as third most democratic.[2]

Current elected officials

Members of Congress

U.S. House of Representatives

Statewide offices

State Legislature

County government

As of 2015, the Maryland GOP controls the majority of the state's county governments. It holds 16 of 23 counties, excluding Baltimore City. It also has a majority of County Executives in the State. The GOP also controls 181 county seats to the Democrats 130.

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 50 seats to the Democrats' 91. In the Maryland State Senate, the Republicans control 14 seats to the Democrats' 33.

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 majority of voters in the state of Maryland live in urban metropolitan areas such as Baltimore and are affiliated with the Democratic Party.[3]

In comparison to the national Republican Party, the Maryland Republican Party is trending more conservative. This is especially true concerning social issues and immigration.

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 to resign the office, and former Senator Charles Mathias.

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.[4] 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.[5]

The picture changed after a 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.[6]

Current notable Maryland Republicans

Former Maryland governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. speaking at Healthier US summit.

Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. was the first Republican governor of Maryland since the 1960s, serving as governor from 2003 to 2007. He was defeated by a landslide 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 is current governor, he defeated Democratic candidate Anthony G. Brown in November 2014. Boyd Rutherford was Hogan's running mate and is the current Lt. Governor of Maryland.

References

  1. ↑ "Contact the MGOP." Maryland Republican Party. Retrieved on May 13, 2010.
  2. ↑ Newport, Frank (2010-07-26). "More States "Competitive" in Terms of Party Identification". Gallup.com. Retrieved 2016-05-08.
  3. ↑ Roots of Maryland Democracy, 1753-1776. Skaggs, David Curtis. Westport, Conn., Greenwood Press [1973].
  4. ↑ 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.
  5. ↑ Linskey, Annie (2011-11-12). "Maryland Republican Party owes over $100,000 to vendors". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2016-05-08.
  6. ↑ 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". Washington Post. Retrieved 2016-05-08.
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