Maryland Democratic Party
Maryland Democratic Party | |
---|---|
Abbreviation | MDDEM |
Chairperson | D. Bruce Poole |
President of the Senate | Thomas V. Miller, Jr. |
Senate Majority Leader | Catherine E. Pugh |
Speaker of the House | Michael E. Busch |
House Majority Leader | Anne R. Kaiser |
Founded | May 21, 1827 |
Headquarters | Annapolis, Maryland, U.S. |
Ideology |
Liberalism Progressivism Social liberalism |
National affiliation | Democratic Party |
Senate |
33 / 47 |
House of Delegates |
91 / 141 |
U.S. Senate |
2 / 2 |
U.S. House of Representatives |
7 / 8 |
Website | |
www.mddems.org |
The Maryland Democratic Party is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the state of Maryland, headquartered in Annapolis.[1] The current state party chair is D. Bruce Poole.
History
The Maryland Democratic Party is among the oldest continuously existing political organizations in the world. On May 21, 1827, that a meeting of Andrew Jackson supporters organized a political structure in the State designed to help Jackson win the Presidency after he was denied victory in 1824 despite receiving the most total votes for his electors. (Similar to the 2000 Presidential election.) The first meeting of the Democratic (Jackson) Central Committee was held at the Atheneum in Baltimore City, located on the southwest corner of St. Paul and Lexington Streets.
Twelve delegates from each county and six delegates from Baltimore City were invited to attend. The label "Central Committee" was adopted along with a "Committee of Correspondence" which functioned like the present Executive Committee. Thomas M. Forman, Cecil County, was chosen to preside with William M. Beall, Frederick County, appointed Secretary and John S. Brooke, Prince George's County, appointed as Assistant Secretary. In addition to its founding, the Maryland Democratic Party hosted the first six Democratic National Conventions from 1832 to 1852 held in Baltimore. On May 31, 1838, Maryland Democrats gathered in a state party convention to nominate William Grason for Governor. He became the first popularly elected Governor in Maryland with the help of central committees throughout the state.
After the ratification of the Suffrage Amendment in 1920, the Democratic State Central Committee added an equal number of women to its membership, a practice still embodied in National Party Rules and in the elections for Cecil County Democratic State Central Committee.[2]
The first six Democratic National Conventions were held in Baltimore, for a total of nine to date.
Historically the dominant party in Maryland.
Elected officials
Members of Congress
Democrats compose nine of Maryland's ten-member Congressional delegation. [3]
U.S. Senate
Since 1987, Democrats have controlled both of Maryland's seats in the U.S. Senate:
- Class I: Ben Cardin (Junior Senator)
- Class III: Barbara Mikulski (Senior Senator)[4]
U.S. House of Representatives
Democrats hold seven of the eight seats Maryland is apportioned in the U.S. House following the 2000 census:
- MD-02: Dutch Ruppersberger
- MD-03: John Sarbanes
- MD-04: Donna Edwards
- MD-05: Steny Hoyer (Minority Whip)
- MD-06: John Delaney
- MD-07: Elijah Cummings
- MD-08: Chris Van Hollen[5]
Statewide officeholders
Beginning in January 2015, Democrats control two of the four statewide offices:
- Attorney General: Brian Frosh
- Comptroller: Peter Franchot
County government
Until 2010 the Democratic Party of Maryland held majority power at the County level. As of 2011 the Democrats only hold control in eight out of 23 Maryland's county governments including Baltimore City.
Party organization
Party Chairs (1988- present)
- D. Bruce Poole, Esq. (2015-present)
- Yvette Lewis (2011-2015)
- Peter O'Malley (2011)
- Susan Turnbull (2009–2011)
- Michael Cryor (2007–2009)
- Terry Lierman (2004–2007)
- Ike Leggett (2002–2004)
- Wayne Rogers (2000–2002)
- Peter Krauser (1997–2000)
- Gov. Harry Hughes (1994–1997)
- Vera Hall (1993–1997)
- Nate Landow (1988–1993)[6]
Party officers
- Party Chair: D. Bruce Poole, Esq.
- Vice Chair: Hon. Victoria Jackson-Stanley
- Second Vice Chair: Michelle Mendez
- Third Vice Chair: Hon. Jeffrey Slavin
- Treasurer: Robert J. Kresslein
- Secretary: Beth Swoap
- Deputy Treasurer: Larry Greenhill
- Deputy Secretary: Duane A. "Tony" Baysmore
Party staff
- Executive Director: Chuck Conner
- Finance Director: Jamiere Folmar
- Compliance Director: Meredith Bowman
- Communications Director: Jazzmen Knoderer
- Voter File Manager: Tyler Carr
Affiliated groups
- United Democratic Women's Clubs of Maryland
- Young Democrats of Maryland
- Democratic Women's PAC of Maryland
- Democratic Party (United States)
See also
References
- ↑ "Contact." Maryland Democratic Party. Retrieved on May 13, 2010.
- ↑ Willis, John T., "A Brief History of the Maryland Democratic Party", 2011.
- ↑ http://house.gov/representatives/#state_md
- ↑ Maryland State Archives , May 09, 2011
- ↑ Maryland State Archives , May 09, 2011.
- ↑ Maryland Democratic Party , 2011.