Mary-Dulany James
Mary-Dulany James | |
|---|---|
| File:1mdjames.jpg | |
| Member-elect of the Maryland Senate from the 34th district | |
| Assuming office January 11, 2023 | |
| Succeeding | Bob Cassilly |
| Member of the Maryland House of Delegates from the 34A district | |
| In office January 13, 1999 – January 13, 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Mary Louise Preis |
| Succeeded by | Mary Ann Lisanti |
| Constituency | Harford County, Cecil County |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 1, 1960 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Children | 3 |
| Residence | Maryland |
| Alma mater | University of Maryland, College Park University of Maryland School of Law |
| Occupation | Attorney |
| Website | Campaign website Legislative homepage @MaryDulanyJames |
Mary-Dulany James (born February 1, 1960) is an American politician who represented District 34A in the Maryland House of Delegates for sixteen years, representing Harford and Cecil Counties along the U.S. Route 40 corridor. Mary-Dulany James represented district 34A, formerly district 34, for 16 years having first been elected in 1998.
James is the daughter of former President of the Maryland Senate William S. James, who served as MD Senate President from 1963 to 1974. In October 2013 James officially filed to run for State Senate in District 34 to replace retiring State Senator Nancy Jacobs.[1]
On June 24, 2014, James defeated longtime Harford County politician and former State Senator Arthur Henry Helton Jr. in the primary, and went on to face Republican Bob Cassilly in November in the general election, where she was defeated. Former Delegate James ran against Senator Cassilly again in 2018; she was narrowly defeated.[2][3] In 2022, James again ran for the Maryland Senate, this time defeating Republican challenger Christian Miele in the general election with 50.7 percent of the vote.[4]
Early life, education, career
James was born in Baltimore, Maryland and grew up and still lives on her family's farm in Harford County. She attended Havre De Grace High School and the University of Maryland, College Park where she earned a B.S. in psychology (with honors) in 1981.[citation needed]
She attended the University of Maryland School of Law, earning a J.D., (with honors) in 1986. While studying for the bar exam she clerked for Judge Edward S. Northrop in the U.S. District Court, District of Maryland. She was admitted to Maryland Bar in 1986. She worked for law firms in Baltimore, then set up her own practice in Harford County where she lived.[5]
Political career
Maryland House of Delegates
James was elected to the House of Delegates on November 3, 1998, representing District 34 (Harford County). James was re-elected to the newly redistricted District 34A (Harford and Cecil counties)[6] in November 5, 2002, and was subsequently re-elected in 2006 and 2010.
Committee assignments
- Member, Appropriations Committee, 1999-2014
- oversight committee on personnel, 1999–2003
- oversight committee on program open space & agricultural land preservation, 1999–2002
- vice-chair, transportation & the environment subcommittee, 2003–2006, member, 1999–2006
- chair, oversight committee on pensions, 2003–2006, member, 2003-2014
- chair, health & human resources subcommittee, 2007-2014
- Joint Subcommittee on Program Open Space and Agricultural Preservation, 2003–2015
- Special Joint Committee on Pensions, 2003–Present, house chair, 2003–2006
- Member, Joint Committee on Base Realignment and Closure, 2007–2011
- Member, Joint Committee on the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area, 2003–07
- Chair, Harford County Delegation, 2001–02, vice-chair, 1999–2000
- Member, Maryland Green Caucus, 1999-2014
- Member, Women Legislators of Maryland, 1999–2015, co-chair, legislative committee, 2005–2015
- Member Maryland Rural Caucus, 2002-2014
- Maryland Bicycle and Pedestrian Caucus, 2003-2014
- Maryland Veterans Caucus, 2005-2014
- Member, National Conference of State Legislatures
- Member, economic development, trade & cultural affairs committee, 2005–2007
- Member, labor & economic development committee, 2007–2015[7]
The District
District 34 has been redistricted twice since James was first elected. When first elected James was one of three delegates that represented the development corridor in Harford County. The communities represented in district 34 are: Bel Air, Havre de Grace, Aberdeen, Edgewood, Joppatowne, Abingdon, Belcamp/Riverside, and Aberdeen Proving Ground.
After the 2000 Census Maryland redistricted 34 into a split district with two Delegates representing 34A and one Delegate representing district 34B. Then district spanned parts of Harford and Cecil Counties. The communities represented in district 34A are: Havre de Grace, Aberdeen, Edgewood, Joppatowne, Belcamp/Riverside, and Aberdeen Proving Ground in Harford County. Parts of Perryville and Port Deposit in Cecil County.
James ran for State Senate in the redistricted District 34. After the 2010 Census Maryland redistricted 34 to similar boundaries prior to the 2000 Census. The communities represented in district 34 are: Bel Air, Havre de Grace, Aberdeen, Edgewood, Joppatowne, Abingdon, Belcamp/Riverside, and Aberdeen Proving Ground.[8]
2014 Maryland State Senate candidacy
James filed to run for Maryland State Senate in October 2013. In the 2014 Democratic Primary James faced long time Harford County politician and business owner Arthur Henry Helton Jr., a former State Senator and County Council Member.[9] Helton had run for State Senate during the last election and lost. Both Helton and James have considerable name recognition in Harford County. James ultimately defeated Helton by a 2 to 1 margin.[citation needed]
James faced Bob Cassilly, former County Council Member in the general election in November, 2014 but was unsuccessful. She was the Democratic nominee for the same seat in 2018, but Senator Cassilly defeated her again in a close race. [10]
Election results
- 2018 General Election Results Maryland House of Delegates – District 34 - Harford County[3]
- Voters to choose one:
Name Votes Percent Outcome Mary-Dulany James, Dem. 24,256 49.7% Lost Bob Cassilly, Rep. 24,445 50.1% Won Write-Ins 62 0.2% Lost
- 2014 General Election Results Maryland House of Delegates – District 34 - Harford County[3]
- Voters to choose one:
Name Votes Percent Outcome Mary-Dulany James, Dem. 16,459 42.7% Lost Bob Cassilly, Rep. 22,042 57.2% Won Write-Ins 62 0.2% Lost
- 2014 Primary Election Results Maryland Senate – District 34 - Harford County[11]
- Voters to choose One:
Name Votes Percent Outcome Mary-Dulany James, Dem. 4,705 61.1% Won Arthur Henry Helton, Jr., Dem. 2,997 38.9% Lost
- 2010 General Election Results Maryland House of Delegates – District 34A - Cecil & Harford County[12]
- Voters to choose two:
Name Votes Percent Outcome Mary-Dulany James, Dem. 12,639 29.2% Won Glen Glass, Rep. 10,931 25.3% Won Patrick McGrady, Rep. 9,889 22.9% Lost Marla Posey-Moss, Dem. 9,745 22.5% Lost Write-Ins 51 0.1% Lost
- 2010 Primary Election Results Maryland House of Delegates – District 34A - Cecil & Harford County[13]
- Voters to choose two:
Name Votes Percent Outcome Mary-Dulany James, Dem. 3,146 37.6% Won Marla Posey-Moss, Dem. 2,639 31.5% Won B. Daniel Riley, Dem. 2,582 30.9% Lost
- 2006 General Election Results Maryland House of Delegates – District 34A - Cecil & Harford County[14]
- Voters to choose two:
Name Votes Percent Outcome Mary-Dulany James, Dem. 12,697 31.7% Won B. Daniel Riley, Dem. 10,969 27.3% Won Glen Glass, Rep. 8,554 21.0% Lost Sheryl Davis Kohl, Rep. 8,085 19.9% Lost Write-Ins 22 0.1% Lost
- 2002 General Election Results Maryland House of Delegates – District 34A - Cecil & Harford County[15]
- Voters to choose two:
Name Votes Percent Outcome Charles R. Boutin, Rep. 11,182 34.79% Won Mary-Dulany James, Dem. 10,947 34.06% Won B. Daniel Riley, Dem. 9,957 30.98% Lost Write-Ins 59 0.18% Lost
- 1998 General Election Results Maryland House of Delegates – District 34 - Harford County[16]
- Voters to choose three:
Name Votes Percent Outcome Mary-Dulany James, Dem. 18,357 18% Won Charles R. Boutin, Rep. 17,844 18% Won B. Daniel Riley, Dem. 17,798 18% Won Robert E. Shaffner, Rep. 16,236 16% Lost Robin Walter, Rep. 15,370 15% Lost Michael Griffin, Rep. 15,207 15% Lost
References
- ^ "General Assembly October 2013 Update". Maryland Reporter. 2 October 2013.; retrieved July 3, 2014
- ^ "Democratic establishment largely prevails from top to bottom, as few State House incumbents lose". Maryland Reporter. 25 June 2014.; retrieved July 3, 2014.
- ^ a b c Elections, Maryland State Board of. "2014 Election Results". elections.state.md.us.
- ^ Kurtz, Josh (November 18, 2022). "Dems take two more Senate seats, win Frederick County exec race". Maryland Matters. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
- ^ "Mary-Dulany James, Maryland House of Delegates Serving Harford and Cecil Counties". Archived from the original on 2007-10-08. Retrieved 2007-07-21.
- ^ "LEGISLATIVE ELECTION DISTRICTS". Maryland Archives. Retrieved on July 3, 2014
- ^ "MARY-DULANY JAMES". Maryland Archives. Retrieved on October 1, 2017
- ^ "LEGISLATIVE ELECTION DISTRICTS". Maryland Archives. Retrieved on July 10, 2014
- ^ "Md. General Assembly races: October update on candidates". Maryland Reporter. 2 October 2013. Retrieved on July 10, 2014
- ^ "Harford County State Senate District 34 Democratic Candidates: Helton vs James". Harford County Dagger. 16 June 2014.; retrieved July 10, 2014.
- ^ "State Senate Primary Results". Maryland State Board of Elections.; retrieved July 2, 2014.
- ^ "House of Delegates General Results". Maryland State Board of Elections.; retrieved July 2, 2014.
- ^ "House of Delegates Primary Results". Maryland State Board of Elections.; retrieved July 2, 2014.
- ^ "House of Delegates Results". Maryland State Board of Elections.; retrieved November 3, 2007.
- ^ "House of Delegates Results". Maryland State Board of Elections.; retrieved July 2, 2014.
- ^ "House of Delegates Results". Maryland State Board of Elections.; retrieved July 2, 2014.