Politics

At least two state senators are actively working to defeat House incumbents in their districts in party primaries, where early voting begins Thursday. In Baltimore City’s District 45, state Sen. Cory McCray (D) has assembled a ticket with two House candidates that pointedly does not include Del. Stephanie Smith (D). And in Montgomery County’s District 39, state Sen. Nancy King (D) and two of the district’s House members are hoping to defeat the other incumbent delegate, Gabriel Acevero (D).

When Democratic voters cast their ballots this summer, they’ll see Rushern L. Baker III’s name on the list of candidates for governor even though he’s no longer campaigning or trying to win votes. Baker, who was making his second try at winning Maryland’s governorship, suspended his campaign in June, citing a lack of money and an unclear path to victory in a crowded field of Democratic contenders.

The Carroll County Board of Commissioners approved $309,002 in county money to continue funding for two programs that work to combat the opioid crisis locally. Commissioners voted 4-0 Thursday to approve $135,000 for operations at the Carroll County Mobile Crisis Team’s call center, and $174,002 for the continuation of an after-school program run by the Boys and Girls Club of Westminster. Commissioner President Ed Rothstein was not at the meeting.

The Anne Arundel County Council approved a ballot question for the November general election that would extend council term limits by an additional four years. Voters will now get to choose whether to extend council members’ term limits from two consecutive four-year terms to three after six of the council members voted to put the question on the ballot. Only Andrew Pruski, a Gambrills Democrat, voted against the measure due to some confusion around pension benefits.

Maryland’s Republican primary for attorney general features a retired Montgomery County lawyer who once prosecuted the serial killer known as the Son of Sam running against a former third-party presidential candidate from Anne Arundel County with ties to a white supremacist organization that has advocated for a second Southern secession.

A majority of Baltimore City Council members and Comptroller Bill Henry endorsed sheriff candidate Sam Cogen on Wednesday, upping the ante in the first serious electoral challenge three-decade incumbent John Anderson has faced in years. Nine members of the council — John Bullock, Kristerfer Burnett, Zeke Cohen, Mark Conway, Eric Costello, Ryan Dorsey, Antonio Glover, Odette Ramos and Isaac “Yitzy” Schleifer — are backing Cogen, a former deputy under Anderson who is now seeking to unseat him.

Hans Riemer crossed a street in downtown Bethesda lined with newly constructed high-end shopping and dining, surveying a Georgetown Cupcake shop and Kendra Scott Jewelry Store. As a Montgomery County Council member, he feels partly responsible for pioneering the new development that’s added housing and businesses, and attracted customers. He’s proud of the downtown center, complete with painted bike lanes and skyscraping office buildings. It represents what he hopes the county could become under his leadership as Montgomery County Executive — a well-developed community with more downtown centers and affordable housing to provide jobs and attract younger generations.

Maryland state agencies are awash in vacancies, losing seasoned workers and struggling to perform core functions, according to union leaders, members of the General Assembly and Attorney General Brian Frosh. Critics maintain that Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) has been at best indifferent to the hollowing out of state government and at worst has precipitated the loss in personnel by failing to offer more competitive salaries and benefits.