Maryland Governor Larry Hogan (R) appointed U.S. Marine Corps veteran and businessman Mike Griffith (R) to fill the vacant District 35B state House seat on December 30, 2019. Griffith assumed office on January 6, 2020, and his term will end on January 10, 2023.
Griffith’s appointment came after former state Delegate Andrew Cassilly (R) resigned on December 11, 2019, to join Gov. Hogan’s staff as a Senior Adviser. Cassilly’s resignation caused one of six recent vacancies in the Maryland General Assembly, all of which were filled by Gov. Hogan’s appointments.
Before joining the Maryland House of Delegates, Griffith served as a Military Police Officer in the United States Marine Corps. He is also the Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of HPS Management, a commercial property management company.
Aside from Griffith’s appointment to replace Cassilly, Sen. Shirley Nathan-Pulliam (D) resigned in late 2019, due to health issues and was replaced by Sen. Charles Sydnor III (D). Attorney Shaneka Henson (D) joined the Maryland House, filling a vacancy caused by the passing of Speaker Michael Busch (D) in May 2019. Del. Eric Bromwell (D) resigned after his appointment to Baltimore County’s opioid strategy coordinator position in August 2019, and his vacant seat was filled by Carl Jackson (D). Catherine (Cathi) Forbes (D) joined the House of Delegates in October 2019, filling the seat of Del. Stephen Lafferty (D), who resigned to become Baltimore County’s first Chief Sustainability Officer. And attorney Nicole Williams (D) filled a vacancy caused by the arrest and eventual sentencing of Del. Tawanna Gaines (D) for wire fraud.
The five above-mentioned newly appointed Delegates began their time in the Maryland General Assembly on Wednesday, January 7, 2020, the first day of Maryland’s 2020 legislative session. Charles Sydnor returned to the General Assembly, but in a new chamber, the Maryland Senate.
There are still three vacancies in the Maryland House of Delegates and one vacant seat in the Maryland State Senate.
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Additional Reading:
Maryland House of Delegates
Maryland House of Delegates District 35B
Maryland State Senate
Andrew Cassilly
Shirley Nathan-Pulliam
Charles Sydnor III
Shaneka Henson
Michael Busch
Eric Bromwell
Carl Jackson (Maryland)
Stephen Lafferty
Cathi Forbes
Nicole Williams
Tawanna Gaines
State legislative vacancies, 2019