Republican Delegate Files For Shore Senate Seat

Republican Delegate Files For Shore Senate Seat
Republican

BERLIN — Delegate Michael McDermott on Tuesday officially filed for the state Senate seat for District 38 and almost immediately went on the attack against the current administration in Annapolis.
McDermott, who was elected to represent District 38B in the House of Delegates in 2010, is seeking the State Senate seat for District 38, which is currently held by Democratic Senator Jim Mathias. District 38 encompasses much of the Lower Shore including all of Worcester and Somerset counties along with a portion of Wicomico County.
The republican delegate has not been shy about ruffling feathers in Annapolis since he was first elected in 2010 and quickly went on the offensive after filing for the Senate seat.
“It’s time to take back your state,” he said. “Maryland is the jewel of the mid-Atlantic, but the policy of taxing everything from small business to gasoline and even rain has led us down a destructive path. When you add to that the continuing loss of jobs and the erosion of our property and 2nd Amendment rights, it’s easy to see why people are looking for leaders who will rise from their seats and say enough is enough.”
In his three years in the House, McDermott has earned a reputation as someone not afraid to stand up for Eastern Shore values with passion and clarity and was given the 2013 Legislator of the Year award by the Maryland State’s Attorney Association.
It is somewhat of a leap for a freshman Delegate to seek a Senate seat after a single term, but there is precedent for it. McDermott’s decision was precipitated somewhat by a change in the district lines on the Lower Shore as a result of the 2010 census. The Lower Shore was carved into three Delegate districts, including District 38A, for which incumbent Delegate Charles Otto has already filed, along with District 38C, which encompasses much of northern Worcester County. Republican Mike Lindi and former White House deputy chief of staff Mary Beth Carozza have filed for the new district seat so far.
The old District 38B, which was represented by McDermott and Otto, has been redrawn and is now 30 miles from McDermott’s Pocomoke home. McDermott said this week he was urged to seek the Senate seat “by folks who believe Maryland should be a haven for families and business, not a hindrance.”
McDermott was also not shy about commenting on the way the districts were redrawn, hinting at retribution from those in control in Annapolis.
“From day one in Annapolis, I’ve been a strong voice for Eastern Shore values and common sense spending,” he said. “And from the way I was redistricted, it is more than obvious that my core beliefs, which they wanted me to compromise, are not their beliefs.”
McDermott vowed, if elected, to be a voice for the people of the Lower Shore and Worcester.
“Simply casting a vote without a word is not enough,” he said. “Working in the committees, standing up and speaking out and fighting for your constituents’ rights is real leadership. I want people to know that, if elected, they will be getting a strong voice of the Eastern Shore, a proven leader that will work for them, and, at last, a true senator. I make my decisions based on what is right on behalf of the folks I represent. It’s past time to elect a true Senator, one who works for the people and not the boys on the other side of the bridge.”