Maryland Senate Republicans

06/01/2026

Allan Kittleman’s decision to leave the Republican Party and change his voter registration is a personal decision. Publishing a commentary criticizing the party he once led is a political statement.

I disagree with his conclusion. The Republican Party is defined by its principles and values, not by any one individual. While some choose to walk away, I’m proud to lead the Maryland Senate Republicans caucus that remains in the arena—still fighting for those principles and still working to provide Marylanders with an alternative to one-party rule.

Read my response in today’s Baltimore Sun:

Sen. Steve Hershey responds after former Senate Minority Leader Allan Kittleman announces he's leaving the GOP: “One man does not define our party. Our values define our party.”

05/29/2026

Maryland Democrats just ended a decades-long relationship with Moody's Investors Service. Not because the process was flawed. Because they didn't like the answer.

Moody's downgraded Maryland's bond rating for the first time in over 50 years. So Treasurer Davis said 'to hell with Moody's' and found a new agency that gave them the AAA rating they wanted.

Shooting the messenger doesn't fix a $3 billion deficit. Marylanders deserve honesty, not ratings.

Senator Steve Hershey Senator Justin Ready

05/29/2026

🚨 Maryland Democrats just fired Moody's because they didn't like what Moody's had to say.

Moody's downgraded Maryland's bond rating for the first time in over 50 years, citing reckless spending, ballooning deficits, and economic mismanagement. Instead of heeding that warning and changing course, Treasurer Dereck Davis literally said "to hell with Moody's" and replaced them with a lesser-known firm that handed Democrats the AAA rating they wanted.

This isn't fiscal leadership. This is shooting the messenger.

The problems Moody's identified don't disappear because you found a friendlier rating agency. Maryland still faces a projected $3+ billion structural deficit. Taxpayers are still on the hook for higher borrowing costs. And Marylanders are still paying the price for years of failed fiscal decisions made by Annapolis Democrats.

Remember that in November. Every Democrat on the ballot this year owns this. They voted for the budgets. They raised your taxes. And now, rather than face accountability, they are shopping for someone to tell them what they want to hear.

If you don't like your doctor's diagnosis, finding a new doctor doesn't cure the disease. Maryland's financial challenges are real, and no amount of political spin will change that.

With an $800 million bond sale happening this week, Marylanders deserve honesty about the state of our finances, not a ratings shopping trip designed to protect one-party rule in Annapolis.

Senator Steve Hershey
Senator Justin Ready

Maryland has ended a decades-long relationship with one of three major bond rating firms a year after that firm downgraded the state's credit rating, although state officials insist the downgrade was not the reason for the split.

05/28/2026

🚨 Another day, another failed audit under the Moore Administration.

A new report from the Office of Legislative Audits has found that Maryland's Medicaid agency may have paid millions in taxpayer dollars for care provided to inmates and dead people — and lacked the basic processes to catch it.

This isn't an isolated mistake. It's part of a long and troubling pattern:

• $360 million in unauthorized spending at the State Highway Administration
• $8.5 billion spent by 42 state agencies with minimal oversight
• $750 million in unemployment overpayments the state failed to recover
• $119 million uncollected by the Developmental Disabilities Administration
• S*x offenders found living with children under state-approved guardianships
• Multiple cabinet secretaries shown the door under a cloud of mismanagement

And now — millions in Medicaid payments to people who were incarcerated or already deceased.

Governor Moore is asking Marylanders for a second term. After all of this — can we really afford to give it to him?

The state agency responsible for overseeing Medicaid payments and services lacked “effective processes” to identify millions in questionable payments made to dead or incarcerated people, according to an audit released this week.

05/27/2026

The people charged with keeping Marylanders safe aren't staying silent.

Today, 17 Maryland sheriffs — a majority of the state's 24 sheriffs — filed a federal lawsuit to block the Community Trust Act. These are the men and women on the front lines of public safety, and they're telling us plainly: this law puts communities at risk.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, argues the law would "intentionally obstruct federal law enforcement and thwart their obligation to uphold the Constitution of the United States."

Harford County Sheriff Jeff Gahler put it simply: "It's a danger for our community. It puts the state of Maryland in a status all by itself as an ultra sanctuary jurisdiction."

Governor Moore acknowledged there are issues with the bill — but let it become law anyway. Senate Republicans said veto it. Law enforcement said veto it. He still wouldn't act.

We stand with Maryland's sheriffs. They deserve the tools and the legal authority to do their jobs and keep our communities safe.

Seventeen sheriffs, represented by FAIR, request the courts to block the Community Trust Act before it takes effect later this year.

05/26/2026

Are you better off than you were 4 years ago?

A new report asks that exact question about Maryland under Gov. Wes Moore — and the numbers are rough. Unemployment nearly doubled. Electric bills? Just check yours. New home construction cut in half.

Maryland keeps leaning on federal dollars instead of building an economy that attracts private investment. Overregulation drives businesses away. Energy policies push utility bills higher. And working families foot the bill.

Governor Moore is asking for four more years. Before Marylanders decide, they deserve to know the full picture.

What do you think — has Maryland's economy worked for you under this administration?

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore is up for reelection, but the economic landscape is drastically different from what it was in 2022. Here’s how the state’s economy has changed since he took office in 2023.

05/25/2026

Memorial Day is personal for many of us who have worn the uniform and served beside heroes.

Today is not about politics or long weekends, it is about remembering those Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country..... for you. The freedoms we enjoy are because of these brave men and women who answered their country's call to service.

So, today, in their honor, take a moment of reflection. Be thankful these brave men and women walked among us. Be grateful for their courage in the name of freedom. Lest we forget.... 🇺🇸

05/22/2026

Governor Moore has chosen to allow the Community Trust Act (SB 791) to become law — without his signature. That tells you everything you need to know. When a governor won't even put his name on a bill, he knows there are problems with it.

Senate Republicans made those problems clear: this legislation restricts law enforcement from honoring federal immigration detainers, limits the sharing of inmate release information, and effectively makes Maryland a sanctuary state. We offered 14 amendments to address the most serious concerns. Nearly all were rejected. The bill passed anyway — rushed through with limited transparency and without meaningful input from the law enforcement officers who will have to live with it.

The result is less coordination, more risk, and fewer tools for the people responsible for keeping Maryland communities safe. Governor Moore had the chance to stand up for public safety. He chose not to. Maryland will be less safe because of it.

Moore is not signing the Community Trust Act or Data Privacy Act into law directly, citing concerns around interfering with local law enforcement’s ability to work with federal agents.

05/19/2026

Senate Republicans Demand Answers on Maryland Ballot Error
Maryland voters deserve clarity — not confusion.
A vendor error sent some Marylanders the wrong party’s mail-in ballot ahead of the June 23 primary. Senators Jason Gallion and Mary Beth Carozza, backed by Senate Minority Leader Steve Hershey, are demanding the State Board of Elections provide voters with immediate, clear answers.
📋 What do I do with the ballot I already received?
📬 When does my replacement arrive?
🗳️ Can I still vote in person?
These are reasonable questions — and every Maryland voter deserves a straight answer.