In a tight decision that has resonated throughout Anne Arundel County's political sphere, Del. Shaneka Henson has been recommended by the Anne Arundel County Democratic Central Committee to fill the newly vacant District 30 state Senate seat. The Baltimore Sun reported that the committee favored Henson over fellow District 30A delegate Dana Jones by a slim margin of 10-9. If Gov. Wes Moore follows through on the committee's recommendation, Henson would be breaking ground as the first Black woman to represent Anne Arundel County in the state Senate.
The path for Henson has not come without its challenges. Last year, she faced criticism when a Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics investigation discovered she failed to disclose a conflict of interest while approving state bond funding for a nonprofit she was legally affiliated with. Despite this, Henson has been a vocal advocate for specific legislative measures, including expanding business personal property tax exemption for small businesses and funding for frontline school worker bonuses during the pandemic.
According to Maryland Matters, the committee's determination was laden with racial undertones, as the vote split along racial lines—nearly all the members of color supported Henson, with just a single Black committee member siding with Jones. In her address to the committee, Henson emphasized a desire to uplift communities that she feels have often been overlooked. "At my core, I am a woman that serves my community with my whole heart," Henson stated, adding that her support base includes "the people who are ignored, they are often the people who are taken for granted by the Democrat Party."
As part of the same political carousel, and on the other side of the aisle, the Anne Arundel County Republican Central Committee has recommended LaToya Nkongolo to succeed Del. Rachel Munoz in District 31. Nkongolo brings her experience as a behavioral health professional despite having run unsuccessfully for office on two prior occasions. With the legislative session soon to commence, Gov. Moore will have to promptly move to conclude these nominations, setting in motion the next chapter for both districts and their recently reshaped delegates.
