Maryland's Democratic women senators are forming a campaign slate to elect more women to the state Senate, banding together financially at a moment when their ranks are poised to shrink. Of the 47-member chamber, 13 Democratic women and one Republican woman currently hold seats, but that number is likely to drop because of retirements and primary-election losses heading into the November general election.
Why the Slate Is Forming Now
According to The Baltimore Banner, the new slate allows its members to share campaign cash for the remainder of the election cycle, and the slate itself can accept donations from individuals and groups. Slate members can contribute unlimited funds to support any fellow member, a workaround to the usual rule that limits one campaign from donating more than $6,000 to another candidate. State Sen. Cheryl Kagan, a Montgomery County Democrat first elected to the Senate in 2014 after serving in the House of Delegates, said the timing matters because the election is less than a month away and some senators can donate, make fundraising calls, or do both.
Kagan said Maryland voters are lucky to have talented women running for Senate seats, and that incumbents are offering them extra support, the outlet reported. The Senate Democratic Caucus, made up of incumbent senators who work to elect and reelect fellow Democrats, is backing five women who are each challenging Republican men this cycle.
Retirements and Primary Losses Reshape the Chamber
Some of the attrition comes from senators stepping away voluntarily. Sen. Pamela Beidle is retiring from the Senate and has endorsed Del. Mark Chang to succeed her, per the Banner's reporting. Beidle spoke about the challenges of representation while managing careers and raising children, and said women face greater difficulty stepping up to run for office — adding that current officeholders should help women and girls realize their potential and seek elected positions.
Other losses came at the ballot box during the primary. Sen. Nancy King lost her primary election to Amar Mukunda, who is now unopposed in the general election. Del. Dalya Attar similarly lost her primary bid to Del. Malcolm Ruff, who is also unopposed heading into November.
Five Women Taking On Republican Incumbents
The slate's most direct test comes in the races where Democratic women are challenging sitting Republican senators. On the Eastern Shore, Katie Clendaniel is challenging Sen. Johnny Mautz, a race that 47abc described in its own candidate preview, noting that voters will choose between the Republican incumbent and the Democratic challenger on November 3, according to 47abc. In Frederick County, Lara Westdorp is challenging Sen. Bill Folden.
Elsewhere, Stephanie Popescu is facing Kevin Ford for an open seat in Baltimore County, while incumbents Shaneka Henson in Anne Arundel County and Mary-Dulany James in Harford County both face Republican opponents this fall. Separately, Tiffany Alston is running unopposed for a Prince George's County Senate seat, though she carries campaign debt, the Banner reported.
A Broader Push for Caucus Diversity
Sen. Shelly Hettleman said the Senate should reflect the diversity of the communities it represents, and that the new slate complements the broader work of the Democratic caucus, per the same Banner account. Campaign slates like this one are a common tool used by political allies during election season, though the structure gives this particular group of women senators a coordinated way to direct resources where they're needed most before ballots are finalized.
The push to grow women's representation in Maryland politics isn't happening in isolation. A status report from the Maryland Department of Human Services noted that the 2024 elections sent three women to Congress from Maryland after an eight-year gap, suggesting the Senate slate fits into a longer-running effort to build on those gains at the state level.
