Maryland state Sen. Andrew “Andy” Serafini (R-Washington County) is set to resign from the Maryland Senate on Aug. 1, 2021.
On July 30, 2020, Serafini notified Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore) in a letter of his intentions to resign his District 2 Senate seat.
Ferguson called Serafini “one of his closest friends in the Senate” in a statement.
“Andy Serafini has been a shining example of how government can succeed. In the many moments we disagreed, he was a fierce challenger in the marketplace of ideas.”
Ferguson said of Serafini, “there is no better ally you could ask for,” when the two agreed on legislation.
Mr. Serafini sat on the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee.
He represented Washington County’s District 2 seat since February 2015.
Why Did Andy Serafini Resign From The Maryland Senate?
In so many words, Andy Serafini had enough of elected politics.
“It has become clear to me that it is time for me to resign from the Senate of Maryland,” Serafini said in a letter addressed to Gov. Larry Hogan (R).
While Serafini’s resignation still leaves outstanding questions, he told Senate colleagues in a letter that his twelve years in Annapolis was more than he imagined, citing the burdens he placed on his “family, friends, employees and clients.”
In a letter to his Senate colleagues, Serafini said his 12 years in Annapolis was more than he imagined, citing the burdens he placed on his “family, friends, employees and clients.”
“I must admit that leaving my family on a Monday and not returning home until Friday late afternoon has worn on me,” Serafini said, referring to Maryland’s annual three-month legislative slog.
Hogan released a Facebook statement calling Serfaini “a longtime champion for the people of Washington County, a valued leader in the Senate, and a good friend.”
Serafini apparently shared with Senate colleagues that he enjoyed working through complex budgetary and tax issues but disliked the partisan vitriol infecting the political process.
Filling A Legislative Vacancy
Maryland’s Constitution authorizes local
Two sources close to the Senate Republican Caucus told A Miner Detail Thursday that several Senate Republicans are pushing for Hagerstown state Del. Paul Corderman to replace Serafini over the two Republicans representing Washington County’s District 2A – state Delegates Neil C. Parrott and William J. Wivell.
Parrott is the Republican nominee in the 6th District; he is facing off against incumbent Rep. David J. Trone (D-MD) in the November election
Parrott’s conservative, Tea Party activism is often political fodder for state Democrats, who largely view him as ineffective and uninterested in the day-to-day rigors of his legislative responsibilities.
Sources close to the Senate Republican Caucus told A Miner Detail Thursday that Serafini is likely to support Corderman’s appointment to fill out the remainder of his Senate term.
Mr. Serafini was first appointed to the Maryland House of Delegates in 2008. He won a full-term in Nov. 2010 and was re-elected in 2014.
The Washington County Republican Central Committee appointed Serafini in early 2015 to fill former state Sen. Christopher B. Shank’s vacated Senate term after Hogan tapped Shank to serve in his new administration.
Serafini won a full Senate term on Nov. 2018.
He is a financial advisor and the owner of Serafini Financial Group.
A Miner Detail was the first media outlet to report Serafini’s resignation on Thursday.
Washington County’s Republican central committee will choose Serafini’s successor.
Two sources close to the Senate Republican Caucus told A Miner Detail Thursday that several Senate Republicans are pushing for Hagerstown state Del. Paul Corderman to replace Serafini over the two Republicans representing Washington County’s District 2A – state Delegates Neil C. Parrott and William J. Wivell.
Parrott is the Republican nominee in the 6th District; he is facing off against incumbent Rep. David J. Trone (D-MD) in the November election
Parrott’s conservative, Tea Party activism is often political fodder for state Democrats, who largely view him as ineffective and uninterested in the day-to-day rigors of his legislative responsibilities.
Sources close to the Senate Republican Caucus told A Miner Detail Thursday that Serafini is likely to support Corderman’s appointment to fill out the remainder of his Senate term.
Mr. Serafini was first appointed to the Maryland House of Delegates in 2008. He won a full-term in Nov. 2010 and was re-elected in 2014.
The Washington County Republican Central Committee appointed Serafini in early 2015 to fill former state Sen. Christopher B. Shank’s vacated Senate term after Hogan tapped Shank to serve in his new administration.
Serafini won a full Senate term on Nov. 2018.
Story 2) Why hasn’t Andrew Kleine resigned?
Montgomery County’s Chief Administrative Officer, Andrew Kleine, violated a local ethics law, admitting to hawking his book using Montgomery County taxpayer dollars and maintaining relationships with two companies that later landed contracts with Montgomery County,.
The Montgomery County Council members gave Kline a good-old-fashioned tongue lashing Tuesday and pushed for stiffer ethics penalties related to the incident, beyond the $5,000 recommended by the county’s Ethics Commission – but none of the nine Democratic council members have publicly called on Kleine to resign.
They have come close, but they haven’t gone the full monty.
Kleine’s boss – Marc Elrich, county executive – says the ethics matter is resolved.
Mr. Kleine’s annual salary is $280,000.
About A Miner Detail
Ryan Miner is the editor in chief of A Miner Detail, an independent, nonpartisan multimedia online news outlet, featuring Maryland politics and news.
Miner is the host of A Miner Detail Podcast, one of Maryland’s most informative and entertaining politics and news podcasts.
