Hughesville, MD – The Southern Maryland Association of Realtors (SMAR) released their primary election endorsements for Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s Counties Tuesday, June 12. In addition to the county commissioner endorsements, SMAR’s state association (Maryland Realtors) announced their endorsements for the state Delegate and Senator seats in each Southern Maryland district.
In the announcements, SMAR President Kathy Suite expresses the association’s dedication “to serving its 1, 750 members and the wider Southern Maryland community.” SMAR determined endorsements by emailing all registered candidates on the Board of Elections data file and via publishing a candidate form on their website in November of 2017.
Suite states that they then “scheduled three days of commissioner candidate interviews for over 32 candidates with the SMAR Legislative and RPAC [Realtors Political Action Committee] committees.” Discussed in the meeting were both “local county concerns and regional issues directly related to the real estate community and all property owners.”
In Calvert County, SMAR is endorsing: Commissioner Steve Weems and Earl “Buddy” Hance for the at large commissioner, Mike Hart for District 1, and Tim Hutchins for District 2.
In Charles County, SMAR is endorsing: Brian Klaas for commissioner president, Gilbert Bowling for District 1, Mayor Brandon Paulin for District 2, Derrick Terry for District 3, and Commissioner Bobby Rucci for District 4.
The association has elected not to endorse any primary candidates in the St. Mary’s County Commissioner race noting, however, that they “plan to endorse in the general commissioner elections later this summer.”
Maryland Realtors, SMAR’s state association, had their Southern Maryland state delegate endorsements included in the press release. Delegate Susie Proctor in District 27, delegates Edith Patterson and C.T. Wilson, as well as, business owner John Coller in District 28 were endorsed in Charles County; Delegate Michael Jackson in District 27B and Delegate Mark Fisher in District 27C in Calvert County; Delegate Matt Morgan in District 29A and Delegate Deb Rey in District 29B for St. Mary’s County. Delegate Jerry Clark was endorsed in District 29C which, encompasses parts of both Calvert and St. Mary’s counties.
Also included were Maryland Realtors’ senate endorsements for Southern Maryland. They are Senate President Mike Miller in Senate District 27, Senator Mac Middleton in Senate District 28 and Senator Steve Waugh in Senate District 29.
SMAR concluded their press release affirming that they “believe [each candidate’s] election will provide a new direction of leadership and integrity required to make effective change in [Charles and Calvert Counties].” In St. Mary’s County the association assures that each candidates re-election will “continue [providing] the strong leadership required to advocate and protect property rights of Southern Maryland homeowners.”
The Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, June 26.
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