A September 18 MarylandReporter.com article reports that Governor Martin O'Malley has selected Delegate Stephen Hershey to fill the seat vacated by Senate Minority Leader E.J. Pipkin.  As previously reported on Conduit Street, Senator Pipkin surprised many by announcing his intent to resign effective August 12 to pursue a career in sports management.  His resignation created a vacuum in District 36 on the upper and middle Eastern Shore and led to some controversy as the GOP central committees of Caroline,…

As reported by many news outlets, Senate Minority Leader E.J. Pipkin announced his intention to resign from the Maryland Senate this week effective August 12, 2013. As reported by the Washington Post: Maryland Senate Minority Leader E.J. Pipkin (R-Cecil) plans to resign from the chamber next week to pursue a new career in sports management, he said Monday. Pipkin, a member of the Senate for more than a decade who assumed leadership of the Republican…

The House of Delegates Republican Caucus recently announced its slate of officers and leaders for the 2014 legislative session. Newly installed Minority Leader Nicholaus Kipke and Minority Whip Kathy Szeliga released the following appointments: Assistant Minority Leader Delegate Michael Hough Assistant Minority Whip Delegate Sue Aumann Caucus Chairman Delegate Jay Jacobs Chief Deputy Whip Delegate Justin Ready Deputy Whips: Delegate Gail Bates Delegate Steve Hershey Delegate Charles Otto Delegate Susan Krebs Delegate John Cluster Delegate…

As reported in the Pikesville Patch, Delegate Emmett Burns, 72, does not plan to run for re-election in 2014.  This decision marks the third General Assembly retirement recently announced in western Baltimore County. Burns said he plans to endorse Aaron Burnett, who is holding a fundraising event on Thursday. . . Burns is not the first Democratic delegate from western Baltimore County to decline to run for re-election in 2014. Dels. Steve DeBoy and Jim Malone, who…