Strange Bedfellows

The county’s House and Senate delegations wasted no time setting its respective leadership for the rest of the 90-day General Assembly session.

Senators from the county’s eight districts met the first day of session Wednesday and elected Sens. Norman Stone and Kathy Klausmeier chairman and vice chairwoman.

The House delegation met Thursday morning and elected Dels. Eric Bromwell and Steve DeBoy chairman and vice chairman. Del. Jon Cardin was named secretary for the delegation.

Sen. Norman Stone returned four days of his $43,500 annual legislative salary late last year. Stone, an 11-term Democrat who represents the 6th District, released documents showing he participated in a furlough program requested by House Speaker Michael Busch and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller.

The 6th District includes Dundalk and Essex.

Both Busch and Miller returned five days’ salary and asked fellow legislators to also give up between one and five days’ pay at the same time 67,000 state employees were being furloughed for up to five days based on individual salary levels. (more…)

Jordan Hadfield knows he’s facing an uphill battle.

Hadfield, 24, said he plans to challenge 10-term State Sen. Norman Stone in next September’s Democratic primary.

“My race is not going to be about me challenging anyone,” Hadfield said. “It’s going to be about a vision. It’s about what needs to be done.”

The Dundalk resident will officially kick off his campaign Sept. 19 with three stops in three different parts of the district, starting with the Boulevard Diner on Merritt Boulevard and ending with a 9 p.m. appearance at Pizza John’s in Essex. (And who doesn’t like a slice of pizza with their politics?) (more…)

State Sen. Norman Stone wants four more years.

Stone, 73, plans to run for what political observers say would be an unprecedented 11th term. He recently held an event at which he raised an estimated $40,000 for his re-election bid.

Stone, first elected to the Senate in 1966, is the longest serving member of the state Senate. He also served one term in the House of Delegates just before he was elected to the Senate. (more…)