Mary-Dulany James

Mary-Dulany James
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates from District 34A
In office January 13, 1999 – January 13, 2015
Preceded by	Mary Louise Preis
Succeeded by	Mary Ann Lisanti
Constituency	Harford County, Cecil County
Personal details
Born	(1960-02-01) February 1, 1960 (age 61) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Children	3
Residence	Maryland
Alma mater	University of Maryland, College Park University of Maryland School of Law
Occupation	Attorney
Website	Campaign website Legislative homepage @MaryDulanyJames

Mary-Dulany James (born February 1, 1960) is an American politician who represented district 34A in the Maryland House of Delegates for sixteen years, representing Harford and Cecil Counties along the U.S. Route 40 corridor. Mary-Dulany James represented district 34A, formerly district 34, for 16 years having first been elected in 1998.

James is the daughter of former President of the Maryland Senate William S. James, who served as MD Senate President from 1963 to 1974. In October 2013 James officially filed to run for State Senate in District 34 to replace retiring State Senator Nancy Jacobs.^[1]

On June 24, 2014 James defeated long time Harford County politician and former State Senator Arthur Henry Helton Jr. in the primary, and went on to face Republican Bob Cassilly in November in the general election, where she was defeated. Former Delegate James ran against Senator Cassilly again in 2018; she was narrowly defeated.^[2][3]

Early life, education, career[]

James was born in Baltimore, Maryland and grew up and still lives on her family's farm in Harford County. She attended Havre De Grace High School and the University of Maryland, College Park where she earned a B.S. in psychology (with honors) in 1981.^{[citation needed]}

She attended the University of Maryland School of Law, earning a J.D., (with honors) in 1986. While studying for the bar exam she clerked for Judge Edward S. Northrop in the U.S. District Court, District of Maryland. She was admitted to Maryland Bar in 1986. She worked for law firms in Baltimore, then set up her own practice in Harford County where she lived.^[4]

Political career[]

Maryland House of Delegates[]

James was elected to the House of Delegates on November 3, 1998, representing District 34 (Harford County). James was re-elected to the newly redistricted District 34A (Harford and Cecil counties)^[5] in November 5, 2002, and was subsequently re-elected in 2006 and 2010.

Committee assignments[]

• Member, Appropriations Committee, 1999-2014
  • oversight committee on personnel, 1999–2003
  • oversight committee on program open space & agricultural land preservation, 1999–2002
  • vice-chair, transportation & the environment subcommittee, 2003–2006, member, 1999–2006
  • chair, oversight committee on pensions, 2003–2006, member, 2003-2014
  • chair, health & human resources subcommittee, 2007-2014
• Joint Subcommittee on Program Open Space and Agricultural Preservation, 2003–2015
• Special Joint Committee on Pensions, 2003–Present, house chair, 2003–2006
• Member, Joint Committee on Base Realignment and Closure, 2007–2011
• Member, Joint Committee on the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area, 2003–07
• Chair, Harford County Delegation, 2001–02, vice-chair, 1999–2000
• Member, Maryland Green Caucus, 1999-2014
• Member, Women Legislators of Maryland, 1999–2015, co-chair, legislative committee, 2005–2015
• Member Maryland Rural Caucus, 2002-2014
• Maryland Bicycle and Pedestrian Caucus, 2003-2014
• Maryland Veterans Caucus, 2005-2014
• Member, National Conference of State Legislatures
  • Member, economic development, trade & cultural affairs committee, 2005–2007
  • Member, labor & economic development committee, 2007–2015^[6]

The District[]

District 34 has been redistricted twice since James was first elected. When first elected James was one of three delegates that represented the development corridor in Harford County. The communities represented in district 34 are: Bel Air, Havre de Grace, Aberdeen, Edgewood, Joppatowne, Abingdon, Belcamp/Riverside, and Aberdeen Proving Ground.

After the 2000 Census Maryland redistricted 34 into a split district with two Delegates representing 34A and one Delegate representing district 34B. Then district spanned parts of Harford and Cecil Counties. The communities represented in district 34A are: Havre de Grace, Aberdeen, Edgewood, Joppatowne, Belcamp/Riverside, and Aberdeen Proving Ground in Harford County. Parts of Perryville and Port Deposit in Cecil County.

James ran for State Senate in the redistricted District 34. After the 2010 Census Maryland redistricted 34 to similar boundaries prior to the 2000 Census. The communities represented in district 34 are: Bel Air, Havre de Grace, Aberdeen, Edgewood, Joppatowne, Abingdon, Belcamp/Riverside, and Aberdeen Proving Ground.^[7]

2014 Maryland State Senate candidacy[]

James filed to run for Maryland State Senate in October 2013. In the 2014 Democratic Primary James faced long time Harford County politician and business owner Arthur Henry Helton Jr., a former State Senator and County Council Member.^[8] Helton had run for State Senate during the last election and lost. Both Helton and James have considerable name recognition in Harford County. James ultimately defeated Helton by a 2 to 1 margin.^{[citation needed]}

James faced Bob Cassilly, former County Council Member in the general election in November, 2014 but was unsuccessful. She was the Democratic nominee for the same seat in 2018, but Senator Cassilly defeated her again in a close race. ^[9]

Election results[]

• 2014 General Election Results Maryland House of Delegates – District 34 - Harford County^[3]

Voters to choose one:

Name	Votes	Percent	Outcome
Mary-Dulany James, Dem.	16,459	42.7%	Lost
Bob Cassilly, Rep.	22,042	57.2%	Won
Write-Ins	62	0.2%	Lost

• 2014 Primary Election Results Maryland Senate – District 34 - Harford County^[10]

Voters to choose One:

Name	Votes	Percent	Outcome
Mary-Dulany James, Dem.	4,705	61.1%	Won
Arthur Henry Helton, Jr., Dem.	2,997	38.9%	Lost

• 2010 General Election Results Maryland House of Delegates – District 34A - Cecil & Harford County^[11]

Voters to choose two:

Name	Votes	Percent	Outcome
Mary-Dulany James, Dem.	12,639	29.2%	Won
Glen Glass, Rep.	10,931	25.3%	Won
Patrick McGrady, Rep.	9,889	22.9%	Lost
Marla Posey-Moss, Dem.	9,745	22.5%	Lost
Write-Ins	51	0.1%	Lost

• 2010 Primary Election Results Maryland House of Delegates – District 34A - Cecil & Harford County^[12]

Voters to choose two:

Name	Votes	Percent	Outcome
Mary-Dulany James, Dem.	3,146	37.6%	Won
Marla Posey-Moss, Dem.	2,639	31.5%	Won
B. Daniel Riley, Dem.	2,582	30.9%	Lost

• 2006 General Election Results Maryland House of Delegates – District 34A - Cecil & Harford County^[13]

Voters to choose two:

Name	Votes	Percent	Outcome
Mary-Dulany James, Dem.	12,697	31.7%	Won
B. Daniel Riley, Dem.	10,969	27.3%	Won
Glen Glass, Rep.	8,554	21.0%	Lost
Sheryl Davis Kohl, Rep.	8,085	19.9%	Lost
Write-Ins	22	0.1%	Lost

• 2002 General Election Results Maryland House of Delegates – District 34A - Cecil & Harford County^[14]

Voters to choose two:

Name	Votes	Percent	Outcome
Charles R. Boutin, Rep.	11,182	34.79%	Won
Mary-Dulany James, Dem.	10,947	34.06%	Won
B. Daniel Riley, Dem.	9,957	30.98%	Lost
Write-Ins	59	0.18%	Lost

• 1998 General Election Results Maryland House of Delegates – District 34 - Harford County^[15]

Voters to choose three:

Name	Votes	Percent	Outcome
Mary-Dulany James, Dem.	18,357	18%	Won
Charles R. Boutin, Rep.	17,844	18%	Won
B. Daniel Riley, Dem.	17,798	18%	Won
Robert E. Shaffner, Rep.	16,236	16%	Lost
Robin Walter, Rep.	15,370	15%	Lost
Michael Griffin, Rep.	15,207	15%	Lost

References[]

External links[]

• Legislative homepage
• Campaign website
• Facebook Page
• Twitter @MaryDulanyJames

Preceded by Mary Louise Preis

Maryland State Delegate - District 34A 1999–present

Incumbent