Chesterfield coming, Simonaire going, a list of our favorite things, more notes
A five-time elected Republican state senator is calling it a career at the end of his current term.
Sen. Bryan W. Simonaire (R-Anne Arundel) announced in an email Tuesday morning that he would not run for reelection in 2026.
'It's time for the next chapter in my life and I cherish the opportunity to spend more time with my growing family,' Simonaire said in a statement.
Simonaire, 61, was the first Republican elected to the Senate from District 31. He succeeded Sen. Phil Jimeno, a Democrat who retired after 22 years in the Senate.
Simonaire said he plans to finish his current term, which includes two more weeks of the 2025 session. His term ends in 2026.
'Therefore, the final farewells will have to wait awhile,' Simonaire said in his statement. 'Given the political ripple effect on the Senate and other seats in my district, I thought it was the right thing to make my intentions public now.'
The ripples have already started: Del. Nicholaus R. Kipke (R-Anne Arundel) filed on Monday for the Republican primary for the Senate seat in the district. Kipke, 46, was elected to the House of Delegates the same year Simonaire joined the Senate. He filed his candidacy the day before the senator announced his intent to retire.
A former Maryland Senate aide pleaded guilty Tuesday to a felony theft scheme for diverting $20,000 in senatorial scholarships that she never applied for to pay her own school bills, the Office of State Prosecutor announced.
Esther Dikongue was an aide to Sen. William C. Smith Jr. (D-Montgomery) from fall 2019 through March 2023, during which time she had access to the senator's legislative email account and was assigned to work with the committee that disbursed the scholarships that all senators have to award.
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Those scholarships typically go to constituents who attend a college in Maryland, or who are attending a college out of state for a course of study not offered in Maryland. Each senator gets about $50,000 a year to award as they see fit, with awards typically renewed annually by the Maryland Higher Education Commission until the student graduates.
Smith's office had a formal application to the committee, which selected recipients. Awards ranged from $500 to $5,000, with the upper amount being awarded 'only under rare circumstances,' according to court documents.
Prosecutors said that in July 2022, Dikongue used Smith's email to tell MHEC that she had been awarded a $10,000 scholarship to study at American University in Washington, D.C., even though she never actually applied for the award and was not chosen by the senator or the committee. An MHEC worker questioned the size of the award, but Dikongue insisted that $10,00 was the correct amount and had the money sent to American University, where she was enrolled in the Ethics, Peace and Human Rights master's program.
In May 2024, after she left the Senate office, Dikongue again used the office email to falsely obtain a second $10,000 scholarship, the prosecutor's office said.
Dikongue pleaded guilty Tuesday before Anne Arundel Circuit Judge Stacy McCormack. Sentencing has been set for July 16.
'It is unacceptable to misappropriate funds that are reserved to help Maryland students attend universities,' said Maryland State Prosecutor Charlton Howard III. 'Our office will continue to work to ensure Maryland taxpayer dollars are being used as intended.'
The Senate voted Tuesday morning to officially confirm Alverne 'Chet' Chesterfield to the state Board of Education.
The 33-13 vote along party lines came after Sen. Mary Beth Carozza (R-Lower Shore) asked for the Senate to vote separately on 'Nominee No. 14' — Chesterfield — from among those other nominees listed on an Executive Nominations report.
Gov. Wes Moore (D) had submitted Chesterfield's name to serve on the board.
'I believe the nominees and board members should be held to a standard greater than sufficient when you factor in the impact of the State Board of Education on our children and their future,' Carozza, who voted against Chesterfield, said in prepared remarks. 'Questions and concerns were raised by well-respected education leaders about the nominee's background and qualifications that prevent me from voting to confirm this nominee to serve on the Maryland State Board of Education.'
Sen. Charles Sydnor III (D-Baltimore County) said Chesterfield received 37 pages of letters of support. Sydnor, who voted in favor of the appointment, read one of the letters on the Senate floor Tuesday that mentioned the person working with Chesterfield at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore for more than 30 years.
'The tireless services he provided at the university and now, while working with other educational related establishments, support his commitment to education and excellence,' Sydnor said. 'I think he'll do a great job on this board.'
Chesterfield recently served as a member of the Somerset County Board of Education and worked as a substitute teacher in that school system.
A state Department of Education spokesperson said in an email Tuesday afternoon Chesterfield was appointed in December during the interim as a recess appointment and began to attend meetings in January.
Chesterfield, whose four-year term runs through 2028, replaced former board member Susan Getty.
What did you do to mark Maryland Day? You know, to recognize March 25, 1634, when the first English settlers celebrated their safe arrival in St. Mary's County, four months after leaving England.
Yeah, we didn't either.
But the folks at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Institute of Politics have more state spirit than we do, apparently, and decided to mark the day by polling Marylanders on what they like best about the state.
Almost one in four people, 24%, said their favorite part of the state's 'natural beauty, climate and weather' as their favorite things about the state, with 'geography and geographic diversity' in third place, at 15%. The geography fans echoed the old America in Miniature label for the state, with one noting to pollsters that residents can 'enjoy a diversity of activities and environments, from enjoying the ocean in Ocean City to fishing in the Chesapeake to hunting in central Maryland, and skiing at Wisp.'
In second place, at 17%, was 'people and communities,' with respondents citing both the diversity and the friendliness of the people. Crabs and Natty Boh were not — strictly speaking — at the top of the list, but the 14% who cited 'food and culinary experiences' name-checked crabcakes, crabs and Old Bay.
Bottom of the list, maybe not surprisingly, were government and politics, at 3%, and economy and job opportunities, at 2%.
Institute of Politics Director Mileah Kromer said the polls shows 'there are many things to love about Maryland. Like many other Marylanders, I'm glad to live in a state that offers a little bit of everything, truly embodying America in miniature moniker.'
The survey of 803 Maryland adults took place from Feb. 11-15, by phone and internet. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5%.
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