Political Notes: Hayes, Shingledecker Are In, Legislators Are Already Lining Up To Run

By Christine Condon and William J. Ford, Maryland Matters

June 26, 2025

Kelly O. Hayes, the acting U.S. Attorney for Maryland, is no more.

Hayes was sworn in Tuesday as the next U.S. attorney for the state, replacing former U.S. Attorney Erek Barron, who left in February.

Hayes was chosen for interim post by Attorney General Pam Bondi, but someone nominated by the attorney general can only hold the post in a interim capacity for 120 days. After that, falls to the judges of the district to appoint a successor.

After the clock ran out of Hayes’ interim appointment, with no replacement nominee coming from the White House, the judges of the district voted to appoint Hayes to the job. She took the oath of office Tuesday, administered by Chief Judge George L. Russell III, and will serve until a replacement is nominated and approved.

Hayes said in a prepared statement that she was “honored by the confidence” the judges placed in her to serve.

“It is a privilege to lead this great office and to work alongside such dedicated public servants committed to upholding the rule of law and seeking justice on behalf of our communities,” her statement said. “I look forward to continuing to zealously combat criminal activity to ensure public safety and to steadfastly represent the interests of the United States.”

Hayed was raised in Montgomery County, attended the University of Maryland, College Park, and received her law degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law. After clerking for Judge Janis L. Sammartino in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, she joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland in 2013.

She served as principal deputy chief, deputy chief and, since 2021, as chief of the district court’s Southern Division. As chief, she oversaw all criminal investigations and prosecutions for the district. She also served as deputy appellate chief for the district.

Hayes has made “public safety, national security, and the protection of children … top priorities for the District,” according to the news release.

Shingledecker comes home to Chesapeake Conservancy

In its search for new leadership, the Chesapeake Conservancy turned to an old friend, announcing Wednesday that one of its former vice presidents would be taking the helm. Susan Shingledecker, who served as the conservancy’s vice president and director of programs from 2017 to 2020, will step in as CEO on Sept. 8, according to a news release from the conservancy.
Susan Shingledecker will serve as the next CEO of the Chesapeake Conservancy, an Annapolis-based nonprofit focused on land conservation and water restoration. (Photo courtesy the Chesapeake Conservancy)

The Conservancy, which is based in Annapolis, focuses on land conservation and water restoration in Maryland.

Shingledecker will replace Joel Dunn, who left the nonprofit in December after 14 years. He went to the Campaign for Nature.

“Susan’s return is a homecoming we are thrilled to celebrate,” said Chesapeake Conservancy Board Chair Stephanie Meeks in a statement. “Following a nationwide search, the Board is confident that Susan brings the strategic leadership, nonprofit management experience and deep passion for the Chesapeake Bay that this role requires.

Shingledecker, who lives in Severna Park with her husband and two sons, comes from Earth Science Information Partners, where she served as executive director. ESIP, a Severna Park nonprofit funded by cooperative agreements with NASA, NOAA, and USGS, works to encourage scientific collaboration in the earth and climate science field.

“I’m honored to return to Chesapeake Conservancy and lead this incredible team working to protect the nation’s largest estuary and one of the most iconic and vital landscapes in the country,” Shingledecker said in the statement. “My five years at ESIP have given me an incredible understanding of the opportunities for data to inform our conservation work, increase our efficiency and grow our impact.”

Is it that time already?

The 2026 primary election is a year off — June 23, 2026 — which means it’s time for candidates to start lining up. It’s probably well before time, actually, but judging by the emails landing in our inbox in recent days, it’s never too early for some candidates. In State House races:

– Three of the four Republican incumbents in District 5, which includes parts of Carroll and Frederick counties, are running as a team for reelection. Sen. Justin Ready and Dels. April Rose and Chris Tomlinson are touting their “strong, conservative record”. Ready, the Senate minority whip, serves on Senate Finance Committee. Rose, in her second term, is the assistant minority leader and serves on the Economic Matters Committee, while Tomlinson, a freshman, is chair of the Carroll County delegation and a member of the Judiciary Committee.
From left, District 5 (Frederick and Carroll) Dels. Chris Tomlinson and April Rose and Sen. Justin Ready, all Republicans, are running for reelection as a team. (Courtesy photo)

Rose and Tomlinson face challenges in the GOP primary from Steve Whisler, a member of the Carroll County Board of Education who filed way back in March, and Sallie Taylor, a party activist who served as a staff member for former Rep. Roscoe Bartlett and Del. Dan Cox. She filed in April.

The fourth incumbent in District 5, Republican Del. Christopher Bouchat, told the Baltimore Sun last fall that he was disgusted with Annapolis and would not seek reelection. But not too disgusted, apparently — he told The Sun last week that he’s running for governor, although he has yet to file. He hasn’t told Maryland Matters anything because he has not returned several days worth of calls.

– Nobody claims to be running for governor in southeastern Baltimore’s District 46, so the four Democrats there getting the gang back together and running as a team. Sen. Bill Ferguson and Dels. Luke Clippinger, Mark Edelson and Robbyn Lewis tout their success bringing millions to district projects, investing in schools, pushing for affordable housing and fighting “the chaos and lawlessness of the Trump administration,” among other achievements. Ferguson, first elected in 2010, has been president of the Senate since 2020. Clippinger, also elected in 2010, is chair of the Judiciary Committee. Lewis, appointed in 2016, serves on Environment and Transportation and Edelson, a freshman, is on the Appropriations Committee. They are the only four filed in the district so far.

– In Montgomery County’s District 18, Democratic Sen. Jeff Waldstreicher did not announce a reelection team. But there were plenty of other names on his reelection announcement, which listed more than 60 endorsements already from federal, state and local lawmakers, beginning with Gov. Wes Moore (D) down to community leaders. Waldstreicher, who was elected in 2018, has been vice chair of the Judicial Proceedings Committee since 2020, where he has led on various criminal justice reform measures, including the Gun Safety Act of 2023. “I’m humbled that these diverse community leaders and elected officials are supporting my re-election campaign,” Waldstreicher said in his announcement.

His District 18 mate, Del. Aaron Kaufman (D), filed paperwork for reelection last month, the only candidate actually filed in the district so far. Kaufman, elected in 2022, serves on the House Judiciary Committee. The freshman delegate, who has cerebral palsy, highlights his advocacy on disability rights such as legislation signed into law this year on powered wheelchairs.