For the first time in 28 years, I do not have a contested Democratic primary!

July 6th was the filing deadline, and the only candidates for the three seats in the House of Delegates for the 41st District are my two colleagues, Delegates Jill Carter and Nathaniel Oaks, and myself.

We will have a Republican opponent in November, but the Democratic nomination virtually assures us of election. Lisa Gladden, my State Senator, has no opponents in the primary or general election.

We have come a long way from eight years ago. I won then by only 245 votes when the boundary lines of the district were redrawn by the courts after the census.

As I told a reporter, “I am credible when I talk about religious freedom in the Orthodox Jewish community and civil rights issues in the African-American community.”

In addition, our delegation has delivered for the diverse communities of the 41st District – from capital improvements for firehouses and outdoor running tracks, to making the wheels of government function properly for our constituents.

I won’t be taking the summer off. I’ll be working on my legislative agenda for next year. Plus, there are several friends in the House of Delegates whom I’ll be campaigning for in the coming weeks, as well as Governor O’Malley and the rest of the Democratic ticket in the fall.