Rogers C.B. Morton: An Eastern Shore Republican from Another Era

 The 2023 Maryland Public Schools Report Card is out. The Eastern Shore has received a good grade for its overall graduation rate and the four Shore school districts with graduation rates in the top five statewide. Since 2011, schools in the state have aimed at a target graduation rate of 95% for all districts. According to the March report card, four districts achieved that goal, with three of them on the Eastern Shore! Queen Anne’s, Talbot, and Worcester counties joined Carroll County as the only districts with 95% graduation rates. Other Eastern Shore counties also scored well. With its 94.2% rate, Kent County came close to the statewide goal and was ranked fifth. Two other Shore counties scored above the statewide average of 85.8%. Cecil had a 90.3% graduation rate and Caroline was at 86.6%. Wicomico was just below the average at 85.4% and Dorchester, with 84%, was also close. However, Somerset’s 73.8% rate was one of the three lowest in the state, along with Prince George’s (74.4%) and Baltimore City (70.6%). The Maryland State Department of Education defines graduation rate as the percentage of ninth grade students who graduate with a regular high school diploma within five years. It accounts for students who transfer into a district, transfer to another district, leave the state, or die. Because the state cuts off the ratings at 95%, minor differences between the top four ratings aren’t listed in the report card. The statewide average for the 23 counties plus Baltimore City was 85.8%. The rate is affected by considerable differences in student population among districts. With 889,971 students statewide, the number of students range from Kent County, the smallest, with just 1,751 students, to Montgomery County, with 160,554, nearly a tenfold difference. A large county’s rate will affect the average disproportionately, especially if that rate is considerably higher or lower than others in the state.

The Maryland State Primary Election is set for May 14, and one of its biggest tasks is deciding who will be the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senator from Maryland in the November general election. The current senator, Ben Cardin (D), is retiring after three terms, following 20 years in the U.S. House of Representatives. Now Cardin will be replaced, and that new person’s party — Republican or Democratic — will help decide control of the Senate for the next two years. Maryland has not elected a Republican to the Senate since 1980. However, this year, whoever wins the Democratic primary will probably run in November against Larry Hogan, the former Republican governor from 2015 through 2023. Hogan was popular with a large number of Marylanders from both parties. His unexpected last-minute entry into the senatorial race in February heightened the stakes in the Democratic primary. The big question for Democrats now appears to be “Who has the best chance to beat Hogan in November?” Although there will be 10 candidates on the Democratic primary ticket, the two front-runners are Angela Alsobrooks and David Trone. Both are liberal Democrats with similar views, thus making it trickier for voters to choose between them. Both support environmental issues, reproductive rights, Medicare and Social Security, along with expanded health care and services for various groups. Their resumes reflect some differences, both working in government but in different areas. Alsobrook’s expertise is in management and administration, while Trone’s government experience is in legislation. Angela Alsobrooks Angela Alsobrooks is the chief executive of Prince George's County, the first woman to hold that office and the first Black woman to hold a county executive office in Maryland. Her experience is in implementing and directing policy, figuring out what works and what doesn’t, and finding and managing personnel. She has focused on jobs, education, and expanding health care access, including mental health and addiction treatment. She is a former state's attorney for Prince George's County, as well as that county's first full-time domestic violence prosecutor. According to her website , “Angela has been endorsed by Gov. Wes Moore, Sen. Chris Van Hollen and over 150 elected officials, labor unions, and organizations across Maryland.” Union endorsements include Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Locals 70 & 1900, and the Teamsters Local 639 and Joint Council 55. Alsobrooks has stated that on her first day in office, she will co-sponsor the Women's Health Protection Act, legislation that will help establish federal legal protection for the right to provide and access abortion care across all states. Additionally, she will oppose any judicial nominee who does not support abortion rights. David Trone David Trone has extensive experience as an entrepreneur and businessman, plus several years of legislative experience in the U.S. Congress. He is a co-founder of Total Wine and More, a highly successful national liquor store chain. Last year, Trone won re-election to a third term as the representative from Maryland’s 6th Congressional District. In the U.S. House, Trone worked on multiple issues including medical research, mental health, opioid addiction, and criminal justice reform. On Trone’s website he proudly states that “he’s never taken a nickel from PACs, lobbyists, or corporations” and thus is not beholden to any special interests. Trone is an original co-sponsor of the Women’s Health Protection Act, which aims to codify Roe v. Wade’s protections and establish a nationwide right to abortion. He also supports the Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance (EACH) Act. Trone belongs to the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus and his voting record in Congress has received a 100% approval rating from both Planned Parenthood and Reproductive Freedom for All. He has also shown his support for reproductive rights by endorsing and speaking at the opening of an abortion clinic that moved to his district to serve Western Maryland and surrounding states. Trone pulls no punches. Regarding Hogan’s entry into the Senate race, as reported on his website, Trone stated that Hogan’s candidacy is a “desperate attempt to return Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump to power and give them the deciding vote to ban abortion nationwide, suppress votes across the country, and give massive tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans. Marylanders are tired of empty promises from career politicians like Larry Hogan. During his time as governor, Larry Hogan neglected and failed the city of Baltimore, pushed for policies that kicked 200,000 Marylanders off the voter rolls, and cut backroom deals to benefit developers like himself at the expense of Maryland taxpayers….” See the candidates’ websites for more information on their views on other issues such as education, immigration, environment, and more. Campaign Finances Trone has outspent Alsobrooks by roughly ten to one. Trone’s campaign has run television ads across Maryland since last fall and reported spending $23.1 million through the end of 2023. In the same period, Alsobrooks spent about $2.4 million. Trone’s campaign is primarily self-financed from his fortune as a businessman. Alsobrooks is funded mostly by grassroots campaign donations and a few donations from Political Action Committees. She decided not to run television ads until just a few months before the primary. Her staff and staff payroll are considerably smaller than Trone’s. How much this financial difference will translate into votes is unclear. While larger war chests and more media buys have been shown to influence potential voters, political experts note that a better-funded campaign does not always guarantee electoral success. History has shown that results vary, although having more financial resources does tend to give a campaign an edge. Campaign finance data for the first quarter of 2024 was due on April 15. Polls According to two polls, Trone has an early advantage for the primary election. A poll by Goucher College in partnership with the Baltimore Banner was conducted in late March. Of Democrats who are likely to vote in the primary, 42% favored Trone. Alsobrooks was favored by 33%. Nearly a quarter of voters are undecided between the two candidates. The margin of error was 4.9%. Another poll — this one by the Washington Post and the University of Maryland from early March — showed Trone leading Alsobrooks 34% to 27% among registered Democrats. However, almost four in 10 Democratic voters stated that they were still undecided. The margin of error was 4.5%. Both polls indicate that neither Democratic candidate has a clear advantage over Hogan in the general election. Both matchups — Trone vs. Hogan and Alsobrooks vs. Hogan — are, at the moment, statistically tied. The Current U.S. Senate Every state has two senators who each represent the entire state. Each senator serves for six years, and the terms overlap so that, except under unusual circumstances, there is only one senate election in a state at a time. Maryland’s other senator is Chris Van Hollen (D), whose term ends in January 2029. The primary results in Maryland as well as in several other states may have a significant impact on which party controls the Senate, which currently has 51 Democrats and 49 Republicans. Those 51 Democrats include three Senators who are Independents but caucus and vote with the Democrats, thus giving the Democratic Party control of the Senate and the right to name the Senate Majority Leader. Any tie votes in the Senate are broken by the vice president of the United States, who, according to the U.S. Constitution, officially holds the office of Senate president, and may only vote when there is a tie. In the upcoming general election in November, 34 senatorial seats will be up for election. Of those 34 seats, 23 are currently held by Democrats. Many of these Senate seats have incumbents who are running for re-election; in most cases these incumbents are expected to retain their seats. However, nationally there are several open Senate seats due to retirements, deaths, or other reasons. These include Dianne Feinstein’s (D) seat in California, Debbie Stabenow’s (D) in Michigan, and Mike Brown’s (R) in Indiana. When West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin (D) announced that he would not run for re-election, most commentators allowed that that decision would almost certainly hand the seat to the Republicans. This would bring the Republican party one seat closer to regaining Senate control unless the Democrats pick up one or more seats in other states to compensate. Most of the Senate seats with no incumbent, including Maryland’s and Michigan’s, are considered tight races, any of which alone or in combination could determine which party ends up in control of the Senate starting in January 2025. Be sure to vote! ----- Maryland Primary Election Basic Information The Maryland Board of Elections has information here along with links to find your polling place, request an absentee/mail-in ballot, track your ballot, and sign up to be an election judge. Here’s the schedule for the Maryland primary election: In-person voting: April 23 — Last day to register to vote in the primary election May 2 — Early voting begins, 7 am-8 pm May 9 — Early voting ends, 7 am-8 pm May 14 — Primary election day, 7 am-8 pm Absentee/Mail-in voting: Any registered voter may request an absentee/mail-in ballot. Voter registration deadline — for new voters or to add/change party affiliation: In-person: May 14 By mail: Received by April 23 Online: April 23 Absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline: In-person: May 14 By mail: Received by May 7 Online: May 7 Absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline: In-person: May 14 By mail: Received by May 14 More Information: “United States Senate Election in Maryland, 2024,” Ballotpedia: The Encyclopedia of American Politics https://ballotpedia.org/United_States_Senate_election_in_Maryland,_2024 Jane Jewell is a writer, editor, photographer, and teacher. She has worked in news, publishing, and as the director of a national writer's group. She lives in Chestertown with her husband Peter Heck, a ginger cat named Riley, and a lot of books.

Only Common Sense readers who have spent the last two years under a rock will be surprised to hear that Russia has invaded Ukraine. Because the United States battled England for its independence, many Americans side with the Ukrainian people as they fight Russia to preserve their own independence. Russia’s attack means Ukraine needs food, clothing, shelter, and medical supplies. Beyond what Washington does to assist Ukraine, a U.S. citizen can help by contributing to a non-governmental humanitarian organization. NATO members are providing aid to Ukraine, but delivery is often slow and cumbersome and smaller, more flexible charitable organizations can be effective. Some experts recommend donating to in-country organizations because these groups know what is needed and where. For example, with headquarters in Kyiv, Sustain Ukraine supplies vehicles and other equipment and cooperates with similarly-purposed groups. The U.S. Ukraine Foundation , based in Falls Church, Va., works to meet immediate needs. Those needs include emergency medical supplies, including oxygen, food, clean water, shelter, and so forth. United Help Ukraine has programs to help with battlefield medical care, internally displaced people, medical aid, and community engagement. The United Nations established the UN Women program in 2010. This program projects that 8 million Ukrainian women will need humanitarian assistance this year. Food, clothing, and shelter come first, and even when these vital needs are met by charitable organizations, other needs remain. For example, an organization called “ ENGin ” teaches English to Ukrainians over the internet and provides emotional support. An extensive account of an ENGin relationship ran in the Chestertown Spy in February 2022. However you can help the people in Ukraine, your efforts and attention will be appreciated. Jim Block taught English at Northfield Mount Hermon, a boarding school in Western Mass. He coached cross-country and advised the newspaper and the debate society there. He taught at Marlborough College in England and Robert College in Istanbul. He and his wife retired to Chestertown, Md., in 2014.

Adding reconciliation to history-making election reform, a landmark settlement was announced this month in a federal lawsuit that challenged 200 years of discrimination against Black voters in the Town of Federalsburg. With a sweeping array of restorative measures, the town seeks to make amends to Black residents for wrongs of the past. The remarkable agreement — the first of its kind in any Maryland voting rights case — was reached through mediation overseen by U.S. Magistrate Judge Erin Aslan. It includes an official apology for historical racism, a street renaming, and community markers commemorating and celebrating the history and contributions of Black residents. The agreement builds on historic election reform already achieved, with the first election of two Black residents to the town council in September under the new, court-approved election system. The plaintiffs in the case are Black voters from Federalsburg — Roberta Butler, Sherone Lewis, Darlene Pitt Hammond, Elaine Hubbard, Nikendra Bordley, Ryan Haynes, and Lywanda Johnson — along with the Caroline County branch of the NAACP, led by Dr. Willie Woods and Wanda Molock, and the Caucus of African American Leaders, led by Carl Snowden and the Rev. James Jones. The unprecedented settlement promises a series of actions by the town to rectify past wrongs, promote reconciliation, and bring healing to the community:  Federalsburg will deliver an official, signed apology, which will be framed and permanently displayed at the town hall. The town will commission a commemorative plaque to be affixed to the town hall, “From Protest to Progress: Events that Changed the Face of Federalsburg,” celebrating Black voters’ voting rights victory. The town will install a photo display at the town hall, in collaboration with the historical society and the plaintiffs, featuring Black community contributions to the town. The town will restore the name Brooklyn Avenue to the portion of the avenue in the Black district renamed Gerardi Boulevard. The town will erect a historical marker in the Black community of Brooklyn celebrating the contributions of the neighborhood's residents and their ancestors. The town will issue a proclamation naming September 26 as Voting Rights Day in recognition of Black voters' historic win on that day in 2023, the town's bicentennial year. The town will establish a unity committee of elected officials and residents from each district to focus on community engagement in elections and matters related to the promotion, engagement, and enhancement of the town’s diverse community. The town will establish an annual multicultural celebration. Read the Town of Federalsburg’s official apology for historical racism: By this writing, the Town of Federalsburg formally acknowledges responsibility and expresses its deep regret for actions and inactions contributing to racial discrimination and exclusion of Black residents, including its use of an election system that prevented any Black person from holding a position on the Town Council over 200 years. As officials of the town, we accept moral accountability for the harms these actions inflicted upon Black residents, their families, and ancestors before them. Black residents have lived in Federalsburg since the town’s founding in 1823, and today make up a much-valued share of our diverse community. In times past, however, the town excluded Black residents from full participation in the town’s political life, working a grave injustice for which we are deeply sorry. As officials and residents of the Town of Federalsburg, we have collective responsibility to build a community based firmly on the principle of equality of opportunity, regardless of one's race or ethnic origin. Through this expression of regret to those who endured race-based hardship and injustice, we seek to turn the page on this shameful history, and to begin a process of reconciliation among all of the town’s residents. Our deep sorrow for past wrongs inspires our unwavering commitment to build a better future for all Federalsburg residents. Going forward, we pledge to do all within our power to ensure that such injustices never happen here again, and to embrace all residents of our town in an inclusive and vibrant community. Black residents account for 47% of Federalsburg’s population, yet until this past fall, Federalsburg’s government was all-White throughout its history. That is why, in the town’s bicentennial year, the plaintiffs challenged Federalsburg’s election practices, including its longstanding use of at-large and staggered elections, as violations of the 1965 federal Voting Rights Act. Deborah Jeon, legal director for the ACLU of Maryland, said: “This extraordinary settlement now brings the parties together in a truly remarkable way — one that I have not seen before in over 30 years doing voting rights work across Maryland and the Eastern Shore. Through the town’s public acknowledgment of its history of past racism, genuine expressions of regret, and by undertaking amends to bring healing to a community that has endured two centuries of racial oppression, officials and residents seize this opportunity to move beyond the wrongs of the past, and toward a new day of equity in Federalsburg.” The American Civil Liberties Union was founded in 1920 and is our nation's guardian of liberty. The ACLU works in the courts, legislatures, and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to all people in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced that $206 million will be allocated to projects that restore the Chesapeake Bay. The historic levels of funding reflect the Biden administration’s increased investments in environmental programs and infrastructure projects. “For a long time, the EPA’s budget has been so small, roughly about $10 billion a year,” EPA Assistant Deputy Administrator Mark Rupp said during a ceremony in Arlington, Va. “Between the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, there’s now over $100 billion flowing through our agency, and it really has been a game changer.” With $96 million coming from President Joe Biden’s “Investing in America” agenda, the announcement marks the largest single contribution to the Chesapeake Bay Program in its 41-year history. Maryland is expected to receive over $14 million from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s share of the funds, which in turn makes up 40 individual grant projects. “Agendas matter, elected officials matter, vision matters,” Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) said. “For the sake of the country, thank God we have the 117th Congress and Joe Biden to sign those bills into law.” Attending the ceremony were federal officials, members of Congress, and legislators from state and local governments around the Chesapeake Bay. The NFWF will give $1 million to farmers in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia to implement high-priority water quality conservation practices. “There are 40,000 farms in Pennsylvania, and many of them contribute nutrients and sediment to the bay,” Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) said. “So, anything we can do to get Pennsylvania on board with Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware will be incredibly important.” The Chesapeake Bay Trust, another non-profit grant-making organization, will receive $13 million from the EPA to assist local organizations improve the bay. This could include providing computers and other hardware or funding employee training and professional development. “We have to do better on agricultural runoff, and we have to do better on stormwater runoff. We do well on sewage treatment and on other point source pollution,” Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) told Capital News Service . “This $200 million is going to be heavily focused on grants that focus on non-point sources, and we should continue to see significant improvements.” Capital News Service is a student-powered news organization run by the University of Maryland Philip Merrill College of Journalism. For 26 years, they have provided deeply reported, award-winning coverage of issues of import to Marylanders.