9 notable figures in the 2026 MD General Assembly session

Listen to this article

With the 2026 Maryland General Assembly session set to begin Wednesday morning, here are nine individuals worth keeping an eye on.

Acting Budget Secretary Jake Weissmann has a tough role as he steps into his new role in Gov. Wes Moore‘s administration. Weissmann, who replaces Helene Grady who resigned in August, has a wealth of political experience having spent more than a decade as the chief of staff to multiple senate presidents. He helped provide supervision on the state budget and tax policy as part of his role. That’s good as the state faces a $1.2 billion deficit and with the 2026 looming, the prospect of more taxes likely won’t get much support in Annapolis.

Del. Adrienne Jones shook up Annapolis when she announced her resignation as House Speaker in December, just six weeks shy of the start of the 2026 legislative session. Jones is keeping her seat as a representative in Baltimore County’s 10th district and has filed to run for re-election in 2026. How will Jones, who became speaker in 2019 and was the first woman and Black to hold the position and was speaker pro tem for 17 years, adjust to not being in a leadership position?

Sen. Steve Hershey, R-Upper Eastern Shore, was reelected as the minority leader in the state senate chamber. Along with Sen. Justin Ready, R-Carroll and Frederick, who serves as minority whip, they continue to hold Gov. Wes Moore’s administration accountable and give voice to Maryland Republicans who often are frustrated with the state’s one-party rule by Democrats. Given the budget deficit and other issues the state faces, their voices are needed.

Sen. Dalya Attar, D-Baltimore City, is facing charges in a blackmail scheme against a former campaign consultant. First elected to the House in 2018 and re-elected in 2022, she moved to the Senate when she was appointed to fill the spot Jill Carter vacated when she was appointed to the State Board of Contract Appeals. While she’s fighting the charges, Attar was not present during the one-day special session in December when the Senate overrode several of Gov. Wes Moore’s vetoes. It’s yet to be seen how she and other in Annapolis handle the controversy.

Del. Ashanti Martinez, D-Prince George’s, is a first-term delegate who is stepping into a significant role as House majority whip. He’s been one of the more progressive delegates during his first term, and also one of the younger lawmakers as he’s still under 30. He takes over the whip role from Jazz Lewis who resigned in December.

RELATED: MD leaders outline 2026 priorities, signal disagreement on redistricting

Acting Transportation Secretary Katie Thomson steps into her role during a busy time for Maryland and transportation. The rebuilding of the Francis Scott Key Bridge project has seen costs already rise and questions from the Trump administration about oversight on the project. There is the Red Line, that Gov. Wes Moore announced he was bringing back several years ago, but there has been little discussion about next steps. A recent report also announced plans for the replacement of the Bay Bridge, a project that would nearly double the size of the current crossing but is years away from being started.

Sen. Katie Hester Fry, D-Howard and Montgomery, has been one of the lawmakers at the lead of examining the data center issue. She has stressed the need for smart planning and has pushed for incentives for data centers to provide their own power as well as regulations on grid operators to help protect consumers.

Senate Budget and Taxation Committee Chair Guy Guzzone will lead the Senate as it works on crafting a balanced budget with Moore and the House. He knows there are yet-to-be-seen challenges, from inflation to further cuts by the federal government that may impact Maryland’s finances.

Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk steps into the role as House speaker following the resignation of Adrienne Jones in December. She is the second woman and first Afro-Latina to hold the role. She steps into the role at a time when the state faces a billion-dollar budget deficit, a congressional redistricting fight and uncertainty about how the political climate in Washington may spill over into Maryland.

More from Eye on Annapolis: The Daily Record is publishing a series of stories previewing key topics, including the following, that are expected to be tackled by the General Assembly in the weeks leading up to the 2026 session. Energy DJS abuse lawsuits Juvenile Justice Attorney General’s Office Health Care Immigration Budget State Leadership