Saluting Sen. West’s service as he leaves legislature

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Chris West was a member of the Daily Record Editorial Board for several years before his election to the Maryland House of Delegates in 2014.  West was elected to the state Senate in 2018 and was re-elected for a second term in 2022. West decided not to seek another term in the General Assembly and did not file as a candidate for the 2026 election. We salute West for both his stellar service in the General Assembly and respect his decision to retire at a time of his own choosing.

West is a member of that almost extinct breed – a pragmatic politician willing to work across party lines to solve problems. In today’s increasingly polarized political climate, West often found himself caught between opposing ideological forces on both the right and the left.

While West was a member of this board, he was often able to bridge the differences among the other members to reach a consensus on an editorial.  As a member of the General Assembly, West was willing to reach across the aisle and work with Democrats to pass legislation for the benefit of all Marylanders.

West is also a member of another diminishing group – lawyer legislators.  Both in Maryland and across the United States, the percentage of lawyers in legislative bodies has been declining for the past 50 years. West was even more distinctive among the lawyer-legislators in that he had actively practiced law for almost 40 years before he became a member of the General Assembly.

Given our high regard for West and his willingness to enter public service after a full career at the bar, one may be asking why we are saluting his decision to retire. West is 76 years old. As West noted in an email to his supporters, he would have been 80 years old at the end of his term had he run for re-election in 2026.

He is still in good health and mentally vigorous. But, as he also noted, he has seen elected officials both at the national and state level serve well into advanced age, often with poor consequences. We very much hope that West, whether in or out of office, never suffers such a decline. But we appreciate his willingness to recognize that his skills may deteriorate before he would finish another term and his sparing our state the painful possibility of dealing with a diminished legislator.

The people of Maryland owe a great debt of gratitude to West for his years of service as a member of the bar and as a legislator. His brand of thoughtful, consensus-driven leadership will be missed. We are proud to have been West’s colleague before he went to the General Assembly, and we look forward to seeing him as a friend for many years to come.

Editorial Advisory Board Members Arthur F. Fergenson did not participate in this opinion.

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

James B. Astrachan, Chair

Gary E. Bair

Jill P. Carter

Arthur F. Fergenson

Nancy Forster

Susan Francis

Julie C. Janofsky

Ericka N. King

George Liebmann

George Nilson

Steven I. Platt

Angela W. Russell

Debra G. Schubert

Jeff Sovern

H. Mark Stichel

The Daily Record Editorial Advisory Board is composed of members of the legal profession who serve voluntarily and are independent of The Daily Record. Through their ongoing exchange of views, members of the board attempt to develop consensus on issues of importance to the bench, bar and public. When their minds meet, unsigned opinions will result. When they differ, or if a conflict exists, majority views and the names of members who do not participate will appear. Members of the community are invited to contribute letters to the editor and/or columns about opinions expressed by the Editorial Advisory Board.