Mike Rogers
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates
from the 32nd district
Assumed office
January 9, 2019
Preceded byPamela Beidle
Alice Sophocleus
Personal details
Born (1964-02-20) February 20, 1964 (age 60)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Children2
EducationHillcrest High School
New Hanover High School
WebsiteOfficial website
Military service
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
Years of service1986–2015
RankColonel
UnitMedical Service Corps

Michael J. Rogers (born February 20, 1964) is an American politician and a Democratic member of the Maryland House of Delegates, representing Maryland's District 32 in Anne Arundel County.[1] He is currently a candidate in the 2024 election to the U.S. House of Representatives in Maryland's 3rd congressional district.[2]

Early life and career

Rogers was born in Detroit on February 20, 1964. He attended Hillcrest High School in Dalzell, South Carolina, and graduated from New Hanover High School in Wilmington, North Carolina, in 1982.[3]

Rogers served in the U.S. Army Medical Service Corps from 1986 to 2015, serving in positions ranging from platoon leader to brigade commander and retiring at the rank of colonel. He had deployments 32 countries including combat deployments in Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan;[4] and his service awards include the Bronze Star, Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, and Defense Superior Service Medal.[5] Since retiring from the Army, he has served as a member of the Military Officers Association of America board of directors from 2012 to 2018 and has coached football at the Severn Athletic Club for five seasons.[1][5]

Political career

Maryland House of Delegates

In January 2018, Rogers announced his candidacy for the Maryland House of Delegates in District 32.[6] The district was targeted by the Maryland Republican Party and the Republican State Leadership Committee, who had hoped to defeat the Maryland Democratic Party's supermajority in the legislature.[7] He won the Democratic primary, placing third in a field of seven candidates and receiving 18.4 percent of the vote,[8] and defeated his Republican challengers in the general election with 19.9 percent of the vote.[9][10]

Rogers was sworn into the Maryland House of Delegates on January 9, 2019, and has served in the Economic Matters Committee during his entire tenure.[1] In December 2020, Rogers became the first Black person to serve as vice chair of the Anne Arundel County Delegation,[11] and became the first Black man elected as the delegation's chair in November 2021.[5]

In 2020, Rogers unsuccessfully ran as an uncommitted delegate to the 2020 Democratic National Convention, receiving 0.8 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary election.[12][13]

2024 congressional campaign

Main article: 2024 United States House of Representatives elections in Maryland § District 3

On November 20, 2023, Rogers announced that he would run for Congress in Maryland's 3rd congressional district, seeking to succeed retiring U.S. Representative John Sarbanes.[2] On the campaign trail, Rogers has heavily leaned into his military experience, believing that appealing to the districts' high number of veterans would provide him with a path to victory.[4]

Political positions

Policing

In June 2020, Rogers participated in a protest against police brutality in Severn, Maryland, where he encouraged protesters to vote in that year's general elections.[14]

Social issues

In March 2019, Rogers voted against legislation that would allow doctors to prescribe palliative care to terminally ill patients who want to end their lives.[15]

Veterans

Rogers introduced legislation in the 2020 legislative session that clarified the eligibility for veterans seeking to reside at homes supervised by the Department of Veterans Affairs.[16] The bill passed and became law on May 8, 2020.[17]

Electoral history

Maryland House of Delegates District 32 Democratic primary election, 2018[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mark S. Chang (incumbent) 4,591 22.3
Democratic J. Sandy Bartlett 4,200 20.4
Democratic Mike Rogers 3,795 18.4
Democratic Jenese Jones 2,639 12.8
Democratic Patrick Armstrong 1,939 9.4
Democratic Theodore J. Sophocleus (incumbent) † 1,863 9.0
Democratic Derek Kent 1,583 7.7
Maryland House of Delegates District 32 election, 2018[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mark S. Chang (incumbent) 24,498 20.9
Democratic J. Sandy Bartlett 24,220 20.7
Democratic Mike Rogers 23,316 19.9
Republican Patty Ewing 16,340 13.9
Republican Mark E. Bailey 14,520 12.4
Republican Tim Walters 14,158 12.1
Write-in 150 0.1
Maryland House of Delegates District 32 election, 2022[18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mark S. Chang (incumbent) 21,755 22.4
Democratic J. Sandy Bartlett (incumbent) 20,988 21.6
Democratic Mike Rogers (incumbent) 20,597 21.2
Republican Monica L. W. Smearman 11,384 11.7
Republican Michael Jette 11,213 11.5
Republican Michele Speakman 11,169 11.5
Write-in 107 0.1

References

  1. ^ a b c "Michael J. Rogers, Maryland State Delegate". Maryland Manual On-Line. Maryland State Archives. March 31, 2020. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
  2. ^ a b Wood, Pamela (October 27, 2023). "With Congressman Sarbanes retiring, who might run for the seat?". Baltimore Banner. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
  3. ^ "CLASS OF 1982". Old Friends. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
  4. ^ a b Kurtz, Josh (February 23, 2024). "Meet the state lawmakers running for Congress: Del. Mike Rogers". Maryland Matters. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Conaway, Donovan (February 24, 2022). "Del. Mike Rogers, first Black man to chair Anne Arundel delegation, brings military leadership skills to role". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
  6. ^ Ohl, Danielle (February 9, 2018). "Retired Army colonel files for District 32 delegate seat". The Capital. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
  7. ^ Wood, Pamela (October 15, 2023). "National Republican group targets 15 Democrats running for Maryland House of Delegates". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Official 2018 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections. July 31, 2018.
  9. ^ Ohl, Danielle (November 6, 2018). "Blue wave staves off Republican effort to flip key state Senate seats in Anne Arundel". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  10. ^ a b "Official 2018 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections. December 11, 2018.
  11. ^ Sanchez, Olivia (December 4, 2020). "Dels. Sandy Bartlett, Mike Rogers make history as first two Black delegates to serve as Anne Arundel delegation chair, vice chair". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
  12. ^ Kurtz, Josh (January 27, 2020). "No Surprise: Biden Is Dem Establishment Choice, Convention Filings Show". Maryland Matters. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
  13. ^ "Official 2020 Presidential Primary Election results for Male Delegates to the Democratic National Convention". Maryland State Board of Elections. July 2, 2020. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
  14. ^ DuBose, Brooks (June 13, 2020). "Anne Arundel black clergy, county police join in prayer walk through Severn". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
  15. ^ Cook, Chase (March 7, 2019). "Anne Arundel County delegation split on end-of-life bill". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
  16. ^ Sanchez, Olivia (January 4, 2020). "From withholding tax refunds to voting rights for ex-felons, Anne Arundel lawmakers ready with a range of issues". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
  17. ^ "Legislation - HB0012". mgaleg.maryland.gov. Maryland General Assembly. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
  18. ^ "Official 2022 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections. December 7, 2022.
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