Prince George’s County Executive Angela D. Alsobrooks (D) on Friday made a strong geographic and racial appeal for Dereck E. Davis’ bid to become the next speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates.
Speaking to reporters at a county elementary school, Alsobrooks said Davis, the chair of the House Economic Matters Committee, was “well prepared” to lead the chamber following the death Sunday of long-serving Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Anne Arundel).
“As the leader of Prince George’s County, I think it would be ideal to have — as a presiding officer — a person who represents Prince George’s County,” she said. “As you know, we do not have in statewide leadership a single Prince Georgian, nor do we have an African-American.”
She described Davis as “fair-minded and respected, able to listen to both sides.” In an interview she called him “very intelligent… with a nimble mind. A thinker.”
Davis has said little publicly about his desire to succeed Busch, who served as speaker for 17 years. Neither has the other presumed frontrunner, Del. Maggie L. McIntosh (D-Baltimore), the chair of the Appropriations Committee.
But there is widespread agreement in the political community that McIntosh is close to sewing up the majority of the House Democratic Caucus. A State House Democratic insider told Maryland Matters that McIntosh has 49 commitments, compared to 22 for Davis. In a caucus with 98 members, 50 votes would be needed to attain the majority.
Click here to read the rest pdf the article written by By Bruce DePuyt over at Maryland Matters