The GOP elected a new Minority Leader to guide the caucus as the political environment shifts in Annapolis.

(L to R) Senator Justin Ready will continue serving as Minority Whip; Senator Steve Hershey is the new Senate Minority Leader. 
Photo courtesy Senate Republican Caucus.

Senator Steve Hershey will serve as Minority Leader, replacing Senator Bryan Simonaire. Hershey represents the Upper Eastern Shore and sits on the Senate Finance Committee which considers bills impacting credit unions. He was Senate Minority Whip from 2015-2020 and previously served in the House of Delegates.

Senator Justin Ready was re-elected as Minority Whip. He has represented Carroll County since 2015 and served in the same district as a member of the House of Delegates from 2011 – 2015.

Republicans lost two seats in the Maryland Senate this election cycle. Democrats continue to hold a supermajority in both chambers and will control the executive branch in January.

In a joint statement, Hershey and Ready said:

We are honored and humbled by the trust our fellow Senate Republicans have placed in us as we lead our caucus into the upcoming term as we return to single-party control of both the Legislative and Executive branches.