Mary-Dulany James

Early life and education

James was born in Baltimore, Maryland, to father William S. James, then a state senator for Harford County, and mother Margaret James, a homemaker. She grew up and still lives on her family's farm in Harford County, and attended Havre De Grace High School and the University of Maryland, College Park where she earned a B.S. in psychology with honors in 1981. James attended the University of Maryland School of Law, earning a Juris Doctor degree with honors in 1986. While studying for the bar exam, she clerked for Judge Edward Skottowe Northrop in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. She was admitted to Maryland Bar in 1986. She worked for law firms in Baltimore, then set up her own practice in Harford County where she lived.

Political career

Maryland House of Delegates

James ran for the Maryland House of Delegates in 1998, seeking to replace one of two outgoing state delegates in District 34 (Mary Louise Preis and Nancy Jacobs, both of whom ran for state senate). She won the Democratic primary with 22 percent of the vote, and later won the general election on November 3, 1998, with 18 percent of the vote. James was re-elected to the newly redistricted District 34A (Harford and Cecil counties) in 2002, and was subsequently re-elected in 2006, and 2010.

James was a member of the Appropriations Committee during her entire tenure, including as the chair of the oversight committee on pensions and the vice chair of the transportation and the environment subcommittee from 2003 to 2006. She was also a member of the Harford County Delegation, the Maryland Green Caucus, the Maryland Rural Caucus, the Maryland Bicycle and Pedestrian Caucus, the Maryland Veterans Caucus, and the Women Legislators of Maryland.

Maryland Senate

Elections

;2014 Main article: 2014 Maryland Senate election#District 34

In June 2013, James said that she was considering a run for the Maryland Senate in District 34, after state senator Nancy Jacobs said she would not run for re-election in 2014. At the time, James was the only Democratic member of the Harford County delegation. James filed to run for the state senate seat in November 2013, and faced former state senator Art Helton in the Democratic primary, who she defeated in the June 2014 primary election by a 2-to-1 margin. She faced Republican challenger Bob Cassilly in the general election, and sought to position herself as an independent Democrat, noting her votes against gas- and sales-tax increases. James was defeated by Cassilly in the general election on November 3, 2014, receiving 42.7 percent of the vote to Cassilly's 57.2 percent.

;2018 Main article: 2018 Maryland Senate election#District 34

In 2018, James filed to run for the Maryland Senate in District 34, seeking a rematch between her and incumbent state senator Bob Cassilly. She faced former state delegate Barbara Osborn Kreamer in the Democratic primary election, which she won by a 3-to-1 margin. James lost to Cassilly in a tight general election on November 6, 2018, receiving 49.7 percent of the vote to Cassilly's 50.1 percent, or by a 189 vote margin out of 48,788 votes cast.

;2022 Main article: 2022 Maryland Senate election#District 34

In January 2022, James launched her third bid for the Maryland Senate in District 34, seeking to succeed state senator Bob Cassilly, who ran for Harford County executive in 2022. She defeated state delegate Mary Ann Lisanti in the Democratic primary election on July 19, 2022, by a 2-to-1 margin, and faced Republican challenger Christian Miele in the general election.

In the general election, James received financial support from President of the Maryland Senate Bill Ferguson and the Senate Democratic Caucus. She also accused her opponent, Republican Christian Miele, of being a carpetbagger, noting that he previously represented Baltimore County in the Maryland House of Delegates before moving to Harford County. James defeated Miele in a tight general election on November 8, receiving 50.55 percent of the vote to Miele's 49.24 percent, or by a margin of 591 votes out of 45,223 votes cast. She is the first Democrat to represent District 34 in the Maryland Senate since 1994. It was the closest race in the 2022 Maryland Senate election.

Tenure

James was sworn into the Maryland Senate on January 11, 2023. She is a member of the Judicial Proceedings Committee and the Executive Nominations Committee.

Political positions

While in the Maryland House of Delegates, James was considered a moderate to conservative Democrat. In January 2012, she formed a Blue Dog caucus in the state legislature along with other centrist Democratic members of the Maryland House of Delegates.

Energy

In February 2013, James voted for a bill that would allow a surcharge of up to $2 a month on residential natural gas bills to pay for new pipelines and distribution system upgrades. The bill passed the Maryland House of Delegates by a vote of 119-18, and later passed the state senate by a vote of 34-13.

Gun control

During the 2013 legislative session, James was one of 18 Democratic state delegates to vote against the Firearm Safety Act of 2013, a bill that placed restrictions on firearm purchases and magazine capacity in semi-automatic rifles.

Healthcare

In April 2014, James expressed concerns regarding the state's overhaul of its health exchange to adopt technology from Connecticut's health exchange program, saying that there were "huge budgetary implications" in switching to the Connecticut model.

Immigration

In January 2026, during debate on a bill to ban counties from entering into 287(g) program agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, James introduced an amendment that would have allowed counties to continue participating in the program, but would have prohibited certain immigration enforcement activities by local police unless an individual has been charged or convicted of a felony. The amendment was rejected in a 4–7 vote, after which she voted to approve the bill in committee. She also supported a floor amendment to the bill by state senator Steve Hershey that would have allowed county leaders to decide whether to enter into or terminate a 287(g) agreement, which was rejected in a 14–32 vote.

Policing

During the 2026 legislative session, James voted against a bill to ban law enforcement officers from wearing face coverings, expressing concerns that the bill could elevate tensions between local law enforcement enforcing the ban and federal officials.

Redistricting

In November 2025, James said she would consider a bill to redraw Maryland's congressional districts in response to Republican mid-decade redistricting efforts in various red states, but added that her vote would depend on the maps being proposed and that she considered mid-decade redistricting overall to be risky. She supports drawing her legislative district into a congressional district that included Western Shore counties around Baltimore instead of including it in a district including counties on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

Social issues

In 2005, James was one of 36 Democratic state delegates to vote for a bill that would legalize slot machines at four locations in the state. The bill passed the House of Delegates by a 71-66 vote.

In 2006, James voted for a bill that would create a ballot referendum to legalize same-sex marriage in Maryland. The bill failed to pass out of the Maryland House of Delegates on a 61-78 vote. In 2012, she voted against the Civil Marriage Protection Act, which legalized same-sex marriage in Maryland.

Taxes

In April 2004, James was one of two Democratic state delegates to switch their no votes to yes to revive a $1 billion tax plan proposed by Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates Michael E. Busch, after House Appropriations Committee Chairman Norman Conway persuaded her to change her vote. She later defended her vote change, saying that she "thought it deserved a full hearing on the House floor".

In November 2007, James voted for a bill that raised corporate and income taxes, and voted against another bill that increased the state sales tax, car tilting tax, and hotel tax.

In May 2012, James was one of 18 Democratic state delegates to vote against a bill that raised $300 million in tax hikes.

In March 2013, James was one of 22 Democratic state delegates to vote against a bill that would raise the state's gas tax and index future increases to inflation to replenish the state's transportation fund.

Unions

In March 2010, James said she opposed a bill that would give collective bargaining rights to librarians, saying that she thought it was inappropriate "for the state to be telling the local governments how to conduct themselves".

Personal life

James married Brian Bruce Feeney on September 23, 1989. They had three children and later divorced. They lived together in Havre de Grace, Maryland.

On September 30, 2018, James' daughter, Evelyn Ann James Feeney, suddenly died. This led to James stopping all campaign activities leading up to the general election.

Electoral history

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References

References

1. (March 21, 2009). "Margaret H. James, tended family's farm". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
2. (July 28, 2023). "Mary-Dulany James, Maryland State Senator". [[Maryland State Archives]].
3. (June 23, 1998). "Harriet's List backs 6 Democrats Money: The abortion-rights PAC has selected six women to support in this year's General Assembly races and is looking for more candidates to endorse. The fund raising begins next week.". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
4. "LEGISLATIVE ELECTION DISTRICTS". Maryland Archives.
5. (June 18, 2013). "James considering run for Jacobs' seat". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
6. (March 6, 2013). "Harford legislators fighting to stop gun control bill". [[The Aegis (newspaper).
7. (November 5, 2013). "General Assembly contests: Monthly update on filings, announcements". MarylandReporter.com.
8. (February 25, 2014). "Many Harford election races fill as 9 p.m. Tuesday deadline passes". [[The Aegis (newspaper).
9. (June 12, 2014). "Campaign for Harford County Senate seat turns nasty". MarylandReporter.com.
10. (June 25, 2014). "James takes big lead over Helton for District 34 senate nomination". [[The Aegis (newspaper).
11. (October 11, 2014). "Familiar names vie for open Senate seat in Harford". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
12. (February 28, 2018). "Harford candidates rush to file for primary election, Perrone challenges Glassman in GOP county executive primary". [[The Aegis (newspaper).
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14. (November 14, 2018). "Incumbent Harford Del. Glen Glass anticipates defeat as challenger Steve Johnson's lead widens". [[The Aegis (newspaper).
15. (November 18, 2018). "With Absentee Ballots Counted, Democrats Run Up Their House Majority". [[Maryland Matters]].
16. (January 28, 2022). "Lisanti Enters Contested Race for Harford County Senate Seat". [[Maryland Matters]].
17. (July 22, 2022). "Speaker’s preferred candidate leading in open-seat Senate race — plus, other Senate results". [[Maryland Matters]].
18. (August 18, 2022). "With an eye toward the next four years, Ferguson raises money aggressively for himself and his colleagues". [[Maryland Matters]].
19. (September 1, 2022). "A look at the latest fundraising in a dozen competitive legislative districts". [[Maryland Matters]].
20. (November 23, 2022). "Democrats gain a seat in Harford County delegation as James wins District 34′s Senate seat". [[The Aegis (newspaper).
21. (November 18, 2022). "Dems take two more Senate seats, win Frederick County exec race". [[Maryland Matters]].
22. (November 2, 2024). "Ferguson rubs shoulders with $25K donors at Colorado ranch". Maryland Matters.
23. (December 21, 2022). "Ferguson picks Griffith and Feldman to head two newly-reconstituted Senate panels; reshuffles committee rosters". [[Maryland Matters]].
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25. (February 11, 2013). "Natural gas fee supported by most Harford legislators". [[The Aegis (newspaper).
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28. (April 5, 2014). "Maryland lawmakers cautious about new health exchange". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
29. (January 28, 2026). "Senate panel advances bills to ban agreements with ICE, face coverings for law enforcement". [[Maryland Matters]].
30. (January 30, 2026). "Senate gives preliminary OK to bills banning 287(g) agreements, masks for law enforcement". [[Maryland Matters]].
31. (January 27, 2026). "Maryland Senate committee passes bills restricting ICE". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
32. (November 17, 2025). "With battle lines drawn on redistricting, Ferguson and Moore work to shift line in their favor". [[Maryland Matters]].
33. (February 26, 2005). "A Breakdown of the House Vote". [[The Washington Post]].
34. (February 4, 2006). "House rejects reviving gay marriage measure". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
35. (February 18, 2012). "How the Md. House voted on same-sex marriage". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
36. (April 1, 2004). "Busch's Bold Tax Plan Makes Heads Swim". [[The Washington Post]].
37. (November 13, 2007). "Roll calls on House tax bills". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
38. (May 16, 2012). "House passes final budget and tax hikes, with some Democrats opposed". MarylandReporter.com.
39. (March 22, 2013). "How the Maryland House voted on transportation funding". [[The Washington Post]].
40. (March 10, 2010). "Counties resist union for librarians". MarylandReporter.com.
41. (1989-11-26). "Feeney-James". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
42. (February 20, 2014). "Harford's Lisanti runs for legislature; Jennings, Glass, McComas hope to keep seats". [[The Aegis (newspaper).
43. (November 16, 2018). "Final canvass doesn't change three close Harford County election races". [[The Aegis (newspaper).