Michael Hough (politician)

Background

Hough was born in Silver Spring, Maryland on November 4, 1979. He was one of three children, and was raised in Montgomery Village. Hough graduated from Watkins Mill High School, afterwards enlisting in the U.S. Air Force, serving as a missile maintenance technician from 1998 to 2002, and attending the Community College of the Air Force, where he earned an associate degree in applied sciences. During his service, his parents moved from Montgomery Village to Point of Rocks, prompting him to also move to Frederick County. Hough later earned a Bachelor of Science in political science from Towson University in 2007.

After serving in the Air Force, Hough worked as a sales associate for Sears from 2002 to 2004, after which he became a legislative aide to Maryland state senator Alex Mooney until his election to the Frederick County Republican Central Committee in 2007. He served as the chair of the central committee in 2008, during which he organized support for Republican candidates in the 2008 and 2010 elections.

In the legislature

Maryland House of Delegates

In 2009, Hough launched a campaign for the Maryland House of Delegates in District 3B.

In January 2010, Hough applied to fill a vacancy in the Maryland House of Delegates left by the resignation of state delegate Richard B. Weldon Jr., who resigned to become an executive assistant to Frederick mayor Randy McClement. He was nominated to fill the vacancy by the Frederick County Republican Central Committee alongside Charles A. Jenkins and John Lovells; Governor Martin O'Malley appointed Jenkins to the seat later that month. Afterwards, Hough targeted Jenkins in the Republican primary. During his campaign, he was able to outraise Jenkins and walked from Sandy Hook to Monrovia, a distance of 40 mi, to meet with voters. He also ran on a platform of opposing tax increases, privatizing government services, and deregulation.

Hough was sworn in to the Maryland House of Delegates on January 12, 2011, where he served on the Judiciary Committee during his entire tenure and as assistant majority leader from 2013 to 2015. In 2012, he served as a delegate to the Republican National Convention, pledged to Mitt Romney.

Maryland Senate

| | | | ]] In February 2014, Hough announced that he would run for the Maryland Senate in District 4, challenging incumbent state senator David R. Brinkley, whom he criticized for voting for O'Malley's budgets and for a bill providing health insurance to uninsured individuals. In May 2014, an Emmitsburg resident filed an ethics complaint against Hough for using taxpayer funding to send him a birthday note on an official letterhead, noting that he wasn't even one of Hough's constituents (instead living in Brinkley's district). Hough disputed the complaint, saying that he received approval from state ethics advisors to send birthday messages so long as he paid for the postage. During the Republican primary, he received endorsements from U.S. Representative Andy Harris, former U.S. Representative Roscoe Bartlett, and state delegates Kathy Afzali, Justin Ready, and Neil Parrott. Hough defeated Brinkley in the Republican primary election on June 24, 2014, receiving 67.7 percent of the vote to Brinkley's 32.3 percent. He faced Democratic nominee Dan Rupli in the general election, during which he donated campaign funds to other Republican nominees in local races. He defeated Rupli with 67.7 percent of the vote in the general election on November 4, 2014.

Hough was sworn into the Maryland Senate on January 14, 2015, where he served on the Judicial Proceedings Committee during his entire tenure. During the 2016 Republican Party presidential primaries, Hough served as the chair of Ted Cruz's campaign in Maryland. Maryland Matters described Hough as being "one of the most prolific fundraisers" in the Maryland Senate; during the 2018 elections, Hough helped raise funds for the Senate Republican Caucus Committee and the Frederick County Republican Victory Slate to support Republican nominees in the Frederick County executive election and the Maryland Senate District 3 election.

From 2015 to 2017, Hough worked as a policy advisor for the Faith and Freedom Coalition, afterwards working as the chief of staff to U.S. Representative Alex Mooney. During the 2020 presidential election, he canvassed and phonebanked for Donald Trump in York, Pennsylvania. Hough was in the Rayburn House Office Building during the January 6 Capitol attack, during which he called on Trump to call on demonstrators to stand down.

During his 2018 re-election campaign, Hough raffled away an AR-15–style rifle with 250 rounds of ammunition. Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins questioned the legality of Hough's AR-15 rifle, noting that he did not obtain a raffle permit from the county permitting office; however, Hough said that he did not need one as county law regarding raffle permits only applied to nonprofit organizations.

In October 2020, the Maryland Senate Republican Caucus voted to elect Hough to serve as Senate minority whip, replacing state senator Steve Hershey, who opted against reelection to the position, which was seen by the media as the Senate Republican caucus becoming more conservative as to push back on the perceived leftward shift of the Maryland Democratic Party following the election of Bill Ferguson as Senate president. In this capacity, Hough promised to work with Democratic lawmakers on issues including police reform, but lobbied against bills opposed by the Hogan administration such as the Blueprint for Maryland's Future. He stepped down as minority whip on October 4, 2021, to focus on his campaign for Frederick County executive. He was succeeded by state senator Justin Ready.

2022 Frederick County Executive campaign

Main article: 2022 Maryland county executive elections#Frederick County

| | | | | | ]] On May 17, 2021, Hough announced that he would run for Frederick County Executive in 2022, seeking to succeed term-limited county executive Jan Gardner.

During his campaign, Hough sought to cast himself as a moderate, running on a platform of cutting property taxes and government spending, expanding county highways including U.S. Route 15 Interstate 270, and slowing urban sprawl through the preservation of farmland. He also outraised and outspent his Democratic opponents throughout the election, becoming the first Frederick County executive candidate to spend more than $1 million during the campaign, and received endorsements from Governor Larry Hogan and Democratic state legislators Jill P. Carter, Robert Zirkin, and Joseph F. Vallario Jr.

Hough ran unopposed in the primary election and faced county councilmember Jessica Fitzwater in the general election. Hough sought to associate Fitzwater with the with incumbent county executive Jan Gardner and criticized her for "doing nothing" in response to Frederick County Public Schools' illegal use of seclusion and restraint on disabled students, and warned that electing Fitzwater would transform Frederick County into "Montgomery County North". He also sought to associate himself with Hogan and distance himself from Republican gubernatorial nominee Dan Cox.

Hough was narrowly defeated in the general election by Fitzwater, who edged out Hough by a margin of 989 votes. Despite his loss, he outperformed other statewide Republican nominees in the county, including Cox, Barry Glassman, and Michael Peroutka, and congressional nominee Neil Parrott.

Post-legislative career

Following his defeat, Hough became the director of federal relations for NumbersUSA.

Personal life

Hough is married to his wife, JoeyLynn, who grew up in North Dakota and whom he met at the Cheyenne Club in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Together, they have three children and live in Brunswick, Maryland. While Hough was a member of the Maryland General Assembly, his family would rent a home in Annapolis and his children would attend Anne Arundel County Public Schools from January to April, afterwards transferring back to Frederick County Public Schools. JoeyLynn was elected to the Frederick County Republican Central Committee in 2018, and later sought election to the Maryland Republican Party's executive committee, but lost to Tony Campbell.

When Hough was 25 (2004 or 2005), he sued his parents and took custody over his younger brother. Also when he was 25, his father committed suicide.

Political positions

Crime and policing

During the 2013 legislative session, Hough voted against repealing the death penalty in Maryland. In 2019, he cited this vote in voting against a bill to legalize medical aid in dying.

During the 2016 legislative session, Hough introduced legislation to require police to pursue criminal charges against a person before they could use asset forfeiture. He also expressed concerns with proposals to limit the police use of strip searches and shackles against youths, which he claimed would make juvenile facilities more dangerous.

In 2017, Hough introduced a legislation to increase sentences for drug dealers who knowingly sell fentanyl, which passed and was signed into law by Governor Larry Hogan. He also supported a bill that would prohibit police from asking detainees about their immigration status.

During the 2020 legislative session, Hough introduced a bill to make strangulation a first-degree felony assault. He also introduced a bill to make gun theft a felony offense and to increase penalties for repeat firearm offenders.

In 2021, Hough opposed legislation to remove the governor of Maryland from the state's parole board and criticized legislators for removing an amendment that would require six parole board members to vote to grant parole, and another bill that would prohibit state governments from holding 287(g) agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He also supported a bill ban the use of excessive force by police officers and initially supported a bill to make police misconduct records publicly accessible, but ultimately voted against the bill after an amendment allowing unsustained complaints to remain in the public record was adopted.

During the 2022 legislative session, Hough supported a bill to raise the salary for the Frederick County Sheriff, and criticized Democratic legislators after the bill narrowly failed in the House of Delegates. During his 2022 county executive campaign, he said he supported Frederick County's 287(g) agreement, criticizing its opponents for making a "terrible demagoguery of this program", and expressed support for adding the Frederick County Sheriff's Office to the county public services ordinance.

Education

As a state legislator, Hough protested against bills granting voting rights to student members of boards of education. He supported Governor Larry Hogan's executive order mandating a post-Labor Day start date for schools and opposed legislation passed in 2019 overturning the executive order. Hough initially voted for the Blueprint for Maryland's Future, but voted against overriding Governor Larry Hogan's veto of the bill, citing the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the 2013 legislative session, Hough introduced legislation that would allow homeschooled students to participate in public school sports teams.

In 2015, Hough introduced a bill that would require parent to consent before schools could survey students about their drug use or sexual activity, which he called a "troubling trend".

During the 2020 legislative session, Hough introduced legislation creating remedial measures for bullies in public schools, which died in committee.

In December 2021, after the U.S. Department of Justice uncovered thousands of incidents of seclusion and restraint on students with disabilities in Frederick County Public Schools, Hough called on the Maryland superintendent of schools to open an investigation into the matter. During the 2022 legislative session, he supported a bill to ban seclusion in schools.

During his 2022 county executive campaign, Hough committed to increasing education funding in Frederick County.

Environment

Hough opposes providing clean energy credits to trash incinerators. In February 2020, Hough questioned whether a bill to ban balloon releases was necessary, arguing that the state's anti-littering laws already made balloon releases illegal and that the penalties for releasing a balloon were too lenient.

Ethics

During the 2014 legislative session, Hough introduced legislation that would require legislative hearings to be livestreamed. In 2019, he supported a bill that would require legislative sessions to be livestreamed, which was withdrawn after House Speaker Michael E. Busch and Senate President Thomas V. Miller Jr. said they would begin livestreaming sessions in 2020.

In 2017, Hough introduced an ethics reform bill that would ban non-elected members of county decision-making boards to resign after creating campaign finance accounts and to disclose donations of at least $500, and ban campaign contributions from businesses with pending applications. The bill was seen as a response to an ethics reform bill introduced by Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner, who criticized Hough for not proposing sections of his bill as amendments to her own. After neither ethics bills passed, Hough and Gardner agreed to merge the two bills; the compromise bill was reintroduced in 2018, during which it passed and became law.

Also in 2017, Hough opposed a bill that would require Maryland use an independent redistricting commission to draw its congressional districts if six other states agreed to do the same. In March 2019, after the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in Benisek v. Lamone struck down Maryland's redistricting plan as unconstitutionally gerrymandered, Hough said he supported maps proposed by Governor Larry Hogan, which would have redrawn Maryland's 6th congressional district to include Frederick and Carroll counties, thereby making it more favorable to Republicans. He supported the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Benisek v. Lamone.

During the 2020 legislative session, Hough proposed changing the Senate Rules to limit state senators to introducing 20 bills per year, excluding administrative bills, local bills, and committee bills, which he argued would make the legislature more productive and cut down on perennially failing bills. Hough's proposal was not adopted by the Senate Rules Committee, though legislators expressed openness to the idea of a bill limit and said that they would study the issue over the summer.

Gun policy

During the 2018 legislative session, Hough opposed legislation to abolish the Maryland Handgun Permit Review Board, which he called a "check and balance" against "nameless, faceless bureaucrats".

In 2019, Hough introduced a bill that would allow the Maryland State Police to expand payment methods for handgun permits to include electronic payments.

During the 2020 legislative session, Hough introduced legislation to allow people with medical marijuana licenses to purchase and carry firearms. The bill unanimously passed the Maryland Senate, but died in the House of Delegates. He also opposed a bill creating a gun buyback program in Maryland, saying that criminals would sell inoperable guns back to the state instead of working assault weapons.

In April 2020, Hough delivered a letter to Governor Larry Hogan calling him to reopen gun shops amid the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that governors in New Jersey and Maine allowed gun shops to remain open.

During the 2021 legislative session, Hough voted to sustain Hogan's veto on a bill requiring background checks for shotgun and rifle sales, arguing that the bill would "punish" sportsmen and farmers, and that legislators should instead prioritize legislation to reduce gun violence.

Housing

During the 2018 legislative session, Hough introduced a bill that would allow speed up evictions of dangerous tenants from fourteen to seven days.

During his 2022 county executive campaign, Hough blamed the Frederick County government for the county's affordable housing shortage, arguing that the county's property taxes were "burdening" residents and developers, and argued that the county should focus development in areas outside of Frederick, claiming that it would lessen the burden on roads and schools. He also opposed the construction of the county's 209,000 square-foot facility, saying that he would issue a stop-work order on construction for the project and create an independent commission to investigate the county's $20 million purchase of land for the facility.

Minimum wage

During debate on a bill to raise the minimum wage in 2014, Hough introduced an amendment exempting businesses within 90 miles of the state border from the wage increase, which was rejected by the House of Delegates. During the 2019 legislative session, he opposed legislation to raise Maryland's minimum wage to $15 an hour, which he said would eliminate starting jobs for teenagers.

Social issues

Hough is pro-life and supported legislation to restrict abortions while serving in the Maryland General Assembly. During his 2014 state senate campaign, he criticized Brinkley for not supporting efforts to overturn the results of 1992 Maryland Question 6, which upheld a state law codifying the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade. In September 2015, amid the Planned Parenthood 2015 undercover videos controversy, Hough wrote a letter to Brinkley, now the Maryland Budget Secretary, calling on him to eliminate the use of state funds to support Planned Parenthood.

During the 2018 legislative session, Hough opposed a bill to remove "Maryland, My Maryland" as the official state song, defending the song against criticisms from other legislators who called it "racist".

During debate on a bill to raise the tobacco minimum purchase age to 21 years old in 2019, Hough introduced an amendment that would keep the age limit at 18 years for members of the military, which was added to the bill. In November 2019, he met with President Donald Trump and other White House officials to discuss federal legislation to increase the smoking age to 21, during which he expressed opposition to the proposal.

In September 2020, following President Donald Trump's executive order establishing the Interagency Task Force for Building and Rebuilding Monuments to American Heroes to create a "National Garden of American Heroes", Hough wrote a letter to the committee to recommend a memorial dedicated to anti-communist Whittaker Chambers. The proposal was opposed by Chambers' family, who wrote an op-ed to the Carroll County Times thanking Hough for proposing the monument but asking him to withdraw Chambers' name from consideration.

During the 2021 legislative session, Hough spoke against a bill to eliminate the statute of limitations on child sexual abuse cases, criticizing state delegate C. T. Wilson, who introduced the bill, for going back on his agreement with the Maryland Catholic Conference to introduce no further legislation on child sexual abuse lawsuits after legislators passed a bill expanding the statute of limitations from 25 to 38-years-old, but including a statute of repose to prevent lawsuits against the Catholic Church.

Taxes

In 2021, Hough opposed a bill to extend the state's earned income tax credit to undocumented immigrants, and criticized Governor Larry Hogan's RELIEF Act, which provided more than $1 billion in tax relief and stimulus checks to small businesses and families, for not going far enough. During the 2022 legislative session, he introduced a bill to decouple Maryland's gas tax from inflation.

Electoral history

References

References

1. (January 13, 2015). "Meet the 2015 Maryland General Assembly's sizable freshman class". [[The Washington Post]].
2. (January 25, 2023). "Michael J. Hough, Maryland State Senate". [[Maryland State Archives]].
3. Tully, Meg. (August 23, 2008). "Hough named county GOP chairman". [[Frederick News-Post]].
4. (April 11, 2009). "Central committee debating primary endorsements". [[Frederick News-Post]].
5. (January 1, 2010). "8 from Frederick seek Weldon's GOP Md. House seat". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
6. (January 4, 2010). "Hough, Jenkins, Lovell selected as potential District 3B nominees". [[Frederick News-Post]].
7. (January 13, 2010). "Charles Jenkins sworn in, just hours before session begins". [[Frederick News-Post]].
8. (January 23, 2010). "Hough builds up war chest for primary battle". [[Frederick News-Post]].
9. (May 8, 2010). "Hough tries to 'boot out' incumbent with 40-mile walk". [[Frederick News-Post]].
10. (July 30, 2009). "Candidates for state delegate spar on economic recovery". [[Frederick News-Post]].
11. (February 20, 2014). "Hough plans to challenge Brinkley in Senate race". [[Frederick News-Post]].
12. (June 16, 2014). "GOP leader faces primary challenge from right in Maryland senate race". [[The Washington Post]].
13. (May 15, 2014). "Emmitsburg man files ethics complaint about birthday note from Delegate Hough". [[Frederick News-Post]].
14. (April 14, 2014). "Harris endorses Hough for State Senate". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
15. (March 5, 2014). "Hough announces endorsements for state senate". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
16. (June 25, 2014). "Hough gains nomination over Brinkley". [[Frederick News-Post]].
17. (October 28, 2014). "Well-off candidates spread the wealth within their party". [[Frederick News-Post]].
18. (November 5, 2014). "Hough, incumbents win District 4". [[Frederick News-Post]].
19. (April 21, 2016). "Cruz appeals to conservatives in Frederick as Maryland primary nears". [[Frederick News-Post]].
20. (September 1, 2022). "County executives in competitive races report latest fundraising totals". [[Maryland Matters]].
21. (November 26, 2018). "Senators Come to the Aid of Their Colleagues — and Possibly Themselves". [[Maryland Matters]].
22. (October 16, 2018). "In Senate District with Tightest Race in 2014, Another Close Contest". [[Maryland Matters]].
23. (October 26, 2018). "'Good Ol' Boys Era' Ending in Frederick, But What Comes Next?". [[Maryland Matters]].
24. (November 5, 2020). "Among Those Glued To Pennsylvania Vote Tally? Maryland Lawmakers Who Canvassed There". Maryland Matters.
25. (January 6, 2021). "'That's not the way the system is supposed to work:' Local officials react to chaos on Capitol Hill". [[Frederick News-Post]].
26. (January 5, 2022). "'A day that lives in shame': One year later, lawmakers from Frederick County reflect on the Jan. 6 insurrection". [[Frederick News-Post]].
27. (January 4, 2017). "State Sen. Hough's campaign raffling off an AR-15 rifle".
28. (January 26, 2017). "Political Notes: Sen. Hough's rifle raffle was by the book". [[Frederick News-Post]].
29. (October 10, 2020). "Senate Republicans Pick Simonaire, Hough as New Leaders". [[Maryland Matters]].
30. (October 10, 2020). "Maryland GOP senators elect new, more conservative leaders". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
31. (March 3, 2021). "Historic Police Reform Package Passes Out of Senate Chamber on Bipartisan Terms". [[Maryland Matters]].
32. (October 12, 2020). "Maryland Sen. Hough voted minority whip, pledges to stand up to ‘steamrolling' Democrats". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
33. (October 5, 2021). "Sen. Hough Steps Down as Minority Whip, as Political Moves Continue in District 4". [[Maryland Matters]].
34. (May 17, 2021). "Sen. Hough announces campaign for county executive". [[Frederick News-Post]].
35. (May 17, 2021). "Hough Announces Bid for Frederick County Executive". [[Maryland Matters]].
36. (September 27, 2022). "Two general elections that will tell us a lot about the state of Md. politics". [[Maryland Matters]].
37. (May 16, 2022). "Hough pledges to lower taxes, slow spending as Frederick County executive". [[Frederick News-Post]].
38. (October 17, 2022). "Frederick County executive, council candidates debate rural transportation, taxes". [[Frederick News-Post]].
39. (January 20, 2022). "Sen. Hough ahead in fundraising for '22 Frederick County executive race". [[Frederick News-Post]].
40. (October 29, 2022). "Hough outraises, outspends Fitzwater over final months of campaign". [[Frederick News-Post]].
41. (December 7, 2022). "Hough was first Frederick County executive candidate to spend more than $1 million". [[Frederick News-Post]].
42. (October 13, 2022). "Hogan stars in just one TV ad for Md Republicans this year". [[The Washington Post]].
43. (November 2, 2022). "Political notes: Crossing party lines in Frederick, the NRCC's new view of Md., plus personnel news". [[Maryland Matters]].
44. (17 July 2022). "Md. Republicans love Trump and Hogan. Whose candidate will win Tuesday?". [[The Washington Post]].
45. (October 28, 2022). "Hough ad claims Fitzwater 'did nothing' following DOJ investigation into FCPS". [[Frederick News-Post]].
46. (November 9, 2022). "County executive race update: Hough appears to be Frederick winner; Anne Arundel too close to call". [[Maryland Matters]].
47. (September 22, 2022). "Fitzwater, Hough debate myriad topics in Rotary Club of Frederick forum". [[Frederick News-Post]].
48. (September 11, 2022). "Hough looks to restrict development, slow growth if elected county executive". [[Frederick News-Post]].
49. (November 19, 2022). "Dems take two more Senate seats, win Frederick County exec race". [[Maryland Matters]].
50. (November 18, 2022). "Fitzwater elected Frederick County executive, unofficial results show". [[Frederick News-Post]].
51. (February 4, 2025). "GOP holds up AIB nominations, balking at a justice, prepping for State of the State, more notes". [[Maryland Matters]].
52. (January 20, 2017). "Frederick County residents contribute to Trump's fanfare". [[Frederick News-Post]].
53. (March 1, 2015). "Maryland's part-time lawmakers seek balance between family life, public service". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
54. (December 9, 2018). "State GOP Elects All-Male Executive Committee". [[Maryland Matters]].
55. (February 7, 2019). "Beyond the Ballot — Michael Hough". [[Frederick News-Post]].
56. (March 27, 2019). "Medical Aid-in-Dying Bill Fails in Tie Senate Vote". [[Maryland Matters]].
57. (February 12, 2016). "Asset forfeiture bill debated in Senate committee". [[Frederick News-Post]].
58. (August 14, 2016). "Department of Juvenile Services considering limits to strip-searches and shackling". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
59. (May 25, 2017). "Frederick family that lost daughter looks on, as fentanyl penalty bill is signed in Annapolis". [[Frederick News-Post]].
60. (April 7, 2017). "Bill to limit police involvement in immigration advances in Maryland Senate". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
61. (March 14, 2020). "Strangulation bill passes out of Senate committee, awaits vote before full Senate". [[Frederick News-Post]].
62. (March 10, 2020). "Senate Advances Crime-Fighting Package". [[Maryland Matters]].
63. (April 8, 2021). "Maryland governor would lose parole veto powers under bill". [[Capital News Service (Maryland).
64. (March 23, 2021). "Judicial Proceedings Committee Begins Debate on Controversial TRUST Act Legislation". [[Maryland Matters]].
65. (February 26, 2021). "Senate Panel Votes Out Use of Force Bill, Completes Police Reform Package". [[Maryland Matters]].
66. (March 2, 2021). "Rifts Form Among Senate Democrats Over Police Transparency". [[Maryland Matters]].
67. (March 31, 2021). "Senate Panel Votes Out Jones' Police Reform Package, Fears for the Fate of Its Own Bills". [[Maryland Matters]].
68. (April 13, 2022). "Pay raise for county sheriff fails in legislature". [[Frederick News-Post]].
69. (February 8, 2017). "Democrats introduce student member voting bill after delegation nixed it". [[Frederick News-Post]].
70. (February 12, 2019). "Senate majority approves pre-Labor Day school start; bill advances to House". [[Frederick News-Post]].
71. (January 12, 2021). "Senate's New GOP Leaders Pledge Cooperation But Vow to 'Fight Back' When Necessary". [[Maryland Matters]].
72. (January 12, 2021). "Preparing to Override Blueprint Bill Veto, Lawmakers Say State Has Enough Money to Fund It Through '26". [[Maryland Matters]].
73. (March 3, 2013). "Hough sponsors 'Tim Tebow' bill to allow home-schooled kids on school teams". [[Frederick News-Post]].
74. (February 19, 2015). "Frederick County senator argues parental consent needed for student surveys on sexual activity". [[Frederick News-Post]].
75. (February 20, 2020). "Political Notes: Hough's bullying bill dies, but medical marijuana bill passes". [[Frederick News-Post]].
76. (December 9, 2021). "Sen. Hough calls for state investigation into FCPS". [[Frederick News-Post]].
77. (December 22, 2021). "Senator Demands State Investigation into Restraint and Seclusion at Frederick County Schools". [[Maryland Matters]].
78. (February 4, 2022). "Lawmakers move to ban seclusion in Maryland public schools". [[Frederick News-Post]].
79. (December 13, 2018). "Hogan signals for action on climate change, legislators propose renewable energy plan". [[Frederick News-Post]].
80. (February 6, 2021). "A Tale of Two Not-So-Clean Energy Sources in the Senate". [[Maryland Matters]].
81. (February 7, 2020). "Political Notes: Balloon release debate reaches Senate floor". [[Frederick News-Post]].
82. (October 16, 2013). "Hough argues for webcasting committee votes, floor sessions". [[Frederick News-Post]].
83. (February 26, 2019). "Maryland lawmakers say bill requiring livestreamed sessions is unnecessary after promises from leaders". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
84. (February 22, 2017). "Ethics reform bill lacked public input, residents say". [[Frederick News-Post]].
85. (November 30, 2017). "Political Notes: County leaders ever closer on ethics bill". [[Frederick News-Post]].
86. (March 8, 2018). "County ethics bill closer to becoming law". [[Frederick News-Post]].
87. (March 22, 2017). "Multistate redistricting agreement debated in Maryland Senate". [[Frederick News-Post]].
88. (March 7, 2019). "Carroll Republicans say proposed 6th Congressional District Map is step in the right direction". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
89. (June 27, 2019). "Status quo for Carroll County districts: Supreme Court leaves Maryland gerrymandering complaints unresolved". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
90. (January 17, 2020). "Bill Brake-down: Senator Advocates for Legislation Limit". [[Maryland Matters]].
91. (January 17, 2020). "Bill Bulge: Senate Leaders to Study Legislation Cap". [[Maryland Matters]].
92. (April 6, 2017). "First bills become law in 2017, including capital budget with downtown hotel project funding". [[Frederick News-Post]].
93. (February 21, 2019). "Lawmakers openly debate right to carry concealed handguns". [[Frederick News-Post]].
94. (January 30, 2020). "Political Notes: Hough introduces his 'libertarian bill of the year'". [[Frederick News-Post]].
95. (April 9, 2021). "Bill for gun rights Medical cannabis users gun rights bill stalls in House". [[Capital News Service (Maryland).
96. (January 16, 2020). "Sen. Young withdraws gun buyback bill after state police say costs are too great". [[Frederick News-Post]].
97. (April 11, 2020). "Political notes: Democrats, Republicans debate whether gun shops should remain open". [[Frederick News-Post]].
98. (February 9, 2021). "Senate Votes to Override Hogan Veto of Bill to Expand Background Checks for Long Guns". [[Maryland Matters]].
99. (March 30, 2018). "Bill would speed up evictions of dangerous tenants". [[Frederick News-Post]].
100. (September 28, 2022). "Hough talks tax cuts, Fitzwater focuses on affordable housing in executive forum". [[Frederick News-Post]].
101. (November 4, 2022). "Where Frederick County executive candidates stand on the issues". [[Frederick News-Post]].
102. (March 6, 2014). "House rejects minimum-wage exemptions". [[Frederick News-Post]].
103. (May 20, 2014). "Groups differ on Brinkley's anti-abortion record". [[Frederick News-Post]].
104. (September 20, 2022). "Unions pooling resources to defeat Hough in Frederick with opening salvo on abortion rights". [[Maryland Matters]].
105. (March 6, 2015). "Carroll legislators attempt to amend abortion law". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
106. (February 14, 2016). "Local legislators sponsor bill limiting time span for abortion". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
107. (May 20, 2014). "Groups differ on Brinkley's anti-abortion record". [[Frederick News-Post]].
108. (September 25, 2015). "Political Notes: Frederick County senator, delegate scrutinizing Planned Parenthood funding". [[Frederick News-Post]].
109. (September 29, 2015). "Lawmakers pressure Hogan on Planned Parenthood funding". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
110. (March 14, 2018). "'Maryland, My Maryland' faces official retirement". [[Frederick News-Post]].
111. (April 5, 2019). "Maryland raises age to buy tobacco to 21, makes exception for troops". [[Military Times]].
112. (April 3, 2019). "21 and up: Maryland General Assembly passes bill banning young adults from buying tobacco, nicotine products". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
113. (November 23, 2019). "Md. Sen. Hough Attends White House Vaping Meeting". [[Maryland Matters]].
114. (September 3, 2020). "GOP Senators Seek Monument to Whittaker Chambers". [[Maryland Matters]].
115. (September 29, 2020). "Whittaker Chambers' Family Says No Thanks to 'American Heroes' Monument". [[Maryland Matters]].
116. (February 5, 2021). "Zirkin Returns to Old Committee to Testify Against Wilson's Child Sex Abuse Bill". [[Maryland Matters]].
117. (February 19, 2021). "Senate OKs Bill to Extend Tax Credit to Thousands of Immigrants". [[Maryland Matters]].
118. (February 3, 2022). "Groundhog Day for Hogan and the Democrats". [[Maryland Matters]].