“There really is no room for jubilation after so many months of dismantling,” said Andrew Kreider, a longtime Environmental Protection Agency communications and government affairs officer who is on administrative leave.

Many Democratic lawmakers, too, were ambivalent about a bipartisan, Senate-passed measure to fund the government through Jan. 30. Democrats in Maryland and elsewhere were strategizing how to push for expanded Affordable Care Act tax credits without the leverage a shutdown provides.

But Republicans cheered the anticipated end of the record-long shutdown, which began Oct. 1.

“We’re opening up our country. Should have never been closed,” President Donald Trump said Tuesday in Veterans’ Day remarks.

The Senate legislation, which must still be passed by the House, reverses the mass firing of employees during the shutdown and prevents more firings through Jan. 30, 2026, while promising to hold a vote on expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits in December.

But there is no assurance the health care subsidies — which Democrats consider critical to keeping premiums affordable — will be voted on by the House.

That uncertainty left Democrats, and some federal workers, with mixed feelings about the shutdown’s possible end.

“Speaking on behalf of myself, I am relieved that I will be returning to work,” Environmental Protection Agency employee Justin Chen said in an interview.

“However, there is a lot of uncertainty with this compromise,” said Chen, president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Council 238.

“It doesn’t fund EPA  past Jan. 30,” said Chen, whose council represents about 8,000 EPA employees nationwide. Nor does it contain a renewal of the health care subsidies.

“We cannot build a healthy nation while denying Americans the right to access affordable health care,” Chen said earlier in a prepared statement.

The tax credits, introduced during the COVID pandemic in 2021 and subsequently extended, increased the amount of aid that eligible recipients were already receiving.

“Look, COVID is over,” Maryland Republican Rep. Andy Harris, who represents Harford County and the Eastern Shore, told The Sun in an interview. “We have to return to pre-COVID policies.”

Harris supports the Senate plan. But Democrats are trying to determine what comes next.

First, they will need to move on from the frustration of a failed shutdown and that might take a beat.

“There’s half the world, I think, that’s just like, ‘What the f — did we do with all that? Why did we go through all that?’” said Michael Ceraso, a Democratic strategist. “‘Why did people go through so much pain, just to make a point that Republicans are bullheaded and stubborn?’”

Another half feels like there was some success. Senate Democrats were able to guarantee a vote on the Affordable Care Act premium tax credits in that chamber. Such a vote forces Republicans to answer to their constituents on why they supported or opposed it — in theory.

“That’s all hogwash,” Ceraso said. “We should’ve f — ing saw this through.”

Even before a deal was in place, the shutdown had deteriorated for Democrats behind closed doors. One Democratic Senate staffer described the mood to The Sun last week. The staffer said everyone knew the party would cave and reopen the government, with no policy victories to show for it. Democrats had screwed it up, yet again, they added.

The House will have to pass the bill on Wednesday, and then the president has to sign it to officially reopen the government. The postmortem has begun, as the party looks for another way to address health care policies. But some aren’t sure what that looks like.

“I don’t know,” Ceraso said when asked about the party’s next step. “How much of it is symbolic? … How much of this is people trying to prove that they have backbone against Trump? How much of this is ego?”

“There’s not, like, a universality to all this,” Ceraso added.

One path being discussed is a procedural move to force a vote without the approval of the Speaker of the House, Louisiana Republican Rep. Mike Johnson. Democratic lawmakers would start a legislative petition, known as a discharge petition, on extending the Obamacare tax credits. If the petition reached 218 signatures, the House would vote on it.

“I’m certainly hearing grumblings,” Rep. Johnny Olszewski, a Baltimore County Democrat, said about a potential discharge petition. “It’s reflective of the fact that it’s not just Democrats who want to see action taken on extending the subsidies — at least in the short term — so that we can have a longer term conversation about how we keep health care affordable and available for Americans.”

Have a news tip? Contact Jeff Barker at jebarker@baltsun.com and Ben Mause at bmause@baltsun.com.

Local grassroots organizations, The Baltimore Rapid Response Network and About Face, convened veterans at the War Memorial Plaza for “Vets Say No” — an event that is part of a national day of protest where activists in major cities across the country denounced Trump deploying federal troops to Washington, D.C., Portland and Chicago, among other cities.

Bobby LaPin, an army veteran who owns a local sailboat tour business, called Trump’s actions “unprecedented.”

“Every time the National Guard has been called up by the president, it’s to advance civil rights,” LaPin said Tuesday in an interview with The Baltimore Sun. “It’s to protect freedoms in this country, or to help those who have been put in horrible positions by natural disasters, fires, floods, things like that.”

In his later remarks during the event, LaPin argued — referring to how army veterans have historically been on the frontlines of fighting for racial justice in the United States — that veterans must “stand and defend this nation, not from enemies abroad, but from racism and fascism and corporate corruption that is growing here at home.”

Ryan Harvey, who is not a veteran but works for the Baltimore Rapid Response Network, emphasized the importance of veterans speaking out against what they perceive to be an abuse of power by political leaders and those in service.

“It’s no shock that some of the earliest leaders in the Civil Rights Movement were veterans of World War II,” he said in an interview with The Baltimore Sun. “Veterans have always been looking at the world with a critical eye, given what they’ve done and what they’ve been told to do.”

Asked to react to the “Vets Say No” event, a White House spokesperson argued “the real cause for concern is the Democrats’ defense of violent riots and attacks on law enforcement — not President Trump’s action to provide safety and security for Americans around the country.”

“President Trump has utilized his lawful authority to protect federal assets and personnel following violent, left-wing riots that local leaders like [California Gov. Gavin] Newscum and [Illinois Gov. JB] Pritzker have refused to stop,” Abigail Jackson, a spokesperson for the White House, said in a statement to The Baltimore Sun.

Trump said in September that he would order federal troops to Baltimore to fight crime because it is one of the “most dangerous places” in the country — even though Baltimore, at the time, had recorded its lowest ever homicide rate.

Gov. Wes Moore took a thinly veiled dig at the president, saying that he would “never honor ignorance.” [Moore in October announced that Maryland would co-lead a coalition of governors and attorneys general supporting Oregon’s legal action against Trump deploying federal troops to the state.] Moore didn’t respond to requests for comment by the publication deadline. 

Mayor Brandon Scott also decried Trump’s plans and argued that the best way to continue lowering crime rates in the city is to “is to restore funding for public safety programs, pass a federal ban on both ghost guns and Glock switches, and repeal the Tiahrt Amendment — allowing local governments to fully track down where the weapons used in the commitment of crime on the streets come from.” Scott didn’t respond to requests for comment by the publication deadline.

When The Sun asked the White House when and if Trump intends to act on his promise to send troops, a White House official said in an email, “We would not get ahead of the President on any potential announcements that may or may not happen.”

Veterans at the event said they believe it’s only a matter of time before Trump acts on his promise and they appreciate Moore’s efforts to counter it.

“He’s doing as much as he possibly can,” LaPin said of Moore’s defense, adding that he spoke to the governor two weeks ago and relayed his concerns about federal troops being deployed to Baltimore.

Ellen Barfield, who served in the army in the 1970s and is a board member of Veterans For Peace, said Moore’s response to Trump so far has “been probably about right.” But, she added, “It would be satisfying if he got really loud.”

Harvey added, “[Moore] has been pretty clear with the president that he’s the Commander in Chief of the Maryland National Guard.”

Have a news tip? Contact Tinashe Chingarande tchingarande@baltsun.com or on Signal as Tnae.19

The funding package passed 60 to 40, with seven Democrats and one Independent in favor. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky was the only Republican to oppose it.

Both Maryland senators announced their opposition before the vote.

“I am prepared to work toward a compromise, but this funding bill before us tonight does not come close to meeting those terms,” Sen. Chris Van Hollen announced on Sunday night, when the deal was first being considered. “Not only does it fail to address the impending explosion in working Americans’ health insurance costs, it also lacks the necessary guardrails to stop President Trump from ignoring the law and withholding funds for important priorities.”

Sen. Angela Alsobrooks made a similar statement.

“As I look at this new [continuing resolution], I am glad to see it includes language I fought for to reverse the draconian [reductions in force],” Alsobrooks said. “But, I have maintained from the beginning of this Republican shutdown that I could not vote for anything that does not address the rising health care costs.”

A group of eight Democratic senators struck a deal with Republicans on Sunday to reopen the government. In exchange for their support, Republicans included language that reverses the mass firing of employees that happened during the shutdown and prevents more firings through Jan. 30, 2026, while promising to hold a vote on expiring Obamacare tax credits in December.

The Senate voted to pass a continuing resolution that will fund the government through Jan. 30. It was packaged with three-year-long appropriations bills — funding Congress and the Departments of Agriculture and Veterans Affairs.

While the deal came together on Sunday, procedural actions held up its final passage until late Monday night.

Three Democrats had voted with their Republican colleagues for over a month to reopen the government. But it wasn’t until late last week that negotiations gained traction to break the longest funding stalemate in American history.

With extensive airline disruptions starting, and continued concerns about federal employees going without pay, five additional Democrats decided: It was time.

“It wasn’t going to happen,” Sen. Angus King, a Maine Independent who caucuses with the Democrats, said during a news conference on Sunday of the Republicans’ capitulating.

The party’s lengthy fight focused on rising health care costs. They wanted an extension of the Obamacare tax credits included in the funding bills. They waited over a month for Republicans to cave.

“This was the only deal on the table,” Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a New Hampshire Democrat, said during the news conference. “It was our best chance to reopen the government and immediately begin negotiations to extend the ACA tax credits that tens of millions of Americans rely on to keep costs down.”

“Waiting another week — or another month — wouldn’t deliver a better outcome,” Shaheen added.

But Van Hollen and Alsobrooks, along with the rest of their party, were unmoved. The Maryland lawmakers criticized the deal as Republican indifference, despite it being brokered with fellow Democrats.

“After weeks of refusing to negotiate, Senate Republicans have finally put forth a new CR that reaffirms their indifference to the health care crisis and growing unaffordability of our country,” Alsobrooks said in her statement.

The funding package still has to be considered by the House, then signed by the president. The lower chamber could vote on it on Wednesday.

Have a news tip? Contact Ben Mause at bmause@baltsun.com.

Jones said his effort could increase pay for as many as 4,500 commercial security guards in the city.

“Bill 25-0116… sets one clear standard for pay and benefits for men and women who guard Baltimore’s largest commercial buildings,” he said. “It ensures that fair compensation reflects the values of the service that they provide.”

According to Jones, most commercial security officers in the city are paid about $15.80 per hour, while the “federal benchmark for similar work” is $18.29 per hour — a difference that can decide whether workers keep up on their bills or fall behind.

City Council President Zeke Cohen said public safety employees “should not be paid a poverty wage,” prompting applause from those in council chambers.

“The reality is that, like so many cities across the United States, we have a shortage of police officer, and oftentimes these folks are stepping in the gap,” Cohen said. “And so we need to honor the work that they do in this building and across our city by paying them a decent wage.”

Cohen was an initial sponsor of Jones’ bill alongside Councilmen Zac Blanchard, Ryan Dorsey and Paris Gray. Antonio Glover, Phylicia Porter and Isaac “Yitzy” Schleifer were the other council members who signed on Monday.

The bill was referred to the council’s Labor and Workforce committee for a hearing, which is scheduled for Dec. 10 at 5:30 p.m.

Barksdale remembered

Toward the end of Monday’s meeting, council members remembered Anthony Barksdale, Baltimore’s deputy mayor of public safety, who died suddenly last week at age 53. Several memorial services are being held in Barksdale’s honor this week, though his cause of death has not yet been made public.

Councilwoman Danielle McCray, a District 2 Democrat, said Barksdale was the one person most responsible for Baltimore’s recent decline in homicides and other violent crimes.

“A lot of people have attempted to take credit for the downward trend in our crime rates, and I wanted to make sure that people understand that Deputy Mayor Barksdale and his team, they are the reason why our crime is down,” McCray said.

Cohen said Barksdale was “always behind the scenes, but he was extremely effective.”

“I’ll just say on a personal note, I remember when I had an issue with safety in my district a couple of years ago, I called him up and told him about it,” Cohen said of Barksdale, referring to his time as a District 1 councilman. “He didn’t get defensive; he didn’t deflect… He saw what he saw and he said, ‘Councilman, you’re right,’ and he changed up his strategy as a result.”

Councilman Mark Conway said Barksdale’s work with Baltimore’s CitiStat program helped shape his approach to making policy decisions based on data.

“It’s a huge loss for us. My heart goes out to his family and all the people that were close to him,” Conway said. “I’ll make sure that I continue to keep his family in my prayers.”

Have a news tip? Contact Carson Swick at cswick@baltsun.com.

Reps. Steny Hoyer and Jamie Raskin said they were sending a letter Monday to the state’s General Assembly that will argue against Senate President Bill Ferguson’s decision not to pursue a new congressional map. The letter marks another lever that presses against Ferguson’s resistance to redrawing Maryland’s congressional districts, as state and national Democrats try to keep up with Republicans’ redistricting efforts. Hoyer and Raskin represent parts of Southern Maryland and Montgomery County, respectively.

“We can redistrict to make Maryland House seats more competitive in a way that counters the Trump national steamroller,” the letter says, “and we believe such an effort can survive any legal attack.”

The four-page letter, exclusively obtained Monday by The Baltimore Sun, directly addresses the reasons Ferguson gave his colleagues for not pursuing a new map, responding to the legal concerns that Ferguson raised. It also details the redistricting battle that began in Texas earlier this year and the impact of the second Trump administration on Maryland, minimizing the Senate president’s concerns to the assembly, and applying congressional pressure to get Ferguson to redraw the state’s map.

“We don’t need to remind you that Marylanders have paid a heavy price during the first year of the second Trump Administration: more than 15,000 federal employees have been fired with thousands more now furloughed and thousands of federal contractors thrown out of work; tariffs have driven up the cost of living while millions struggle to make ends meet; and over 250,000 Marylanders face devastating cuts to their health care,” the letter says.

As Maryland Democrats urge Ferguson to redistrict, State Del. Kathy Szeliga, a Baltimore County Republican, told The Sun on Monday that a legal challenge to a potential new map is already being prepared. Szeliga led the lawsuit that saw a Democrat-proposed map struck down in 2022.

The potential challenge would be based on the 2022 lawsuit, with the same legal group that represented her in 2022. “There’s no map yet, but we are ready to go with the argument that was found to be salient, to be legal,” Szeliga said. “And we’ll have additional information we can offer and make an even stronger case.”

A petition would operate in tandem with the lawsuit. Should a new map become law, Republicans would have roughly six months to get just over 60,000 signatures, Szeliga said. If they succeed, the new map would be added to the 2026 ballot and be voted on by Maryland residents.

In that case, a stay could be issued that would allow the current map to remain in place through the 2026 elections.

Ferguson has been under fire from Democrats across the country and within Maryland since he explained his opposition to his General Assembly colleagues in a late October letter. His most notable concern has been a potential legal fallout.

“Despite deeply shared frustrations about the state of our country, mid-cycle redistricting for Maryland presents a reality where the legal risks are too high, the timeline for action is dangerous, the downside risk to Democrats is catastrophic, and the certainty of our existing map would be undermined,” Ferguson, a Baltimore City Democrat, wrote.

Hoyer and Raskin urge the assembly to consider the state of American democracy. They write that it is “an ethical, moral and political imperative to use every lawful means at our disposal to fight back against the aggressive and extreme gerrymander orchestrated by Donald Trump and the GOP.”

“If these things are true, and we believe they indisputably are, then the only remaining question is the practical and tactical one: can we successfully and lawfully redistrict to respond to these GOP assaults?” the letter says. “Here, too, we believe the answer is yes.”

Ferguson is also worried that creating a new map could backfire and see Democrats lose seats. Democrats hold seven of the eight congressional districts. Eastern Shore Rep. Andy Harris is the lone Republican.

A redrawn map could see Harris’s district turn from heavily Republican to a toss-up seat or one favorable to Democrats, though diluting the Democratic voting base in other districts. It could eliminate the only conservative in Maryland’s delegation, and an influential figure in the House of Representatives.

Harris is a key member of the House Appropriations Committee and chairs the powerful House Freedom Caucus, a group of conservative lawmakers who often dictate changes to policy.

“It disenfranchises huge amounts of the Maryland population,” Harris previously said about a potential new map. “It just wouldn’t be fair.”

A Harris spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment Monday.

The lawmakers’ letter pointed out that there are no current legal challenges to the current map, which was signed into law by Republican Gov. Larry Hogan. Democrats tried to pass a map that endangered Harris’ seat in 2021, but it was struck down as an illegal gerrymander.

Should that happen again, Hoyer and Raskin were confident it wouldn’t hurt Democrats. They wrote that a court would likely reinstate the current map — calling it a “backstop to any serious mischief” — rather than draw a new one that could help Republicans win an extra seat. Even if a new map was challenged in court, there’s a chance the redrawn map would be left in place until the court ruled on a potential lawsuit, the lawmakers argued.

If that happened, a new map might remain in place through the 2026 election, even if it was later ruled to be illegal.

“We encourage you to do everything you can to move expeditiously to study this situation and re-draw the map to address the national crisis we face,” the letter says.

While officials have publicly characterized their explorations of a new map as a search for fairness, Szeliga argued it’s the opposite.

“I would say, if they want to draw a map that respects voters: Two of the last four governors in Maryland have been Republicans,” Szelgia said.

“You need a new dictionary to define fair,” Szeliga added. “They’re rigging the system.”

Ferguson has already experienced backlash from Maryland’s congressional delegation. This past week, Gov. Wes Moore, who favors redistricting, announced the Governor’s Redistricting Advisory Commission to consider a mid-cycle map change. The commission will solicit public feedback on the state’s current map. It will be helmed by Maryland Sen. Angela Alsobrooks.

Ferguson didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Have a news tip? Contact Ben Mause at bmause@baltsun.com.

The Department of Agriculture, which administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — or SNAP, announced the move in a memo Saturday night, threatening financial penalties on states that do not “undo any steps taken to issue full SNAP benefits for November 2025.”

Trump admin tells states to “undo” food stamp benefits: “To the extent States sent full SNAP payment files for November 2025, this was unauthorized. Accordingly, States must immediately undo any steps taken to issue full SNAP benefits for November 2025.“ pic.twitter.com/1RkjN1G5FA

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) November 9, 2025

SNAP provides federal food aid to more than 40 million Americans, but has been leveraged by Trump and Republicans as they hope to force Democrats into voting for the GOP plan to reopen the government.

Some states began issuing full November SNAP benefits on Friday, after a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to provide the funds. But this order was temporarily blocked Friday night by the Supreme Court, as Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson paused the requirement to distribute full SNAP payments until a Massachusetts appeals court rules on whether to issue a more lasting pause.

During a television appearance Sunday, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said his state would not wait to find out whether SNAP funds will be available to residents trying to buy food.

“I have also authorized $62 million to go towards SNAP to make sure that SNAP is not going to be interrupted for the people of Maryland for as long as we can, despite the fact that we are waiting for the President of the United States to finally do his job,” Moore said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “We are watching the president, who is literally breaking the law so people can starve, but we’re not going to sit there and tolerate it in our state.”

The Democratic governor issued an executive order Nov. 3 to release $62 million in food aid funding, which will be paid out on Tuesday. These funds provide about $93 for each of Maryland’s 668,162 SNAP recipients, which is roughly half of the state’s typical $184 monthly benefit.

The funds also supplemented an additional $10 million emergency assistance investment previously allocated to food banks, faith-based organizations, school pantries and mobile food units to support Maryland families.

About a quarter of Baltimore City residents are enrolled in SNAP, more than anywhere else in Maryland. More than 20% of residents in Somerset, Dorchester and Allegany counties also receive SNAP benefits, highlighting the challenge of food insecurity in Maryland’s rural areas.

Shutdown latest

Before a rare Sunday Senate session between Republican and Democratic lawmakers, GOP Senate Majority Leader John Thune said a deal is “coming together” to end the federal shutdown. Thune did not guarantee the potential agreement would end the standoff, which has now lasted 40 days.

Republicans — who need five more Democratic votes to reopen the government because of the Senate’s 60-vote threshold to overcome a filibuster — are working to present a legislative package that would reopen the government in January while funding several parts of the government throughout 2026. Trump has called on Republicans to eliminate the filibuster and pass a continuing resolution with a simple majority vote of 51 senators, but Thune has refused.

Republicans’ initial effort in September sought to maintain funding levels in Trump’s “One, Big, Beautiful Bill” through Nov. 21, a deadline that is fast approaching with few signs of clear progress. Democrats have voted against this proposal more than a dozen times while trying to frame the shutdown as a battle over Affordable Care Act subsidies, which are set to expire at the end of the year and could lead to increased health care premiums for millions of Americans if not extended.

Have a news tip? Contact Carson Swick at cswick@baltsun.com.

‘The Prodigal Hon’

Of all the names Rep. Nancy Pelosi has been called –many of them unprintable here – my favorite is “The Prodigal Hon.”

An observer coined the phrase at an event honoring Pelosi. It was 2007 and Pelosi, the native Baltimorean who announced last week that she won’t seek reelection, was being honored in the city’s Little Italy on the day after becoming the first female speaker of the House of Representatives.

“Every step that I took to the speakership began in this neighborhood,” Pelosi said then, from a stage set up in front of her childhood home on Albemarle Street.

Pelosi, the daughter and sister of Baltimore mayors, has a sort of Baltimore grit. An edge. Her admirers celebrate it. Not so much President Donald Trump, who last week called her an “evil woman” and said he is glad she is retiring.

In 2020, Pelosi tore up a printed version of Trump’s State of the Union address.

A few years ago, a video was released showing her on Jan. 6, 2021, the day of the attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of  Trump.

Pelosi is heard saying in the video that she hopes Trump arrives so she can “punch him out.”

Popular posts on social media quickly followed, some saying her feistiness was evidence of “The Baltimore” coming out in her.

“Baltimore is a better predictor of her behavior than San Francisco,” which she represented in Congress, Thomas Mann, of the Brookings Institution, once said.

“Sports Czar’

I can’t remember a president with as much interest in – and opinions about – sports as Trump.  He could almost be called the “sports czar.”

Since beginning his second term, Trump has been outspoken about everything from new NFL kickoff rules (he says they cause “sissy football”) to whether the Washington Commanders should revert to their former team name (he says yes). Trump has been supportive of a push by Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz to restructure college sports.

The president, though, hasn’t attended many World Series games.

Trump attended one game of the 2019 World Series (Washington vs. Houston) and another in the 2021 series (Atlanta vs. Houston). That puts him ahead of his predecessor, Joe Biden, but behind other presidents such as Bill Clinton and both Bushes. Granted, presidents are busy, the chief executive’s visits carry huge security requirements, and Trump’s second term will present more opportunities.

But consider the locations of this past year’s World Series, neither of them remotely Trump-friendly.

There was Los Angeles, in a state governed by Democrat Gavin Newsom, whom the president openly derides (and vice versa).

And then there was Toronto.

We can’t even imagine the sort of reception Trump would have received in Canada, where his tariffs and (joking?) references to our northern neighbor as America’s “51st state” make him hugely unpopular.

For the record, the White House didn’t address a question about the World Series games he’s skipped.

‘No Kings’

We know that “No Kings” has become a catch-all phrase for anti-Trump protests by people worrying the nation is veering into authoritarianism.

But does anyone own the phrase? Is it patented?

There sure are lots of “No Kings” protest signs and T-shirts for sale, some with images of crowns or American flags, or of Trump himself.

A review of online U.S. Patent and Trademark records shows several “No Kings” claims or applications in various stages of review. The applications variously seek use of the phrase for different sorts of merchandise, everything from merchandise to games.

Think there will be any lawsuits over the use of “No Kings” to sell goods? Litigation seems as American as the protests themselves.

Have a news tip? Contact Jeff Barker at jebarker@baltsun.com.

Del. Gabe Acevero, another self-described “democratic socialist” who represents Montgomery County, called Mamdani’s win “historic” and said it signals growing support for candidates who champion working-class priorities and affordability.

“For me, it symbolizes a turning point that we’re seeing, not just in New York City, but across this country,” Acevero told The Sun. “[Voters] want their public officials to be more in tune to the suffering of poor and working-class people.”

Many Maryland political analysts, however, say Mamdani’s major win, along with the rise of self-described “Democratic socialist” candidates nationwide, reflects voter frustration with the Trump administration and a desire for new leadership — not necessarily a widespread push to implement democratic socialism, a label often criticized as overly progressive and potentially alienating. Sarah Oliver, a political science professor at Towson University, cautioned against overgeneralizing the results. She said Mamdani’s success reflected a unique message that resonated with residents that may not translate elsewhere.

“New York is a heavily Democratic place, and so they have more liberal views,” she said. “Most people wouldn’t use that democratic socialist label, and those policies … would probably not be as popular even in Maryland.”

Oliver said that while Maryland voters likely also crave change, that desire may steer them toward different kinds of Democrats rather than further left.

“I don’t think we necessarily know what that looks like yet,” she said, pointing to Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott as an example of a younger leader who appeals to “young voters, nonwhite voters and those who feel disenfranchised.”

Matthew Crenson, a political scientist at Johns Hopkins University, said the scale of the Democratic wins last week surprised him and likely reflected continued opposition to Trump more than an ideological shift. He also noted that while Republicans may try to tie Mamdani’s socialism to the broader party, most of Tuesday’s victors, including Virginia’s Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger and New Jersey Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill, are moderates.

“Instead of presenting themselves as the party of socialism, Democrats need to respond that, ‘We’re a party of tolerance, political moderation, and cooperation among people with a variety of ideological tendencies,” Crenson said, adding that this approach could apply well to Maryland, where the party already benefits from a majority of Democratic voters and a growing number of independents.

Towson-based conservative professor Richard Vatz argued that Democrats’ victories were likely “short-lived” and driven more by personality than policy.

“It’s hard to generalize what motivated New York voters beyond the tremendous amount of charisma in Mamdani,” Vatz said, adding that Maryland’s strong Democratic tilt and lack of a viable Republican candidate make it difficult for conservatives to mount serious challenges.

Still, he said, “the tremendous presumption afforded to Democratic candidates in Maryland will trump the effects of economic difficulties,” even as Democrats face internal divisions in the long run.

‘People are unhappy and want a change’

The Baltimore Sun reached out to all 188 members of Maryland’s General Assembly, 11 of whom responded by a Nov. 5 deadline to share their reactions. Their responses revealed a sharp partisan divide.

For many Maryland Democratic leaders, Tuesday’s party victories reflected what they described as a broader voter appetite for immediate change, fresh leadership and a “rejection” of Donald Trump and his allies.

Del. Vaught Stewart, a Democrat representing Montgomery County, told The Sun that voters on Tuesday “made it clear they’re done with politics talk about helping working families while quietly catering to the corporate class.” He added that Marylanders share “the same hunger.”

“They want us to double down on putting people before corporate power, and that’s exactly what we intend to do,” Stewart said. “The national rejection of Trump-style, billionaire-friendly politics is a reminder that Maryland can and should keep leading the way.”

Del. Karen Young, a Frederick County Democrat, called the results an unexpected “blue tsunami,” saying they signal that “the ‘No Kings’ movement has replaced the ‘MAGA’ movement.”

“There’s a desire for change from the very onerous actions at the federal level that’re hurting working families,” she said. “People want policy change, and therefore, the candidates that best represent those values will ride the wave of the change we’re seeing.”

Republican Sen. Chris West, who represents parts of Baltimore and Carroll counties, said Democratic candidates outperformed his expectations even in solidly blue areas.

“The high turnouts and strong showing by the Democratic candidates, all of whom made Donald Trump their leading issue, suggest that the American voters are trying to send a message to the President,” he said. “The people are unhappy and want a change, and unless their elected representatives are responsive to their wishes, they will pay a price the next time their names are on the ballot.”

West warned that while this “particularly applies to Republicans,” Democrats should take note as well because “the desire for change” is widespread.

Other Republican lawmakers downplayed the results, noting the partisan lean of the states in play.

House Minority Whip Del. Jesse Pippy, a Frederick County Republican, called it “a rough night for Republican candidates” but said the outcomes were “not terribly surprising” given that Republicans currently control the White House and Congress.

“When one party holds power, the other tends to be more motivated to turn out,” Pippy said. “This was the natural pendulum swing.”

Del. Wayne Hartman, a Republican representing Wicomico and Worcester counties, said the results “weren’t a surprise” and may reflect voter frustration with the ongoing government shutdown, adding that it’s “unfortunate to see folks putting the blame on Republicans.”

Del. LeToya Nkongolo, a Republican from Anne Arundel County, said the results show that the GOP must “remind people that we care about them, and that the dysfunction in Washington is a terrible thing for all of us.”

Have a news tip? Contact  Mennatalla Ibrahim at mibrahim@baltsun.com.

“In Maryland, we protect our people — no matter the cause or crisis,” Moore said Friday in a joint news release with Maryland officials. “While the Trump administration refuses to follow the law and at a time when Washington is telling Americans you’re on your own, Marylanders are stepping up. Extra financial cushion will help ensure our public servants aren’t left in the lurch. But as I’ve said before, the only long-term solution is for President Trump to come to the negotiating table in good faith and open the government.”

Maryland Senate Minority Leader Steve Hershey shifted blame from Republicans in Washington to the two Maryland senators who are on the Hill — Sens. Angela Alsobrooks and Chris Van Hollen.

“Governor Moore can blame Washington all he wants, but this shutdown could have ended weeks ago if Maryland’s two U.S. Senators had simply done their jobs,” Hershey told The Baltimore Sun Friday afternoon. “We’ve said from the start that a prolonged shutdown would hurt working families and the state’s economy — and it was entirely preventable. Marylanders deserve better than finger-pointing and political theater.”

Moore signed an executive order authorizing $10.1 million from the Strategic Energy Investment Fund to make sure there’s funding for heat and power ahead of the colder months. The money is needed to fund the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which supports the Maryland Energy Assistance Program for nearly 13,000 Maryland households, according to a news release.

“No Maryland family should be left in the cold because the Trump Administration failed to perform its most basic duty,” said Maryland Department of Human Services Secretary Rafael López in the statement.

The second, “no-interest” $700 loan is part of the “Federal Shutdown Loan Program,” which is intended to help workers cover living expenses. In early October, Moore announced the first round of $700 loans for Maryland-based employees designated as “excepted” federal workers — meaning they are required to work without pay during the shutdown and are not eligible for unemployment aid. So far, more than 2,200 Marylanders have applied for the Federal Shutdown Loan, and more than 1,500 have had their loan payments processed, according to the release.

“Federal Shutdown Loans can’t replace a paycheck, but they can help relieve some of the financial strain excepted federal workers are facing right now, as rent, insurance, and other bills come due,” said Maryland Department of Labor Secretary Portia Wu in the statement.

The Maryland Transit Administration also expanded its offer of free rides to federal employees, including local buses, light rail, metro subways and mobility/paratransit — also known as core transit services. These free rides are in addition to the free MARC and commuter bus services that Moore announced Oct. 17 for all Maryland federal workers during the government shutdown.

“I commend Governor Moore for his leadership in expanding free transit for federal workers across all MDOT MTA services,” MTA Acting Secretary Samantha J. Biddle said in a statement Friday. “So many federal employees — including hundreds of air traffic controllers and TSA agents at BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport — are showing up and doing their jobs without getting paid. We’re grateful for their dedication, and we hope free transit rides can help ease some of the stress they’re feeling.”

These actions add to the list of efforts Moore has released since the shutdown started. On Nov. 3, he announced $62 million to ensure full November SNAP benefits for recipients across the state affected by the ongoing federal government shutdown. The funding, authorized by executive order, follows a federal court order that directed the Trump administration to provide contingency funds for the program.

When the shutdown first began, the governor also directed state agencies to deploy “contingency plans” to keep federally funded programs — such as Medicaid, SNAP and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) — continually operating.

In response to Friday’s news, Senate Minority Whip Justin Ready, a Republican, said the shutdown “isn’t some abstract D.C. debate — it’s directly impacting Marylanders’ livelihoods.”

“The Governor can hold press conferences, but the reality is our own Senators have the power to end this today,” Ready told The Sun in an emailed statement Friday afternoon. “Instead, they’ve chosen politics over people. The quickest way to fix this is for them to finally step up and vote to reopen the government.”

Reporter Luke Parker contributed to this article. Have a news tip? Contact Ayanna Alexander at aalexander@baltsun.com.

The request comes on the heels of The Baltimore Sun breaking the story about Bisignano’s possible conflict of interest with the debit card contract.

The letter request, which The Sun received an advance copy of and was sent by Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, also asks for information about Bisignano’s activities at Fiserv Inc., the Wisconsin firm whose stock prices tanked earlier this year after it withdrew certain economic projections it could not meet.

The Democrats expressed concerns “about his ability to serve” as Social Security commissioner and chief executive officer of the Internal Revenue Service, a post he was appointed to fill on Oct. 6 while also continuing at SSA.

“Because of Mr. Bisignano’s mismanagement, many Fiserv investors, including retirees and members of the public, lost money — a fate Mr. Bisignano avoided,” the letter said. “Bisignano’s required divestment of company stock helped him avoid about $300 million in losses caused by the stock’s price decline by over 50%.”

In July,  a group of investors sued Fiserv, Bisignano and others, saying, according to the complaint, that the defendants “misled investors by artificially inflating its growth numbers.”

The letter to Fiserv CEO Mike Lyons poses a series of questions and requests responses by Nov. 20.

Fiserv and Bisignano — through SSA — did not respond to emailed requests for comment.

Bisignano was confirmed as commissioner of the Social Security Administration in May. SSA is based in Woodlawn, Baltimore County.

“At a minimum, Mr. Bisignano appears to have failed to manage Fiserv effectively, and may have misled investors and the public about the company’s financial status, raising concerns about his ability to serve as a key Social Security and IRS official in the Trump Administration,” the letter said.

Warren is the ranking Democrat on the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee. Wyden holds the same position on the Senate Finance Committee.

Idaho Republican Sen. Mike Crapo, the Finance Committee chairman, did not return a request for comment.

The Sun first reported that Senate Democrats were investigating whether Bisignano knew during his confirmation procedures that Fiserv had bid — or was planning to — on a pending 5-year Direct Express contract, which distributes government benefits to about 3.4 million Americans via prepaid cards.

An agency spokesperson wrote in response that  “throughout the process and following his confirmation by the Senate, Commissioner Bisignano fully complied with all obligations required under his federal government ethics agreement as a Senate-confirmed presidential appointee.”

Democratic Rep. Kweisi Mfume called Monday for a “full and honest” congressional review of the circumstances surrounding Bisignano’s former company winning the contract. The Baltimore lawmaker’s request came as more  Democrats — including Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen and former agency Commissioner Martin O’Malley — raised questions about the contract. O’Malley is a former Maryland governor and Baltimore mayor.

The contract was awarded to  Fifth Third, an Ohio-based bank, and began on Sept. 9, according to the company’s news release that day naming Money Network Financial, LLC as the program’s manager. Money Network Financial is a subsidiary of Fiserv, the company  Bisignano headed as chairman and CEO until stepping down on May 6 to take over the federal agency.

Bisignano, whose former company is one  of the world’s largest payment and financial technology firms, told the Senate panel in a March 25 question-and-answer document: “I have committed to divest all Fiserv holdings if confirmed.”

There was no mention of the contract in the 54-page document. “During his confirmation process, Mr. Bisignano did not disclose any active contract negotiations between Fiserv or its subsidiaries with the federal government,” the letter said.

Have a news tip? Contact Jeff Barker at jebarker@baltsun.com.