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Sen. Guy J. Guzzone will replace Sen. Nancy J. King as head of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee in January, when Sen. Bill Ferguson takes control of the chamber,聽Maryland Matters聽has learned.
Guzzone, a Howard County Democrat, backed Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) at a critical moment in his bid to become president following the announcement that Sen. Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) would relinquish the gavel after a record 33 sessions.
In the run-up to the Democratic Caucus election to recommend a replacement for Miller, King, a Montgomery County Democrat, supported Sen. Douglas J.J. Peters (D-Prince George鈥檚), whose bid for the top job fell short. She will be offered the largely ceremonial post of Senate Majority Leader, Guzzone鈥檚 current position, when the Senate convenes next year, a State House source said.
Guzzone and King were initially seen as potential contenders for the Senate president鈥檚 job when Miller first disclosed early this year that he had Stage 4 prostate cancer.
Guzzone campaigned energetically for Democratic Senate candidates across the state in the 2018 election cycle, and also was聽聽to his colleagues. King enjoyed support from some of Miller鈥檚 political network, including former top aides who are now State House lobbyists or occupy key policy positions.
Ferguson, who was King鈥檚 vice chairman on the budget panel this year, was a late entry into the Miller succession sweepstakes, but move quickly to consolidate support among younger senators, progressives and his fellow Baltimore lawmakers.
The move to replace King with Guzzone is the first big step that Ferguson has taken to reorder the chamber since he emerged as the surprise pick to succeed the legendary Miller. Through a spokesman, Ferguson declined to comment Tuesday. King and Guzzone also refused to comment.
The promotion to head the influential panel through which the state鈥檚 $44.5 billion budget 鈥� and capital spending 鈥� passes represents a relatively rapid rise for Guzzone. The 55-year-old Baltimore native is only in his second term in the Senate. But he is a veteran of Annapolis and local politics having served eight years in the House of Delegates, having also served eight years on the Howard County Council and as a staffer and advocate in the State House.
The King-Guzzone job swap is a potentially significant blow to the state鈥檚 largest and wealthiest county. According to聽, Montgomery County is responsible for 25 percent of the state鈥檚 $92 billion economy, making it the economic engine of Maryland.
If nothing else, King鈥檚 imminent removal as chairwoman of the Budget and Taxation Committee is symbolic for Montgomery County.
鈥淪enator King has done an exemplary job looking out for the interests of the entire state of Maryland,鈥� said Gigi Godwin, president of the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce.
鈥淭here will be an expectation by every county that whoever is in that position is going to look out for the best interests of the entire state, and it鈥檚 in the entire state鈥檚 best interest for us to do well,鈥� Godwin added. 鈥淎s Montgomery County goes, so goes the state of Maryland.鈥�
With Montgomery poised to be on the outside looking in when key budget decisions are made, Godwin borrowed a line from the musical 鈥淗amilton.鈥�
鈥淲hatever the deliberative body is that you鈥檙e watching, there鈥檚 always 鈥榯he room where it happens,鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淲hen people make decisions, you want to be in the room where it happens.鈥�
Ferguson is said by people close to him to be keenly aware of the need to 鈥渃ompensate鈥� Montgomery County for the committee change.
Ferguson grew up in Montgomery County and his parents still live there. In an interview, County Executive Marc B. Elrich (D) expressed optimism about the Senate鈥檚 new leadership, in part because most of the revenues the county contributes to the state鈥檚 general fund flow to other jurisdictions.
鈥淚鈥檝e known both Bill and Guy for a long time, and I know the work Bill鈥檚 done,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd I鈥檓 optimistic that we鈥檙e going to continue to work together.鈥�
鈥淏oth of them understand the importance of Montgomery County to the state 鈥� and understand that investments in the county are investments that pay off for all the jurisdictions in the state.鈥�
King鈥檚 tenure as head of the influential budget panel was brief. Miller selected her for the post after the retirement of Sen. Edward J. Kasemeyer (D-Howard) in 2018.
Another Ferguson backer expected to benefit from his ascension is Sen. Melony G. Griffith (D-Prince George鈥檚), who is poised to become president pro tem in January. She bucked her County Executive, Angela D. Alsobrooks (D), who supported Peters in the race to succeed Miller.
Griffith serves as deputy director of the Prince George鈥檚 County Arts and Humanities Council.
Ferguson is expected to announce other leadership changes in January. He is holding off out of deference to Miller, multiple lawmakers said.
Josh Kurtz contributed to this report.
bruce@marylandmatters.org
