The Battle of Heavyweights in District 7A

One of the most frustrating parts of the new LRAC Legislative Map is that District 8 is gerrymandered towards Democrats and neighboring District 7A is over gerrymandered towards Republicans.

District 7A is a two-member district and it has four heavyweight Republicans battling for those two seats. Incumbent delegates Kathy Szeliga, and Joe Boteler and Ryan Nawrocki and Steve Redmer are the four candidates in that race.

Boteler is currently serving in District 8, but has been redistricted over to the new 7A. This is what happened to Boteler in 2014 when the new maps placed Boteler’s Cub Hill residence from District 8 to District 42 B. Boteler was only known in three voting precincts and lost in the primary that year.

Boteler moved to Perry Hall in 2018 and was able to regain a seat in District 8. Now his Perry Hall home is in District 7A and he finds himself in many unknown voting precincts in Middle River, White Marsh and Kingsville.

The other incumbent Szeliga is in a better position as most of her voting precincts in Middle River, Kingsville and White Marsh remain. She is only picking up three to four precincts where she is unknown.

Many thoughts that Szeliga and Boteler would join forces as incumbents, but Szeliga made an announcement that she was teaming up with Nawrocki.

Many will remember Nawrocki when he ran for county council in 2010 & 2018. That council district covered many of precincts that include White Marsh and Middle River that are included in District 7A. Nawrocki and his team are a machine too with door knocking and fund raising. Nawrocki might have more name ID without the help of Szeliga. Now that he is teaming with her, he is in a great position in District 7A.

The other wildcard in the race is firefighter Steve Redmer. He is the nephew of 2018 Baltimore County Executive GOP nominee Al Redmer. He has his Uncle Al’s help and cash as Al transferred over $6,000 to Steve. The problem is that Redmer got a late start and it might be too late to catch Szeliga and Nawrocki.

Again, it is a shame that all four of these candidates are running for two slots in District 7A when the GOP had trouble fielding a ticket in District 8.