Maryland Senate president stepping down due to health issues

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Maryland’s longtime Senate president is stepping down from his leadership position as he deals with his cancer diagnosis. Now, a Baltimore lawmaker is being nominated to take his place. Senate President Mike Miller made the announcement Thursday after speaking with the chamber’s 31 other Democrats in a closed meeting. Senator Bill Ferguson was nominated by the Democratic caucus to be the next Senate president. Local lawmakers say they understand Miller’s decision after he was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer back in January. They hope by strengthening the relationship with the new senate president, they’ll be able to get a lot of things done on the eastern shore.

“As my role as in leadership and him being the new individual to serve as president, then I’m going to make sure that he’s aware of our needs and the things that it takes for us to have economic opportunities,” said Delegate Sheree Sample-Hughes (D) District-37A.

Miller has been Maryland’s Senate president for more than three decades and is the country’s longest-serving state senator.