Michael D. Smigiel, Sr.

Michael D. Smigiel, Sr.
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates from District 36
In office
January 8, 2003 – January 14, 2015
Preceded by James G. Crouse
Constituency Upper Eastern Shore of Maryland
Personal details
Born (1958-06-18) June 18, 1958
Baltimore, MD, United States
Political party Republican
Profession Attorney

Mike Smigiel (born June 18, 1958) is a former delegate in the Maryland House of Delegates, where he represented District 36, which covers Caroline, Cecil, Kent, and Queen Anne's Counties. He was first elected in 2002 along with fellow Republicans Richard Sossi and Mary Roe Walkup after the legislative boundaries were redrawn.[1] Prior to 2002, District 36 had a separate representative for Cecil, Kent, and Queen Anne's Counties. After combining the districts, Smigiel won the seat previously occupied by former Elkton mayor, James G. Crouse. Crouse was appointed to the seat in July 2001 following Governor Parris Glendenning's appointment of longtime Elkton Delegate Ronald A. Guns to the Public Service Commission.[2][3] In 2006, he defeated Democratic challenger Mark Guns for reelection. In the 2006 election, the voting method returned to voting for a representative for each county.[4]

Education

Smigiel attended Elgin Community College in Elgin, Illinois. There he received his A.A. degree in psychology and history in 1982. After community college, he went to undergraduate school at Northern Illinois University, where he got his B.A. in political science in 1985. In 1989, he received his J.D. from Northern Illinois University College of Law. Michael served as president of his law school class.

Career

After high school, Smigiel served in the United States Marine Corps from 1975 until 1979. After college, Smigiel was admitted to Maryland Bar in 1989 and worked thereafter as an attorney. He is also a member of the Cecil County Bar Association, where he served as chair of the ethics committee and as a member of the board of directors. He also belongs to the Maryland Association of Justice.

Smigiel is also the founder of Mediation, Inc., and alternative dispute resolution center. He served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Bainbridge Naval Training Center Historical Association, Inc.

In the legislature

In the Maryland General Assembly, Smigiel holds the position of Minority Parliamentarian and is on the Judiciary Committee where he is a member of the criminal justice subcommittee and has been active on several work-groups. He was previously a Deputy Minority Whip from 2003–2006 and a member of the Health and Government Operations Committee.[5] Smigiel is currently serving as Vice Chair of the Juvenile subcommittee, and is the Vice Chair of the Eastern Shore Delegation representing the nine counties of the Eastern Shore of Maryland. In addition, Smigiel is the founder and chairperson of the Maryland House of Delegates TEA Party Caucus.

Legislative notes

Task Force, Boards and Commissions

2012- Smigiel was appointed by Maryland legislative leaders to a task force to study the impact of a Maryland Court of Appeals ruling regarding the liability of owners of pit bulls and landlords that rent to them.[11]

Congressional Run

In 2016, Smigiel sought the Republican nomination for Maryland's 1st congressional district, challenging incumbent Andrew P. Harris in the party primary. Smiegel claimed that he felt "betrayed" by Harris and other Republicans, and attacked the incumbent from a conservative position on education, state powers, free markets, and taxation.[12] He was overwhelmingly defeated by Harris.[13] [14]

Election results

Voters to choose one per county:
Name Votes Percent Outcome
Michael D. Smigiel, Sr., Rep. 17,764   53.4%    Won
Mark Guns, Dem. 15,475   46.6%    Lost
Voters to choose three:
Name Votes Percent Outcome
Richard Sossi, Rep. 19,098   19.0%    Won
Michael D. Smigiel, Sr., Rep. 19,216   19.1%    Won
Mary Roe Walkup, Rep. 28,230   28.0%    Won
Wheeler R. Baker, Dem. 17,575   17.5%    Lost
James G. Crouse, Dem. 16,329   16.2%    Lost
Other Write-Ins 277   0.3%    

References and notes

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