Eric Luedtke

Eric Luedtke
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates from the 14th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 13, 2011
Personal details
Born	(1981-11-13) November 13, 1981 Washington, DC
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Emily
Children	Colin
Residence	Burtonsville, MD
Alma mater	University of Maryland, College Park
Occupation	Teacher
Religion	Unitarian Universalist

Eric Luedtke (born November 13, 1981) is an American politician from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party. He was elected in 2010 to the Maryland House of Delegates, representing District 14 in Montgomery County, which includes parts of Burtonsville, Silver Spring, Olney, Sandy Spring, Brookeville, and Damascus. Luedtke serves on the Ways and Means Committee in the House of Delegates, chairs the Financial Resources Subcommittee, and co-chairs the Joint Committee on Gaming Oversight.

Background

Luedtke was born in Washington, D.C. and grew up in Montgomery County, Maryland, attending Thomas S. Wootton High School in Rockville, Maryland and later the University of Maryland, College Park, where he met his wife Emily. He has worked as a middle school social studies teacher for Montgomery County Public Schools since 2004. After becoming a teacher, he became involved with the Montgomery County Education Association, where he served on the Board of Directors. He also served on Montgomery County's East County Citizens Advisory Board and advocated on environmental issues with the local Sierra Club. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Sandy Spring Museum^[1]

Political career

In the fall of 2009, Luedtke explored a run against incumbent State Senator Rona E. Kramer. He dropped out of the Senate race, but in early 2010 two seats in the House of Delegates became open when incumbent Delegate Karen S. Montgomery decided to challenge Kramer and Delegate Herman L. Taylor, Jr. began a campaign against Congresswoman Donna Edwards. Luedtke entered the campaign for one of the district's three seats in the House of Delegates, competing against seven other Democrats in the primary. In the primary election on September 14, 2010, Luedtke finished in third place, behind incumbent Delegate Anne Kaiser and political staffer Craig Zucker. Democrats swept the general election in the district, winning the three Delegate seats as well as the Senate seat. Luedtke was sworn into the House of Delegates on January 12, 2011.

During his first term in the House of Delegates, Luedtke was assigned to the House Ways and Means Committee, which oversees tax policy, education, transportation, election law, and gambling. He participated in debates on a number of major issues in his first year. During the floor debate on the Civil Marriage Protection Act, which would have legalized same-sex marriage in Maryland, Luedtke helped defeat hostile amendments.^[2] He also played a role in passage of the Maryland Dream Act, giving undocumented immigrants the right to in state tuition at Maryland Universities. In that debate, he was quoted by the Baltimore Sun as arguing that, "We are talking about children. They didn't make the decision to cross the border," and therefore should not be punished for decisions their parents made.^[3]

In January 2013, Luedtke was appointed to chair the Financial Resources Subcommittee, which oversees the lottery, casino gambling, and horse racing. He was also appointed as Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Gaming Oversight.^[4]

Luedtke has advocated in the legislature on a broad range of issues, most notably education, the environment, and for the rights of people with disabilities. During the 2012 legislative session, he argued during floor debate for passage of a bill increasing Maryland's minimum legal age for dropping out of school.^[5] He was the lead sponsor in the House of Delegates of Maryland's successful ban on possession and sale of shark fin, part of an international effort to protect shark populations.^[6]

Election Results

2010 Democratic Primary

In 2010, Luedtke ran for the House of Delegates after then-Delegates Herman L. Taylor, Jr. and Karen S. Montgomery decided to run for higher offices. Luedtke was successful in the Democratic primary, coming in third behind incumbent Delegate Anne Kaiser and political staffer Craig Zucker.^[7]

^[8]

2010 General Election

In the 2010 General Election, Democratic nominees Anne Kaiser, Eric Luedtke and Craig Zucker faced Republican nominees Patricia Fenati, Henry Kahwaty and Maria Peña-Faustino. All Democratic candidates won in a landslide, with Luedtke placing third.^[9]

^[10]

References

1. ↑ "About Eric". Eric Luedtke campaign website. Friends of Eric Luedtke. Retrieved 2010-11-11. 
2. ↑ "On the Eve of the Final Debate - Same Sex Marriage in Md.". Capital News Service. Retrieved 2011-06-10. 
3. ↑ Bykowicz, Julie. "House in state tuition debate delayed a day". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2011-06-10. 
4. ↑ http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=sponpage&tab=subject6&id=luedtke&stab=01&ys=2013RS
5. ↑ http://marylandreporter.com/2012/04/05/house-votes-to-increase-public-school-dropout-age-to-17/
6. ↑ http://www.humanesociety.org/news/press_releases/2013/04/maryland-general-assembly-bans-shark-fin-trade-040813.html
7. ↑ "Meet Craig - Maryland Delegate Craig J. Zucker - District 14". Friends of Craig Zucker. Retrieved 10 March 2011. 
8. ↑ "GEMS ELECTION RESULTS". Montgomery County Board of Elections. Retrieved 12 March 2011. 
9. ↑ "District 14 team looks forward to getting down to business". The Gazette. Retrieved 12 March 2011. 
10. ↑ "GEMS ELECTION RESULTS". Montgomery County Board of Elections. Retrieved 12 March 2011.