Maryland's state senate minority leader, and one of Harford County's most popular Republican leaders, is stepping down from the post.
After being elected Republican minority leader earlier this year, Sen. Nancy Jacobs decided Thursday to leave that post to pursue a higher office.
"I've been thinking about the possibility of running for higher office for some time and I just did not think that it would be fair to my Republican colleagues to stay in this position while I'm doing something else," she said. "I just didn't think it would be right to not be in there single focus."
While her decision to step down was immediate, Jacobs said Friday that deciding whether she will run for higher office, in this case Congress, will take some time.
A large part of her decision will come from precinct analysis and polling, she said, as well as the results of the legislative redistricting, which she expects in December.
"I really expect them to butcher my district and possibly take away Cecil County," she said. "I've heard those rumors."
Right now, Jacobs represents District 34, which covers parts of Harford and Cecil counties, primarily along the Route 40 corridor, and said some of her decision to run for Congress will be based on what happens to her district. The way the redistricting is going, she added, it seems to be more about politics than representing the people.
Although Jacobs said she had been approached by several people about different offices, including Harford County executive and governor, the one she "has her eye on" is the congressional seat. For the other positions, Jacobs said County Executive David Craig would be a "great governor," and northern Harford Sen. Barry Glassman, a "great county executive."
As for the congressional seat, Jacobs said there were several issues at that level and she thought the country "is in a mess." She also referred to the congressional redistricting map, saying it looked like a three-year-old threw a bunch of paint against a wall.
"It just doesn't make logical sense except for political purposes," she said, adding that when the Democrats think the most important thing is getting another seat in Washington, they forget about representing the people of Maryland.
If Jacobs does decide to run, she added, she would be able to represent the people she has represented for close to 16 years because much of the congressional district is in this area.
She has already met with the National Republican Congress Committee, Jacobs said, as well as a pollster about running for a congressional seat. Several people have also been in contact with her since she announced her decision and are encouraging her to run for the office, she added.
"People are coming out of the woodwork offering their assistance," she said. "That's pretty exciting."