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Maryland state Sen. Andrew Serafini, a Western Maryland Republican with expertise in the state budget, announced Thursday that he’s resigning from his position.
His resignation is effective Saturday.
In a letter sent to fellow senators, Serafini said his 12 years in Annapolis — first as a state delegate, later as a senator — have been enough. The long hours and stress of the job have taken a toll, he wrote.
“I must admit that leaving my family on a Monday and not returning home until Friday late afternoon has worn on me,” Serafini, 58, wrote. “Frankly, being a Republican from a rural area has also worn on me.”
Despite the challenges of being outnumbered by Democrats, Serafini credited Senate President Emeritus Thomas V. Mike Miller with making sure the minority party’s voice was heard.
“We have debated, disagreed, and worked through very difficult decisions but it has been done from a sincere desire to make Maryland better with mutual respect for each and every opinion,” Serafini wrote.
Maryland Policy & Politics
Serafini has served on the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, and earned respect from members of both parties for his financial acumen and contributions to bills dealing with the budget and the economy.
In the private sector, Serafini owns a financial services group in Hagerstown.
Sen. J.B. Jennings, the Republican minority leader in the Senate, said Serafini is “one of the best human beings you can find.”
“Andy was our ‘numbers guy’ and always took the time to dive into the issues, especially the budget, and worked to build consensus with his colleagues on both sides of the aisle,” Jennings, who represents Harford and Baltimore counties, said in a statement.
Senate President Bill Ferguson, a Baltimore Democrat, considered Serafini one of his closest friends in the Senate. The two served together on the Budget and Taxation Committee.
“In a time when it is sometimes difficult to believe in bipartisanship and collegiality, Andy Serafini has been a shining example of how government can succeed,” Ferguson said in a statement. “In the many moments we disagreed, he was a fierce challenger in the marketplace of ideas. When we agreed, there was no better ally you could ask for.”
Once Serafini’s Senate seat is officially vacant, the Washington County Republican Central Committee will be charged with nominating a replacement. Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, makes the appointment, and must choose an individual recommended by the central committee.