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Aaron Kaufman (politician)

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Aaron Kaufman
Kaufman in 2014
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates
from the 18th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 11, 2023
Serving with Emily Shetty and Jared Solomon
Preceded byAl Carr
Personal details
Born (1987-02-15) February 15, 1987 (age 37)
Political partyDemocratic
Residence(s)Chevy Chase, Maryland, U.S.
EducationMontgomery College (AA)
University of Maryland, College Park (BA)
Aaron Kaufman's voice
Aaron Kaufman on challenges faced by people with disabilities
Recorded March 10, 2023

Aaron M. Kaufman (born February 15, 1987)[1] is an American politician and disability rights advocate.[2] A member of the Democratic Party, he is a member of the Maryland House of Delegates for District 18 in Montgomery County. Kaufman has cerebral palsy, and is the first member of the Maryland General Assembly with a physical disability.[3]

Background

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Kaufman graduated from Walter Johnson High School. He attended Montgomery College, where he received an associate degree in general studies in 2009, and the University of Maryland, College Park, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in American studies in 2011.[4]

Kaufman speaking in 2014

Kaufman previously served as an administrative assistant for the Maryland House Ways and Means Committee. He is a long-time member of the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council and RespectAbility, and has worked on campaigns at several levels of government. He also served as a senior manager of legislative affairs at the Jewish Federations of North America.[5][6]

In 2014, Kaufman was elected to the Montgomery County Central Committee and served through December 2022.[6]

On April 19, 2022, Kaufman applied to run for the Maryland House of Delegates in District 18, seeking to replace state Delegate Al Carr on the ballot after Carr withdrew his candidacy hours before the candidate filing deadline on April 15 to run for the county council, and no candidates were able to file to run in his place before the deadline.[7] On April 20, the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee voted to nominate him to run in the district.[3] Kaufman, along with state Delegates Emily Shetty and Jared Solomon, faced Republican George Cecala in the general election.[6]

In the legislature

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Kaufman was sworn into the Maryland House of Delegates on January 11, 2023.[8] He is a member of the House Judiciary Committee.[9]

Political positions

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Climate change

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In May 2022, Kaufman signed a Chesapeake Climate Action Network pledge to support legislation to get Maryland to use 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2035 and to remove trash incineration from the state's "clean energy" classification.[10]

Disability rights

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While working at the Jewish Federations of North America, Kaufman pushed for legislation that would offer more financial security to people with disabilities, including the ABLE Age Adjustment Act (S.331) and the Savings Penalty Elimination Act (S.4102).[11] In July 2011, Kaufman attended a Barack Obama rally at the University of Maryland, College Park to urge the president to protect disability funding in budgetary negotiations with Congress.[12]

Taxes

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In February 2011, Kaufman joined more than 100 disabilities advocates in a rally at the Maryland State House calling on the legislature to raise the state's alcohol tax.[13] The alcohol tax bill was signed into law by Governor Martin O'Malley on May 19, 2011.[14]

In April 2022, Kaufman said he supported creating combined reporting for corporate taxes.[7]

Voting rights

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In April 2022, Kaufman said he supported establishing other mechanisms of filling vacancies in the Maryland General Assembly, such as special elections. Currently, under Maryland law, the only way to fill such a vacancy is through nomination by local central committees.[15]

Electoral history

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Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee District 18 election, 2014[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Aaron M. Kaufman 7,989 50.2
Democratic Alan Banov 7,916 49.8
Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee District 18 election, 2018[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Aaron M. Kaufman 7,945 70.0
Democratic Michael Tardif 3,407 30.0
Maryland House of Delegates District 18 Democratic primary election, 2022[18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Emily Shetty 15,747 34.5
Democratic Jared Solomon 15,239 33.4
Democratic Aaron M. Kaufman 14,698 32.2
Maryland House of Delegates District 18 election, 2022[19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Emily Shetty 32,621 30.98
Democratic Aaron M. Kaufman 30,860 29.31
Democratic Jared Solomon 30,711 29.17
Republican George M. Cecala 7,390 7.02
Green Jon Foreman 3,422 3.25
Write-in 292 0.28

References

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  1. ^ "2022 Primary Election Voters Guide: General Assembly District 18". Bethesda Magazine. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  2. ^ DePuyt, Bruce (April 21, 2022). "Montgomery Lawmaker's 11th-Hour Withdrawal Roils Democratic Activists". Maryland Matters. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  3. ^ a b Schere, Dan (April 20, 2022). "Democratic Central Committee chooses member Aaron Kaufman to fill District 18 vacancy on primary ballot". Bethesda Magazine. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  4. ^ "Members – Delegate Aaron M. Kaufman". mgaleg.maryland.gov. Maryland General Assembly. January 11, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  5. ^ Pollak, Suzanne (April 20, 2022). "Kaufman Selected to Run for Democratic Ticket for Delegate in District 18". MyMCMedia.org. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  6. ^ a b c Gaines, Danielle (April 20, 2022). "Montgomery Democratic Central Committee's Pick for District 18 Ballot Vacancy Is Aaron Kaufman". Maryland Matters. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  7. ^ a b Bohnel, Steve (April 19, 2022). "10 candidates make the case for filling District 18 ballot vacancy". Bethesda Magazine. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  8. ^ "Aaron M. Kaufman, Maryland State Delegate". Maryland Manual On-Line. Maryland State Archives. January 16, 2023. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  9. ^ Gaines, Danielle E. (January 5, 2023). "Jones announces new Democratic caucus, committee leaders for 2023 General Assembly session". Maryland Matters. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  10. ^ "2022 Maryland General Assembly Climate Justice Resolution" (PDF). Maryland Matters. May 13, 2022. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  11. ^ Vargas, Theresa (July 27, 2022). "Financial security remains elusive for too many disabled people". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  12. ^ Fritze, John (July 22, 2011). "Obama continues push for large deal on debt limit". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  13. ^ Bykowicz, Julie (February 11, 2011). "Disabilities advocates rally for alcohol tax money". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  14. ^ Bykowicz, Julie (May 19, 2011). "Alcohol tax, WWII disclosure, more signed into law today". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  15. ^ Schere, Dan (April 21, 2022). "Some Democrats fault process of filling candidate vacancies, support changes after Al Carr's last-minute withdrawal in District 18". Bethesda Magazine. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  16. ^ "Official 2014 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for Montgomery County". Maryland State Board of Elections. July 16, 2014.
  17. ^ "Official 2018 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for Montgomery County". Maryland State Board of Elections. July 31, 2018.
  18. ^ "Official 2022 Gubernatorial Primary Election Results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections. August 24, 2022.
  19. ^ "Official 2022 Gubernatorial General Election Results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections. December 7, 2022.
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