By Tashi McQueen
AFRO Staff Writer
tmcqueen@afro.com
State Del. Malcolm P. Ruff (D-District 41) officially announced Aug. 21 that he will run for a seat in the Maryland General Assembly in the 2026 election.
Ruff is running for a Senate seat in District 41, which is located entirely in Baltimore City at its northwest corner, extending southward and then to the east. It encompasses neighborhoods such as Edmondson Village, Pimlico, Yale Heights, West Arlington, Grove Park, Cheswolde, Fallstaff, Mount Washington, Cross Keys and Roland Park, etc., and is home to 79,417 Black residents and 32,732 White residents.
“As senator, I will deliver more for the people,” said Ruff. “My commitment is unwavering, and my connection to this district is deep.”
Over 100 people gathered at Gwynn Falls/Leakin Park in West Baltimore to support Ruff, including several colleagues from the Maryland General Assembly, such as Del. Aletheia R. McCaskill (D-District 44B) and Del. Gabriel Acevero (D-District 39), as well as city legislators including Councilman John T. Bullock (D-District 9) and Councilwoman Phylicia Porter (D-District 10).
Ruff also received a major endorsement from Jill P. Carter, former District 41 senator.
“Tonight, we are not just launching a campaign, we are introducing a servant leader who has the toughness of a linebacker, the sharpness of a lawyer and the heart of a neighbor,” said Carter. “Our senator must understand the full range of needs and how to fight for everyone. That’s why Malcolm Ruff is truly the best choice.”
With this bid, Ruff is risking his seat in the House of Delegates to run for the Senate. At the event, he explained why he is willing to take that risk.
“It’s because of what I see happening in our neighborhoods, especially those that need the most investment, the most resources, the most attention from policy makers on the state level,” Ruff said. “I knew it was incumbent upon me to take a bold step forward.”
Ruff is looking to challenge Democratic Sen. Dalya Attar again for the seat. On Jan. 21, the Baltimore City Democratic Central Committee selected Attar over Ruff to fill the vacancy left when Carter resigned to join the Maryland State Board of Contract Appeals.
If elected, Ruff plans to continue his work on affordable housing, justice reform, economic opportunity, racial equity and reparative justice in the General Assembly.
On the same day that Ruff made his announcement, activist Crystal Jackson Parker also publicly announced her campaign at a separate, unrelated event. Parker is seeking a seat as a delegate for District 40. The jurisdiction is located in central western portions of Baltimore City, covering neighborhoods such as Langston Hughes, Lucille Park, and Central Park, among others, and containing the Druid Park Lake and Druid Hill Park.
According to the Maryland Department of Planning, District 40 is home to 84,456 Black residents and 26,256 White residents.
Parker, if elected to the House of Delegates, plans to advocate for affordable health care, environmental justice, universal pre-K and wealth building in Baltimore.
“These are some of the same issues that have been concerning our citizens for more than 40 years,” Parker said. “For me, that signals that something is missing–that the people’s voice is not what is leading policy. It is time for leadership that is ready to show up, stand up, speak up, and is rooted in the community, ready to serve. That is me.”
Correction: This article has been updated to clarify that Del. Malcolm Ruff (D-District 41) and activist Crystal Jackson Parker both launched their campaigns on Aug. 21, but they are not campaigning together.