Lieutenant Governor in Statewide, Maryland

2026 Primary Election

• LaTrece Hawkins Lytes — Lieutenant Governor in Statewide, Maryland

  LaTrece Hawkins Lytes is a Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Maryland. A lifelong Marylander born in Baltimore and raised in Landover, she is a community activist and political newcomer who previously ran for the same office in 2022. Her advocacy work is deeply informed by her personal experience as a Type 1 juvenile diabetes survivor and a pancreas transplant recipient. She has held advocacy positions with the University of Maryland Medical Center and the American Diabetes Association. With her husband, Hawkins Lytes owns Lytes LLC, a business that provides advocacy services, and runs the nonprofit Shining Lytes Inc., which is dedicated to diabetes awareness.

• Aruna Miller — Lieutenant Governor in Statewide, Maryland

  Aruna Miller is the 10th Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, sworn into office on January 18, 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, she is the first South Asian woman and the first immigrant to be elected to a statewide position in Maryland. Miller was born in Hyderabad, India, and immigrated to the United States at the age of seven. She earned a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the Missouri University of Science and Technology. Prior to her career in public service, Miller worked for 25 years as a transportation engineer for the Montgomery County Department of Transportation. She previously served in the Maryland House of Delegates from 2010 to 2019, representing District 15.

• Kevin L. Rhodes Sr. — Lieutenant Governor in Statewide, Maryland

  Kevin L. Rhodes Sr. is a declared Republican candidate seeking the office of Lieutenant Governor for the state of Maryland. His candidacy is for the 2026 election cycle. In accordance with Maryland's election process for these executive offices, Rhodes is running on a joint ticket with a gubernatorial candidate, Carl A. Brunner, Jr., who is vying for the position of Governor. The Brunner-Rhodes ticket will first compete in the Republican primary election, which is officially scheduled to be held on June 23, 2026. If they successfully secure the Republican nomination, they will advance to the general election, which is slated for November 3, 2026, to face the nominees from opposing political parties.

• Jeremy M. Shifflett — Lieutenant Governor in Statewide, Maryland

  Jeremy M. Shifflett is an active political figure within the Republican Party in Maryland. He is currently a candidate for the office of Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, participating in a joint ticket with gubernatorial candidate L. D. Burkindine. The Burkindine-Shifflett ticket is seeking the Republican nomination in the primary election scheduled for June 23, 2026. This election will determine which candidates will represent the party in the subsequent general election for the state's highest executive offices. Before pursuing statewide office, Shifflett was involved in local politics. He previously ran as a Republican candidate for the Anne Arundel County Council, representing District 1, in an election held on November 8, 2022.

• Rob Krop — Lieutenant Governor in Statewide, Maryland

  Rob Krop is a Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Maryland and a lifelong resident of Frederick County. A graduate of Liberty University with a degree in Biblical Studies, he is a husband and father of four. Krop has over 20 years of experience in the real estate industry, running the Krop Team and owning Key City Property Management. He is also the founder and owner of The Machine Gun Nest, an indoor shooting range in Frederick. In 2023, Krop was indicted on federal charges related to a scheme to illegally acquire machine guns; he was later acquitted of all charges. His political platform is focused on increasing affordability, stopping government corruption, and protecting property rights and individual liberty.

• Tyrone Keys Jr. — Lieutenant Governor in Statewide, Maryland

  Tyrone Keys Jr. is the Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, running with gubernatorial candidate Ed Hale. A financial planner born and raised in West Baltimore, Keys has been described by Hale as a friend and close confidant. During his campaign announcement, he highlighted concerns about affordability, high taxes, and energy costs. Prior to his political career, Keys was a professional football player for six seasons in the NFL. Playing defensive end, his career included time with the Chicago Bears, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and San Diego Chargers. Keys was a member of the 1985 Chicago Bears team that won Super Bowl XX. After football, he founded All Sports Community Service, an organization to help at-risk youth.

• Martina D. Duncan — Lieutenant Governor in Statewide, Maryland

  Martina D. Duncan is the Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, running on a ticket with gubernatorial candidate Douglas Larcomb. A Board Certified Massage Therapist, Duncan brings a background in healthcare to the political field. Her career in therapeutic massage began after she graduated from the Utah College of Massage Therapy in 2002. She is professionally licensed to practice in the state of Maryland and holds prominent certifications from the Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals and the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. Her professional work focuses on specialized techniques such as deep tissue massage, injury recovery, and energy healing, serving a diverse range of clients, including athletes.

• Brenda J. Thiam — Lieutenant Governor in Statewide, Maryland

  Dr. Brenda J. Thiam is a Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Maryland and a resident of Washington County. Her professional background is in education, where she worked as a special education teacher and earned a doctorate in special education leadership. In 2020, Governor Larry Hogan appointed Dr. Thiam to the Maryland House of Delegates for District 2B, a historic appointment that made her the first African American Republican woman to serve in the Maryland General Assembly. She served from October 2020 to January 2023, during which time she was a member of the Judiciary Committee and held the position of Deputy Minority Whip. After an unsuccessful campaign for a full term in 2022, she has remained active in politics.

• Ronald W. Abend — Lieutenant Governor in Statewide, Maryland

  Ronald W. Abend has officially entered the race for Lieutenant Governor of Maryland as a candidate for the Republican Party. He is currently focused on securing the Republican nomination in the state's primary election, a critical step for any candidate aspiring to advance to the general election. This pivotal primary is scheduled to take place on June 23, 2026. Success in the primary would place Abend on the general election ballot, where he would compete against candidates from other political parties for the state's second-highest executive office. The Maryland general election is set for November 3, 2026. Abend's campaign is aimed at winning the support of Republican voters to become the party's official nominee. At this stage of the campaign cycle, comprehensive details regarding Ronald W. Abend's specific policy positions, professional history, and overarching political platform have not yet been made widely available to the public.

• Rachel Hannah "Mohawk" Swift — Lieutenant Governor in Statewide, Maryland

  Rachel Hannah 'Mohawk' Swift is a Republican politician who has announced her candidacy for Lieutenant Governor of Maryland for the 2026 election cycle. She is formally running on the Republican ticket alongside gubernatorial candidate Nancy Jane Taylor. Maryland voters will have the opportunity to cast their ballots in the primary election, which is officially scheduled to take place on June 23, 2026. The subsequent general election is slated for November 3, 2026. Before seeking statewide office in Maryland, Rachel Hannah Swift previously campaigned for national office. She was a candidate for President of the United States in the 2024 election, securing a position on the Republican primary ballot in West Virginia.

• Reba A. Hawkins — Lieutenant Governor in Statewide, Maryland

  Reba A. Hawkins is a Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Maryland. A business leader and entrepreneur, Hawkins serves as the Chief Executive Officer of R&E Green Janitorial. Her background in business is supported by her undergraduate degree in business administration, which she earned from Morgan State University. A native of the region, she was born in Washington, D.C. Hawkins is a veteran of several political campaigns, bringing prior electoral experience to her current run. In 2022, she sought a seat in the U.S. Senate. Previously, in 2020, she campaigned for office in two separate federal races, running for seats in both Maryland's 3rd and 7th Congressional Districts. She defines her political philosophy as being a "21st century hybrid conservative."

• Owen Silverman Andrews — Lieutenant Governor in Statewide, Maryland

  Owen Silverman Andrews is the Green Party candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, running alongside gubernatorial candidate Andy Ellis. A Baltimore resident, Andrews works as an educator and community organizer. Since 2018, he has been an instructional specialist of English language learning at a Maryland community college and has taught English to immigrants since 2013. He is also a doctoral student in education at the University of Virginia. Andrews has been active in politics since 2014, participating in Green Party campaigns in 2016, 2018, and 2020. He is a former co-chair of the Baltimore City Green Party, bringing extensive grassroots organizing experience to his candidacy.