State Senator in Legislative District 1, Maryland

2026 Primary Election

• Ashley Emerick — State Senator in Legislative District 1, Maryland

  Ashley Emerick is a Democratic candidate seeking to represent District 1 in the Maryland State Senate. A lifelong resident of Allegany County, Emerick is a 2015 graduate of Frostburg State University. Her professional background is rooted in entrepreneurship; she owns a small business, a bakery she successfully launched during the COVID-19 shutdown. This firsthand experience navigating the local economy as an entrepreneur provided her with the direct motivation to run for public office. Emerick aims to apply her practical insights and advocate for the interests of Western Maryland in the state legislature. The Democratic primary election is scheduled for June 23, 2026, with the general election taking place on November 3, 2026.

• Mike McKay — State Senator in Legislative District 1, Maryland

  Michael Wayne McKay is a Republican State Senator for Maryland's Legislative District 1. A small business owner from Western Maryland, his career in public service began in local government, where he served on the Allegany County Board of Education and as president of the Allegany County Board of County Commissioners. In 2015, McKay was elected to represent District 1C in the Maryland House of Delegates, a position he held for eight years while serving on the Appropriations Committee. He successfully ran for the State Senate in 2022 and assumed office in January 2023. A self-identified pro-life conservative and supporter of the Second Amendment, his policy focus includes economic development and public safety.