Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk (D-Prince George’s and Anne Arundel) is all smiles as she leaves a meeting of the House Democratic Caucus Tuesday after being picked as the next speaker of the House. A full vote is scheduled for later in the day. (Photo Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters)A quick meeting of the House Democrats on Tuesday morning cleared the way for Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk (D-Prince George’s and Anne Arundel) to become the next speaker of the House of Delegates.
With the support of the Democratic Caucus to lead the chamber, Peña-Melnyk has more than enough votes to win an election for speaker when the House convenes for a special session that begins at noon Tuesday. Her election will make her the first Afro-Latina and first immigrant to preside over either chamber in the Maryland General Assembly.
“I really don’t have enough words to express how I feel about my colleagues trusting me with this enormous responsibility to lead,” Peña-Melnyk told reporters as she emerged from the 40-minute caucus meeting. “I’m an inclusive leader, and I’m going to lead with my colleagues. This House belongs to all of us.”
Peña-Melnyk, who serves as chair of the House Health and Government Operations Committee, quickly emerged as the leading candidate just days after former Speaker Adrienne Jones (D-Baltimore County) announced she would relinquish the gavel but remain a member of the House. Jones stepped done Dec. 4.
Peña-Melnyk’s selection was very different from Jones.
In 2019, Jones announced then withdrew her candidacy for speaker. She later emerged as a compromise candidate when the Dels. Dereck Davis and Maggie McIntosh were not able to secure enough votes to succeed Michael Busch, who died in office earlier that year. When she took office, Jones became the first woman and the first Black lawmaker to lead either chamber in Maryland.
Peña-Melnyk was one of four candidates seeking to replace Jones as speaker. She quickly secured enough votes to seal the nomination, and within days the three other candidates for the job said they would withdraw and support Peña-Melnyk.
The election in the House Democratic Caucus was punctuated with cheers that could be heard in the hall outside the closed-door gathering. It was over in less than 20 mins.
By Bryan P. Sears
