State

State Senator, 9th District

Vote for: 1
Term: 4 years
Candidates: 2
Election: Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: A state senator votes on Maryland laws and the state budget and confirms the Governor's appointments.

Candidates Compare by issue

Ben Hightower

Republican

Hospital organization employee; retired Navy hospital corpsman · Howard County

The gist

Proposes expanding the Homestead Tax Credit.
Proposes a $500 per-child tax credit.
Supports repealing the IT services tax.
Proposes slowing Blueprint implementation by three to five years.
Supports higher teacher pay and more vocational training.
Supports fast-tracking natural gas and small nuclear power.
Proposes cutting permit approval times to 30 days.

More about Ben

View sources (2)

Proposes expanding the Homestead Tax Credit.
Maryland Senate District 9: 2026 Maryland Voter Guide
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Banner · May 18, 2026 · thebanner.com
“I'd expand the Homestead Tax Credit to protect homeowners from assessment-driven tax shock, with enhanced caps for seniors.”
Proposes a $500 per-child tax credit.
Maryland Senate District 9: 2026 Maryland Voter Guide
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Banner · May 18, 2026 · thebanner.com
“I'd create a $500 per child tax credit for families earning under $150,000”
Supports repealing the IT services tax.
Maryland Senate District 9: 2026 Maryland Voter Guide
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Banner · May 18, 2026 · thebanner.com
“Repeal the IT services tax, raise business expensing caps”
Proposes slowing Blueprint implementation by three to five years.
Maryland Senate District 9: 2026 Maryland Voter Guide
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Banner · May 18, 2026 · thebanner.com
“That means slowing the implementation timeline by three to five years so costs don't outpace revenue.”
Supports higher teacher pay and more vocational training.
Ben Hightower for Maryland State Senate District 9
Campaign website · Friends of Ben Hightower · benhightower.org
“Ben supports increasing teacher pay, increasing vocational training programs, and keeping politics out of classrooms.”
Supports fast-tracking natural gas and small nuclear power.
Maryland Senate District 9: 2026 Maryland Voter Guide
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Banner · May 18, 2026 · thebanner.com
“I'd halt premature closures, fast-track modern natural gas and small modular nuclear generation”
Proposes cutting permit approval times to 30 days.
Maryland Senate District 9: 2026 Maryland Voter Guide
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Banner · May 18, 2026 · thebanner.com
“I'd reform permitting to cut approval times from 120 days to 30”

Katie Fry Hester

DemocraticIncumbent

State senator · Howard County

The gist

Led efforts to make data centers pay their costs.
Opposes broad-based tax increases except as a last resort.
Sponsored the AI-Ready Schools Act for AI literacy.
Supports keeping Blueprint core while adjusting timelines.
Supports faster permitting and housing near jobs and transit.
Pledges to defend reproductive rights.
Sponsored a bill on AI deepfake identity fraud.In office

In office = from the candidate's own official statements or legislation as an officeholder, not their campaign.

More about Katie

View sources (3)

Led efforts to make data centers pay their costs.
Maryland Senate District 9: 2026 Maryland Voter Guide
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Banner · May 18, 2026 · thebanner.com
“I led efforts to require data centers to pay their fair share.”
Opposes broad-based tax increases except as a last resort.
Maryland Senate District 9: 2026 Maryland Voter Guide
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Banner · May 18, 2026 · thebanner.com
“Broad-based tax increases should be a last resort, and I have historically opposed them.”
Sponsored the AI-Ready Schools Act for AI literacy.
Maryland Senate District 9: 2026 Maryland Voter Guide
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Banner · May 18, 2026 · thebanner.com
“This year, I sponsored the AI-Ready Schools Act, which will ensure our students are AI-literate when they graduate”
Supports keeping Blueprint core while adjusting timelines.
Maryland Senate District 9: 2026 Maryland Voter Guide
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Banner · May 18, 2026 · thebanner.com
“while remaining willing to adjust timelines and allow flexibility to ensure sustainability within our existing resources”
Supports faster permitting and housing near jobs and transit.
Maryland Senate District 9: 2026 Maryland Voter Guide
Candidate questionnaire · The Baltimore Banner · May 18, 2026 · thebanner.com
“We must cut unnecessary red tape, accelerate permitting, and build more housing near job centers and transit.”
Pledges to defend reproductive rights.
Katie Fry Hester for MD State Senate D9
Campaign website · Friends of Katie Fry Hester · katiefryhester.com
“I promise that I will continue to stand up for women's rights in Annapolis”
Sponsored a bill on AI deepfake identity fraud.
Senator Katie Fry Hester, member page, Maryland General Assembly
Government record · Maryland General Assembly · Legislation: SB 8 · mgaleg.maryland.gov
“Criminal Law - Identity Fraud - Artificial Intelligence and Deepfake Representations”

Challengers are listed first and incumbents last; otherwise candidates appear in ballot order. The Gist does not rank, rate or endorse candidates. Only positions backed by a cited source are shown; 6 issues covered in this race.