WCBC

May 6th, 2019 by WCBC Radio

Speaker Pro Tem Adrienne Jones, who earlier dropped out of the race to become Maryland's new House speaker, emerged from a Democratic caucus meeting with unanimous support, and was elected last week as the body's new leader. Jones won the floor vote with the support of all delegates on both sides of the aisle. Republican Del. Neil Parrott, who voted against Jones at first, changed his vote after she was sworn in. Jones is the first black speaker, and also the first woman in the role. Delegates met behind closed doors in their party caucuses as they decided who would be elected the next speaker, succeeding Michael Busch, who died last month. State Senator George Edwards tells WCBC News that while the new speaker leans to the left politically- he has worked well with her over the years and she is aware of the challenges facing western Maryland…