Ron Watson (politician)

Ron Watson
Watson in 2026
Member of the Maryland Senate
from the 23rd district
Incumbent
Assumed office
August 31, 2021
Appointed byLarry Hogan
Preceded byDouglas J. J. Peters
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates
from the 23B district
In office
January 9, 2019 – August 31, 2021
Preceded byJoseph F. Vallario Jr.
Succeeded byCheryl S. Landis
Personal details
BornRonald L. Watson
(1966-04-30) April 30, 1966
Seat Pleasant, Maryland, U.S.
PartyDemocratic
SpouseIngrid
Children3
EducationMorgan State University (BS)
Binghamton University (MS, PhD)
George Washington University (MBA)
Military service
Branch/serviceUnited States Army Reserves
Years of service
1989–2006
RankMajor

Ronald L. Watson (born April 30, 1966) is an American politician who has served as a member of the Maryland Senate representing District 23 since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously represented District 23B in the Maryland House of Delegates from 2019 to 2021, and served on the Prince George's County Board of Education from 2006 to 2010.

Early life and education

Watson was born in Washington, D.C. on April 30, 1966.[1] His parents were both retired school principals.[2] Watson graduated from Central High School and attended Morgan State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering in 1991; Binghamton University, where he earned a Master of Science degree in advanced technology in 1993 and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in systems science in 1999; and George Washington University, where he earned a Master of Business Administration degree in 2002. He is a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity.[1]

Career

Early career

Watson served in the U.S. Army Reserves from 1989 to 2006, during which he worked as a program manager at Lockheed Martin, IBM, and MCR. He graduated from the United States Army Command and General Staff College in 2004. Since 2004, Watson has owned his own business, Watson Management Corporation.[1]

In 2006, Watson was elected to the Prince George's County Board of Education.[3] He served in this position until 2010.[1] Watson unsuccessfully ran for the Maryland House of Delegates in District 23B in 2014, challenging incumbents Marvin E. Holmes Jr. and Joseph F. Vallario Jr.[4] He ran for the seat again in 2018, during which he defeated Vallario in a political upset.[5][6]

Maryland General Assembly

Watson in the Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee, 2024

Watson was sworn into the Maryland House of Delegates on January 9, 2019. During his tenure, he served on the Judiciary Committee, including its family law and juvenile law subcommittees.[1]

In August 2021, following the resignation of state Senator Douglas J. J. Peters, Watson applied to serve the remainder of Peters' term in the Maryland Senate. He was unanimously nominated to the seat by the Prince George's County Democratic Central Committee later that month,[7] and was appointed by Governor Larry Hogan on August 27.[8] Watson was sworn into the Maryland Senate on August 31, and was elected to a full four-year term in the 2022 Senate election.[9] He was a member of the Judicial Proceedings Committee from 2021 to 2023, afterwards serving on the Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee.[1]

In 2024, Watson applied to run as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention pledged to Joe Biden, but was denied by the Maryland Democratic Party.[10]

In July 2025, Watson was appointed as an interim senior adviser to the incoming Prince George's County superintendent of schools. State law does not normally allow General Assembly members to earn pay from secondary jobs in state or local government as a potential conflict of interest. Watson requested an exemption to this law from the Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics, which was denied in October. Watson resigned from the position at the start of December after deciding not to challenge the committee's decision in court.[11] During the 2026 legislative session, he introduced a bill that would allow state legislators to work for a state, county, or local government if they served one elected term in the General Assembly and met other standards, which would allow him to get his job with the Prince George's County Public Schools system back.[12] The bill was converted into a study in the House of Delegates, then died after it failed to pass before the General Assembly adjourned sine die.[13]

Political positions

Criminal justice

During the 2024 legislative session, Watson said he planned to introduce legislation that would allow parents to waive the requirement that a child must speak to an attorney before speaking to law enforcement and would require parents and children to complete counseling or substance abuse treatment classes administered by the Maryland Department of Social Services.[14] He also supported legislation to extend probationary periods for juveniles found guilty of firearm misdemeanors and felonies.[15]

In March 2026, during debate on a bill to repeal the practice of automatically charging youth as adults for certain crimes, Watson was one of two Democrats to support a Republican amendment to the bill that would require youth charged with first-degree murder to be tried in adult courts.[16]

Education

In May 2009, after the Maryland General Assembly passed legislation to cut funding for the Prince George's County Public Schools system, Watson voted to terminate the county board of education's $11 million lease for a new headquarters.[17]

Electoral reform

In February 2026, Watson said he supported pursuing mid-decade redistricting in Maryland and pledged to support a bill that would redraw Maryland's congressional districts to improve the Democratic Party's chances of winning the 1st congressional district, the only congressional district held by Republicans in the state, if it came to the floor for a vote.[18] In March 2026, he opposed a bill that would prohibit nonprofits from engaging in political campaigns in exchange for tax-exempt status, calling it an "attempt to stifle conversation that occurs in Black churches".[19]

Environment

During the 2022 legislative session, Watson introduced the Climate Equity Act, a bill that would require government agencies to assess the impacts of climate and labor before approving permits or projects,[20] and another bill that would make it illegal to send threats to health officers.[21] He also expressed concerns with proposal to raise the state's eviction notice filing fee from $15 to $65, which he said would penalize small landlords.[22][23]

Gambling

During the 2023 legislative session, Watson introduced legislation to create a statewide referendum on legalizing online gambling.[24] In June 2026, Watson suggested that the state could fix its looming deficit problems by legalizing online gambling and minting a Maryland stablecoin, which would generate revenue for the state by collecting interest on the digital currency.[25]

Policing

During the 2023 legislative session, Watson introduced a bill that would allow municipalities to establish their own police accountability boards.[26] He also supported a bill to raise sentences for illegal gun possession and make knowingly selling someone a weapon used in a crime a felony offense.[27] He also supported efforts to locate the new Federal Bureau of Investigation's headquarters in Prince George's County.[28]

Social issues

During the 2020 legislative session, Watson criticized a bill that would allow couples to file for divorce while living in the same house, noting that it would allow people to file for divorce because of their spouse's inability to have sex due to a medical condition.[29]

During the 2021 legislative session, Watson introduced legislation creating a statewide referendum on renaming the Maryland Court of Appeals to the Supreme Court of Maryland, which passed[30] and was approved by voters in the 2022 elections.[31] He also introduced a bill to eliminate the four appointed positions from the Prince George's County Board of Education and make all elected positions at-large,[32][33] which died without a vote.[34]

Personal life

Watson and his wife Ingrid with Governor Wes Moore, 2024

Watson is married to his wife, Ingrid Watson, who was a member of the Prince George's County Council from 2022 to 2026.[35][36] Together, they have three children. Watson is a congregant at the First Baptist Church of Glenarden.[1]

Electoral history

Maryland House of Delegates District 23B Democratic primary election, 2014[37]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Marvin E. Holmes Jr. (incumbent) 6,323 32.8
Democratic Joseph F. Vallario Jr. (incumbent) 5,284 27.4
Democratic Ron Watson 4,357 22.6
Democratic Thea Wilson 2,801 14.5
Democratic Reginald Tyer, Jr. 524 2.7
Maryland House of Delegates District 23B Democratic primary election, 2018[38]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ron Watson 8,869 29.5
Democratic Marvin E. Holmes Jr. (incumbent) 8,287 27.5
Democratic Joseph F. Vallario Jr. (incumbent) 6,519 21.7
Democratic Denise Tyler 3,132 10.4
Democratic Caleb L. Gilchrist 1,420 4.7
Democratic Pennie Parker 1,106 3.7
Democratic Paul Manicone 753 2.5
Maryland House of Delegates District 23B election, 2018[39]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ron Watson 30,579 50.5
Democratic Marvin E. Holmes Jr. (incumbent) 29,235 48.3
Write-in 685 1.1
Maryland Senate District 23 Democratic primary election, 2022[40]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ron Watson (incumbent) 10,359 42.6
Democratic Raaheela Ahmed 9,415 38.7
Democratic Sylvia Johnson 4,567 18.8
Maryland Senate District 23 election, 2022[41]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ron Watson (incumbent) 41,343 87.4
Republican Jesse Peed 5,886 12.4
Write-in 93 0.2

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Ronald L. Watson, Maryland State Senator". Maryland Manual On-Line. Maryland State Archives. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
  2. ↑ Wiggins, Ovetta; Hernández, Arelis R. (January 9, 2019). "Meet the freshman class of the Maryland General Assembly". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  3. ↑ Hernandez, Nelson; Helderman, Rosalind S. (November 8, 2006). "Democrats' Picks Lead in School Board Race". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  4. ↑ Hernández, Arelis R. (May 5, 2014). "Rushern Baker endorses in local races, but makes no pick yet in governor's contest". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  5. ↑ Chason, Rachel; Armus, Teo (June 27, 2018). "'Political earthquake': Progressives oust Democratic incumbents in statehouse primaries". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  6. ↑ Lash, Steve (June 28, 2018). "Longtime House judiciary panel chair Vallario loses re-election bid". Maryland Daily Record. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  7. ↑ DePuyt, Bruce (August 17, 2021). "Prince George's Democrats Tap Del. Watson For Vacant Senate Seat". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  8. ↑ Gaskill, Hannah (August 27, 2021). "Hogan Appoints Del. Ron Watson to Fill Senate Vacancy". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  9. ↑ Kurtz, Josh (July 22, 2022). "Speaker's preferred candidate leading in open-seat Senate race — plus, other Senate results". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  10. ↑ Kurtz, Josh (April 22, 2024). "Selection process for Democratic convention delegates irks some lawmakers". Maryland Matters. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  11. ↑ Condon, Christine; Ford, William J. (December 16, 2025). "Maryland senator drops Prince George's schools job amid ethics concerns". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 16, 2025.
  12. ↑ Ford, William J. (March 21, 2026). "Bill to ease restrictions on second jobs for lawmakers gets a boost". Maryland Matters. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  13. ↑ Sears, Bryan P.; Brown, Danielle J.; Condon, Christine; Ford, William J. (April 14, 2026). "The storm after the calm: Placid final day erupts in final minutes in House, Senate". Maryland Matters. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
  14. ↑ Ford, William J. (December 7, 2023). "Lawmakers, county officials discuss recent juvenile justice reforms and potential changes at annual meeting". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  15. ↑ Ford, William J. (December 15, 2023). "Braveboy, Bates join to introduce legislative priorities before upcoming General Assembly session". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  16. ↑ Ford, William J. (March 5, 2026). "Senate advances measure to limit adult charges for youth". Maryland Matters. Retrieved March 9, 2026.
  17. ↑ "With a penalty of $4.8M, P.G. schools end HQ lease". Maryland Daily Record. May 20, 2009. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  18. ↑ O'Wintrode, Brenda; O'Neill, Madeleine (February 25, 2026). "Here's where all 47 Maryland senators stand on redistricting". The Baltimore Banner. Retrieved February 25, 2026.
  19. ↑ Brown, Danielle J. (March 21, 2026). "A question of church and state dominates Senate debate on charitable organizations bill". Maryland Matters. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  20. ↑ Shwe, Elizabeth (March 3, 2022). "Bill Would Require Government Agencies to Consider Climate and Environmental Justice in their Decisions". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  21. ↑ Kurtz, Josh (March 21, 2022). "On 'Crossover Day,' Lawmakers Address Myriad Pandemic Challenges — And More". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  22. ↑ Leckrone, Bennett (February 4, 2022). "Frosh Urges Lawmakers to Raise Eviction Filing Fees". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  23. ↑ Lash, Steve (February 3, 2023). "Frosh renews call for increase to eviction filing fee". Maryland Daily Record. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  24. ↑ "Maryland legislature to analyze legalizing online gaming like virtual table games and slot machines". The Baltimore Sun. February 17, 2023. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  25. ↑ Hammann, William; Lipman, Adam (June 2, 2026). "General Assembly candidates' biggest challenge? The state's budget outlook". Capital News Service. Retrieved June 3, 2026.
  26. ↑ Ford, William J. (February 27, 2023). "Proposed legislation would allow Maryland municipalities to create police accountability boards". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  27. ↑ Gaskill, Hannah (March 2, 2023). "Republicans revisit former Gov. Larry Hogan's crime bill, support legislation endorsed by new Baltimore prosecutor". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  28. ↑ Ford, William J. (March 8, 2023). "Maryland officials plan final pitch for feds to relocate FBI headquarters to the state". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  29. ↑ Gaskill, Hannah (January 24, 2020). "Proposed Bill Would Alter Maryland's Divorce Grounds". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  30. ↑ Stole, Bryn (March 27, 2021). "Legislators OK bills to rename Maryland's 2 appeals courts; voters could decide question in 2022 referendum". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  31. ↑ Lash, Steve (November 29, 2022). "Maryland's appellate courts will get new names Dec. 14". Maryland Daily Record. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  32. ↑ Kazanjian, Glynis (February 1, 2021). "Two State Lawmakers Seek to Revamp Prince George's Schools' Management Structure". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  33. ↑ Ford, William J. (January 14, 2021). "New Prince George's School Board Chair: 'It's a Team Effort' to Boost Education in the County". The Washington Informer. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  34. ↑ DePuyt, Bruce (March 2, 2022). "Return to All-Elected School Board in Prince George's Is Likely, But Not This Year". Maryland Matters. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  35. ↑ "Maryland power couples, 2023 edition". Maryland Matters. February 14, 2023. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  36. ↑ Eggleston, Luke (January 13, 2026). "Prince George's County Councilmember Ingrid Watson resigning". WUSA (TV). Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  37. ↑ "Official 2014 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections.
  38. ↑ "Official 2018 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections.
  39. ↑ "Official 2018 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections.
  40. ↑ "Official 2022 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for State Senator". Maryland State Board of Elections.
  41. ↑ "Official 2022 Gubernatorial General Election results for State Senator". Maryland State Board of Elections.
  • Wikimedia Commons logo Media related to Ron Watson (politician) at Wikimedia Commons
This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.