Anthony G. Brown, the incumbent Maryland attorney general, is seeking reelection in the Nov. 3, 2026 general election. Brown, a Democrat, faces Republican James B. Rutledge III.

Brown is the first Black American elected attorney general of Maryland, according to the Democratic Attorneys General Association. He was sworn in on Jan. 3, 2023.

Candidate information

  • Party: Democratic
  • Office sought: Maryland Attorney General
  • Education: Bachelor's in political science, Harvard College (1984); juris doctor, Harvard University (1992)
  • Hometown: Grew up in Huntington, New York
  • Military service: Retired colonel, U.S. Army Reserves; served three decades as an aviator and judge advocate general, including active duty as an Army aviation officer (1984–1989)

Experience and public service

Brown has held multiple elected offices in Maryland and in Congress. He served as a delegate for District 25 in the Maryland House of Delegates from 1999 to 2007, then as lieutenant governor of Maryland from 2007 to 2015. He represented Maryland's 4th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2017 to 2023 before becoming attorney general.

Brown is also a retired Army colonel.

His legal career includes a clerkship at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces (1992–1994) and work as a senior associate attorney at WilmerHale (1994–1999), according to BallotReady profile data. He also served as counsel at Gibbs and Haller.

As attorney general, Brown created the Office of Equity, Policy, and Engagement and established a Civil Rights Division, according to the Democratic Attorneys General Association. He expanded the authority of the Independent Investigations Division to prosecute police-involved fatalities and launched the Maryland Equitable Justice Collaborative to address mass incarceration and racial disparities.

On the issues

The following positions are Brown's own statements, provided through BallotReady's candidate questionnaire.

Gun safety: Brown said he will use the attorney general's platform to "continue Maryland's record of having some of the strongest gun laws in the country to promote safe storage policies to keep more Marylanders safe, creating and expanding gun violence intervention programs, and increased communication with local offices when someone fails a background check."

Environment and energy: Brown called climate change "one of the gravest national security threats we face," saying the state needs to invest in renewable energy, cut greenhouse emissions and build 21st-century infrastructure that prioritizes green public transportation.

Reproductive rights: Brown said abortion and reproductive health care rights are under attack and that Maryland and its next attorney general must protect those rights in their communities and fight for Americans across the country.

Drug policy: Brown said it is time for Maryland to catch up with many other states that have already taken steps to reverse the failed "War on Drugs" while opening critical revenue streams for underserved communities, education programs and health care services.

Voting rights: Brown said all voters, especially those from historically disenfranchised communities, must have the opportunity to register and vote. He supports expanding early voting and voting by mail, strengthening automatic voter registration, protecting voting systems and ensuring eligible voters can cast a ballot.

Endorsements

The following endorsements were claimed by the endorsers, according to BallotReady profile data:

  • AFL-CIO
  • Maryland State Education Association
  • Maryland State & DC AFL-CIO
  • Maryland League of Conservation Voters
  • UNITE HERE Local 7
  • Baltimore Afro-American Editorial Board

Policy positions in this profile are drawn from the candidate's responses to BallotReady's questionnaire. The Potomac Beacon did not interview the candidate for this article.