Brooke Lierman, a Walt Whitman High School graduate, is seeking a second term as Maryland comptroller. She faces Republican Sonya Dunn.

Asked why she is running for reelection, Lierman said in our candidate questionnaire: "There's more work to do! I have worked to chart a new direction for the agency as a proactive partner in building a more equitable, more prosperous Maryland. That means protecting taxpayer dollars, strengthening our economy, and making government work better for the people it serves."

Candidate information

Party: "Democrat," Lierman said in our questionnaire.

Family: "My husband, Eben Hansel, and I live in Baltimore with our two children, who attend Baltimore City Public Schools," Lierman said in our questionnaire.

Education: "A.B., History, Dartmouth College '01; J.D., University of Texas Law School, '08," Lierman said in our questionnaire. She graduated from Walt Whitman High School in 1997, according to BallotReady.

Family in politics: "My brothers and I were raised to believe in the value of public service in many forms," Lierman said in our questionnaire. "My father worked on Capitol Hill and chaired the Maryland Democratic Party. My youngest brother worked in the Obama White House, and my other brother has worked in community and labor organizing. My mother worked as a pediatric nurse practitioner at Children's Hospital and a community health center."

Lierman is the first woman to serve as Maryland comptroller and the first woman independently elected to any of the state's constitutional offices, according to the Maryland Women's Hall of Fame, which inducted her in 2024.

Experience and public service

Offices held: "Maryland Comptroller, 2023–present; elected in 2022. Member, Board of Public Works and Board of Revenue Estimates; vice chair, Maryland State Retirement and Pension System Board of Trustees," Lierman said in our questionnaire. "Maryland House of Delegates, District 46, 2015–2023; elected in 2014 and reelected in 2018. Appropriations Committee Member, Chair of the Joint Pension Committee, Land Use & Ethics Subcommittee Chair."

Work history: "Maryland Comptroller, State of Maryland, 2023–present. Previously, civil rights and disability rights attorney, Brown Goldstein & Levy, 2010–2022; State Delegate, Maryland General Assembly, 2015–2023," Lierman said in our questionnaire.

Accomplishments: Asked what past accomplishments show she can handle the job, Lierman said in our questionnaire: "As Comptroller, I have led our agency's charge to modernize to make government more nimble and effective. We migrated over 4 billion records to the state's new tax system, revamped our agency website to support multiple languages, created a new unclaimed property website, and launched interactive economic snapshots to increase state financial transparency."

She added: "As a Delegate, I passed landmark legislation focused on transit, environmental protection, public education funding, and economic development, while serving as Chair of the Joint Committee on Pensions."

What sets her apart: "I bring proven ability to execute, perform, and innovate during my first four years on the job after spending eight productive years in the General Assembly, passing many bipartisan bills and reforms, and spending over a decade as a federal civil rights and disability rights attorney," Lierman said in our questionnaire. "I know what this office can do, where it needs to improve, and what it takes to turn a proposal into something tangible."

On the issues

Revenue forecasts: Asked how honest recent state revenue forecasts have been, Lierman said in our questionnaire: "Over the past four years, our Board of Revenue Estimates forecasts have been uncannily accurate … But I believe we need more than power point estimates - we need context and reporting. That's why our agency now publishes independent, data-driven reports on Maryland's economy so policymakers and the public have transparent, accurate information."

She added: "Revenue forecasts must remain transparent, objective, and insulated from political influence. I will continue ensuring our data models reflect economic realities, including childcare costs, housing pressures, and evolving labor dynamics, so we can make responsible fiscal decisions for Maryland's future."

Best advice: Asked about the best advice she has received, Lierman said in our questionnaire: "Barbara Mikulski's reminder to pay attention to both the 'macro issues' and the 'macaroni and cheese issues.' You have to understand the big budget decisions and what they mean for someone trying to pay their bills, get a tax refund, or keep a small business running."

The general election is Nov. 3, 2026.