Talmadge Branch (born January 30, 1956) is an American politician who represented the 45th legislative district in the Maryland House of Delegates from 1995 to 2023. Branch is a former chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland and founder of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland's foundation. Branch was an unsuccessful candidate in the 2020 Maryland 7th congressional district special primary election to fill out the term of the late Elijah Cummings. Branch then withdrew from the overlapping regular 2020 election for the same congressional seat.

Early life

Branch was born in Northampton County, North Carolina on January 30, 1956. He attended Northern High School in Baltimore and then Essex Community College where he got his A.A. in 1978. By 1980 Branch had earned his B.A. in liberal studies from Salisbury State College.

Career

Branch has been a member of House of Delegates since January 11, 1995. He served on the House Appropriations Committee and was its vice-chairman from 2003 to 2007. He also serves on the Ways and Means committee. He is a member of the Legislative Policy Committee, the Special Joint Committee on Pensions, the Task Force to Study the State's Retiree Health Insurance Liabilities, the Rules and Executive Nominations Committee, the Spending Affordability Committee, the Joint Commission on the Maryland Port Administration and he is the House Chair of the Joint Committee on Welfare Reform. On April 16, 2022, Branch announced that he would not seek re-election in the 2022 Maryland House of Delegates elections. He said that he did not plan to endorse a third delegate candidate to succeed him and that he would stay in the Baltimore area to build on a consulting business.

General election results, 2006

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Legislative notes

Awards