Maryland’s Republican lawmakers heaped praise upon Harford County Executive Barry Glassman following his Thursday morning announcement that he is running for comptroller in 2022.

Glassman announced his candidacy at the Level Volunteer Fire Company in Havre de Grace.

“The next comptroller will need to be tested with governmental experience and be someone who has advocated to protect the state’s taxpayers and small businesses. After all, the Comptroller is the voice of all our taxpaying families and is also their watchdog,” he said. “I have shown that with the right balance we can fund education and public safety, and grow economic development through innovation and good government.”

Glassman, 59, is considered a moderate Republican. He has served as Harford County’s chief executive since Dec. 2014. He cannot run for that position again due to term limits. Glassman served in the Maryland Senate 2008-2014 and in the state’s House of Delegates from 1999-2008. Glassman served on the Harford County Council from 1990-1998. Glassman is a graduate of Washington College.

Glassman had previously said he was considering running for governor. State Commerce Secretary Kelly Schulz (R) announced her candidacy for governor on Wednesday just hours after Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford had announced that he would not seek election to the state’s highest office.

Glassman is the first Republican to enter the contest to succeed popular incumbent Comptroller Peter Franchot (D). Franchot, who has held the job for 14 years, is running for governor in 2022. The declared Democrats in the race for comptroller are Del. Brooke Lierman (Baltimore City) and Bowie Mayor Tim Adams. No Republican has held the job since the beginning of the twentieth century.

“I think he (Glassman) would make a great candidate and if he won he would make a great comptroller,” Sen. J.B. Jennings (R-Baltimore and Harford) told MarylandReporter.com. “He has done a pretty good job of the financial side of Harford County. And he understands it. As chief executive officer of a large county he has had the experience.”

Jennings went on to say of Glassman: “He’s very capable. He’s been on the county council. He’s been on the state side. So he has a long record of both legislative and executive experience. He would be a good fit.”

Sen. Johnny Ray Salling (R-Baltimore County) made similar remarks about Glassman.

“He’s well-liked throughout the community. I think he would be a great compliment to the Board of Public Works. I think he would work well. I think he would do a great job.”

Del. Rick Impallaria (R-Baltimore and Harford) said Glassman’s decision to run for comptroller seems to make sense in light of his second term as county executive nearing its end.

“He’s term-limited. So his other options were either to run for Congress or governor.”

Sen. Will Smith (D-Montgomery) said he is excited about the Democratic candidates in the race for comptroller.

“It will be an interesting race. The Democratic primary is going to be the source of our focus at the moment. We have two candidates in. I know Delegate Lierman very well and I think she is well-positioned. But certainly there will be more folks coming into the Democratic primary.”

Smith said he “welcomes” Glassman’s entry into the race but reiterated that his primary “focus is mainly on the Democratic primary.”

The primary election is scheduled to take place on June 28, 2022.