HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Voters in Hagerstown began choosing their candidates to represent them in General Assembly District 2B as early voting began on Oct. 22. Candidates Matthew Schindler (D) and Brenda Thiam (R) both bring experience holding office, despite differing backgrounds.
Democratic candidate Matthew Schindler is running to keep his seat in the General Assembly after being appointed by Gov. Wes Moore in January 2025 to replace his predecessor who resigned from office in December 2024.
Schindler is a Hagerstown local, born and raised in the city and attending local schools. He graduated from Hagerstown Community College in 2003 before earning a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity at the University of Maryland in 2021. Starting out his career in the technology field, Schindler also spent time on the Hagerstown’s City Council, and Hagerstown’s city planning and city ethics commissions before his 2025 appointment.
Brenda Thiam (R) also previously represented district 2B after former Gov. Larry Hogan appointed her to the seat in 2020 where she served through 2023 as the first Black Republican woman in the Maryland General Assembly.
Originally from Raeford, North Carolina, Thiam earned her Ph.D in special education from Capella University in 2015, spending several years as a special education teacher, and autism specialist for Washington County Public Schools.
Matthew Schlindler’s campaign
Schindler’s campaign centers around public safety, education, housing issues and labor with endorsements from local organizations such as the Washington County Teachers Association, Hagerstown Professional Fire Fighters 1605 and the MD Farm Bureau.
In a recent campaign ad, Schindler talked about what “delivering for Hagerstown” looked like. He spoke about securing funding for organizations like the Boys and Girls Club and preserving local history such as the Doleman Black History Museum and other landmarks.
In the ad, Schindler also voiced support for programs like Vehicles for Change, which helps individuals in-need access transportation. He also supports workforce development, helping people get into trades and make livable wages.
Some of Schindler’s successful sponsored bills include HB1017, which prohibits the state from constructing or operating a building or property for use as a detention facility by a private entity and HB525, prohibiting students from using electronic communication devices during the school day.
Schindler also supported and sponsored several bills relating to public safety and reducing recidivism for incarcerated individuals like HB22, which would have ensured individuals have access to personal documents after release from prison to obtain a job and a place to live. In a video posted to Facebook, Schindler says “If we want safer communities, if we want lower recidivism, if we want people to actually rebuild, we shouldn’t be setting them up to fail on day 1.”
With data centers as a hot topic, Schindler commented in a questionnaire for Maryland Matters, “I support additional data centers in Maryland only if they generate or directly fund their own power and make meaningful investments in the communities where they locate. Any project should ensure it does not burden utilities or residents and that the host community sees clear, lasting benefits.”
He also supported the recent 12-month moratorium placed on data centers in Washington County.
Schindler also recently announced his new position as chair of the Maryland Real Estate Advisory Committee, writing in a Facebook post, “We will be working hard to find ways the state can be better stewards of taxpayer money with Real Estate.”
Brenda Thiam’s campaign
The key issues in Thiam’s campaign surround public safety, economic growth, education, and substance use.
During her 2026 campaign for lieutenant governor in the primary election with John Myrick, Thiam appeared on the DirectLine podcast with hosts Don Irvine and David Shephard. Here she brought up the issue of the cost of living saying, “With the budget and the cost of living in Maryland and retirees who can afford to work in Maryland, they can’t afford to retire, and many are leaving the state or at least threatening to leave the state. … That’s just a travesty, that’s not fair.”
Thiam publicly voiced opposition to several bills that increased taxes and fees on items like paint and rental fleet vehicles, saying the money collected isn’t being allocated to help Maryland, and the public is tired of paying additional fees.
Thiam’s campaign also emphasizes limited government and government accountability. Her campaign site reads, “With recent audits across several state agencies, $1.2 billion is unaccounted for, and taxpayers should be concerned”.
With a long history working in education, Thiam supports promoting “strong academic standards and educational opportunities.” She also supports the BOOST program, or Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today.
Thiam also commented about establishing more data centers to Maryland Matters, “These data centers require an enormous amount of water and electricity to operate. Due to this, they must be required to fund their own utility usage, and these costs must not be passed on to taxpayers.”
Readers can find more about Matthew Schindler’s campaign at schindlerforhagerstown.com.
Readers can find more about Brenda Thiam’s campaign at brendafordelegate.com.
