# Brian Chisholm (politician)

Brian Alan Chisholm (born November 7, 1970) is an American politician who represents northern Anne Arundel County in the Maryland House of Delegates. A member of the Republican Party, he represented District 31B from 2019 to 2023, afterwards representing the 31st district.

## Early life and education

Chisholm was born in Madison, Wisconsin, and graduated from Severna Park High School in Severna Park, Maryland. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Marketing from Clemson University.

## Political career

Chisholm was a member of the Pension Oversight Commission of Anne Arundel County, Maryland from 2015 to 2018. He was vice-chair of the commission from 2017 to 2018.
In 2014, Chisholm ran for election to one of two District 31B seats in the Maryland House of Delegates, but came in fourth in a field of eight candidates in the Republican primary. On October 19, 2017, he announced that he would again run for the House of Delegates, and, together with incumbent and fellow Republican Nic Kipke, won. Chisholm was sworn into the Maryland House of Delegates om January 9, 2019, and has served as a member of the Health and Government Operations Committee during his entire tenure. He is also a member of the Maryland Freedom Caucus.

## Political positions
### COVID-19 pandemic

In April 2020, Chisholm sent a letter to the Maryland Department of Health asking the agency to publicly release more information about COVID-19 outbreaks in elder care facilities.
In May 2020, Chisholm attended a Reopen Maryland rally to protest COVID-19 restrictions put into place through executive orders by Governor Larry Hogan.
Chisholm introduced legislation during the 2021 legislative session that would provide a property tax credit to businesses in Anne Arundel County that were affected by the state's COVID-19 emergency declarations. The bill received a favorable report from the Anne Arundel County Delegation, but stalled in committee.

### Criminal justice

In July 2020, Chisholm organized a "Back the Blue" rally in Annapolis, which he said was separate from the Black Lives Matter movement.
In 2021, Chisholm opposed legislation that would remove the governor of Maryland from the Maryland Parole Commission, and introduced an amendment that would require inmates serving a life sentence to get "unanimous agreement" from the state's parole board to be released. His amendment was rejected in a 91–41 vote.

### Education

In April 2023, Chisholm sent a letter to State Superintendent Mohammed Choudhury accusing the Maryland State Department of Education of hiding scores from failing scores by altering data files available on the department's website. An investigation conducted by the state inspector general found no evidence of these claims.

### Electoral reform

In 2021, Chisholm opposed legislation that would allow register voters to opt-in to an absentee ballot list instead of reapplying for mail-in ballots before statewide elections, introducing an amendment that would require voters to have a government-issued ID to vote. His amendment was rejected.

### National politics

In May 2024, Chisholm signed onto a letter condemning the jury's guilty verdict in the Trump hush money trial, calling the ruling a "political prosecution from a kangaroo court and left-leaning prosecutor" that is turning the U.S. justice system into a "third world parody of law and order".

### Taxes

In 2021, Chisholm opposed legislation that would allow Maryland counties to set up a progressive income tax, introducing an amendment that would have required counties to lower the tax on lower income brackets if officials opt to increase the tax for higher income brackets. His amendment was rejected.

## Personal life

Chisholm currently lives in Severna Park, Maryland and works as a mortgage banker. He is married and has one child.
Chisholm co-owns, with former state delegate Sid Saab, a fitness gym in Severna Park. In February 2021, a former employee filed a lawsuit against the two lawmakers, alleging that she was retaliated against for reporting sexual harassment by another co-worker. A federal jury ruled for the employee in September 2023.

## Electoral history

Maryland House of Delegates District 31B Republican Primary Election, 2014 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Nicholaus R. Kipke | 3,920 | 31.0 |
| Republican | Meagan C. Simonaire | 3,075 | 24.3 |
| Republican | Gus Kurtz | 1,779 | 14.1 |
| Republican | Brian A. Chisholm | 1,607 | 12.7 |
| Republican | Faith M. Loudon | 1,017 | 8.1 |
| Republican | Don Dwyer, Jr. | 890 | 7.0 |
| Republican | Paul William Drgos, Jr. | 230 | 1.8 |
| Republican | David Lee Therrien | 111 | 0.9 |
Maryland House of Delegates District 31B Republican Primary Election, 2018 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Nicholaus R. Kipke | 4,579 | 43.2 |
| Republican | Brian Chisholm | 4,119 | 38.9 |
| Republican | John R. Leopold | 1,030 | 9.7 |
| Republican | David Therrien | 863 | 8.1 |
Maryland House of Delegates District 31B Election, 2018 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Brian Chisholm | 20,573 | 33.2 |
| Republican | Nicholaus R. Kipke | 20,434 | 33.0 |
| Democratic | Karen Patricia Simpson | 11,257 | 18.2 |
| Democratic | Harry E. Freeman | 9,602 | 15.5 |
| Write-in | Others | 49 | 0.1 |