Luke Clippinger

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American politician (born 1972)

title: "Luke Clippinger" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1972-births", "living-people", "21st-century-american-lawyers", "21st-century-american-lgbtq-people", "american-campaign-managers", "american-presbyterians", "baltimore-polytechnic-institute-alumni", "democratic-party-members-of-the-maryland-house-of-delegates", "earlham-college-alumni", "american-gay-politicians", "indiana-democrats", "lgbtq-state-legislators-in-maryland", "lawyers-from-baltimore", "politicians-from-baltimore", "university-of-louisville-school-of-law-alumni", "21st-century-members-of-the-maryland-general-assembly", "presbyterians-from-maryland"] description: "American politician (born 1972)" topic_path: "law" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luke_Clippinger" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American politician (born 1972) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox officeholder"]

Field	Value
name	Luke Clippinger
image	Luke Clippinger (53527651438).jpg
caption	Clippinger in 2024
birth_date
birth_place	Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
office	Speaker pro tempore of the Maryland House of Delegates
term_start	January 14, 2026
predecessor	Dana Stein
state_delegate1	Maryland
district1	46th
term_start1	January 12, 2011
alongside1	Mark Edelson, Robbyn Lewis
predecessor1	Carolyn J. Krysiak
party	Democratic
education	Baltimore Polytechnic Institute
Earlham College (BA)
University of Louisville (JD)
website

| ::

Luke H. Clippinger (born September 24, 1972) is an American politician and lawyer who has served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates, representing the state's 46th district in Baltimore, since 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he has served as the speaker pro tempore of the Maryland House of Delegates since 2026.

Born and raised in Baltimore, Clippinger graduated from Earlham College and the University of Louisville. He started his political career while attending Earlham, volunteering for the local Democratic Party before serving as the camapign manager of U.S. representative Lee Hamilton's 1996 re-election campaign. Clippinger later served as U.S. representative Baron Hill's district director from 1999 to 2005, afterwards serving as the campaign manager of Tom Perez's 2006 Maryland Attorney General campaign.

Clippinger was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 2010, becoming one of the chamber's first openly gay members. During his tenure, he has supported efforts to expand LGBT rights, renewable energy, and gun control.

Early life and education

Clippinger was born in Baltimore on September 24, 1972. He graduated from the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute and attended Earlham College, where he served as the manager of the WECI radio station and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in politics in 1994, and the University of Louisville, where he earned a Juris Doctor degree in 2005. He was admitted to the Maryland Bar in 2007.

Political career

Clippinger says he first became involved with politics at a young age as a worker in Mary Pat Clarke's city council campaign.

While attending Earlham, Clippinger volunteered for the Democratic Party in Richmond, conducting polls for various elections in Wayne County, Indiana, and serving as the communications director for the Wayne County Democratic Party from 1992 to 1994. Clippinger ran unsuccessfully for Wayne Township assessor in 1994. After graduating, he interned for Indiana state senators Lindel Hume and Joe O'Day during the 1995 legislative session, afterwards working as an office manager for Baltimore mayoral election candidate Mary Pat Clarke. In 1996, Clippinger worked as an intern and was later named to manage the re-election campaign of U.S. Representative Lee Hamilton. He worked as a community development specialist for the Indiana Department of Commerce until 1998, when he was named to manage the campaign of congressional candidate Baron Hill and, following his election to Congress, became Hill's district director until 2005.

In 2006, Clippinger was named as the campaign manager for Tom Perez's short-lived campaign for Attorney General of Maryland. Afterwards, he worked as a spokesperson for Stephanie Rawlings-Blake's mayoral campaign and as an assistant state's attorney in Anne Arundel County since 2007. Clippinger served as a member of the platform committee at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

In the legislature

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/79/Governor_Moore_welcomes_Legislators_on_the_House_and_Senate_Floors_(55040640422).jpg" caption="Clippinger is sworn in as speaker pro tempore, 2026"] ::

In 2010, Clippinger ran for the Maryland House of Delegates in District 46, seeking to succeed retiring state delegate Carolyn J. Krysiak. He won the Democratic primary election in September, placing third with 18.7 percent of the vote.

Clippinger was sworn into the Maryland House of Delegates on January 12, 2011. He was a member of the Judiciary Committee from 2011 to 2015, afterwards serving in the Economic Matters Committee before returning to the Judiciary Committee as its chair in 2019. Clippinger served as the chair of the Democratic Party Caucus from 2015 to 2018. In December 2025, House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk named Clippinger as the speaker pro tempore of the House of Delegates.

In January 2026, Clippinger replaced his campaign treasurer, Melissa Evans, after the Maryland State Board of Elections found that Evans had mismanaged about $44,000 in checks written to his campaign account from 2020 to 2024. After the firing, Clippinger said that he would "immediately retain an accounting professional to review the treasurer's mismanagement of my campaign account", and forwarded the matter to the Office of the State Prosecutor.

Political positions

Maryland Matters has described Clippinger as a "leader of the progressive wing" in the House.

Business

During the 2018 legislative session, Clippinger supported the Reform on Tap Act, a bill backed by Comptroller Peter Franchot to deregulate the state's craft beer industry.

In 2022, Clippinger supported legislation that would require companies on The Block in Baltimore to close at 10 p.m. nightly.

Crime and policing

During the 2014 legislative session, Clippinger introduced "Jake's Law", a bill that would increase penalties for drivers who cause fatal accidents while texting and driving. The bill was named for Jake Owen, a five-year-old boy who was killed in a 2011 crash caused by a driver who was talking on his phone. The bill passed and was signed into law by Governor Martin O'Malley.

In July 2017, Clippinger and other lawmakers from District 46 released an "anti-violence plan" that called for increased funding for social programs and strengthened gun laws.

During the 2019 legislative session, Clippinger introduced a bill that would require police trial boards to release audio from their hearings under the state Open Meetings Act. The bill passed the House of Delegates, but died in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee.

In May 2020, Clippinger expressed disappointment with Governor Larry Hogan's veto of a bill to increase funding for the Baltimore Police Department for 10 high-crime "microzones" in the city.

During the 2021 legislative session, Clippinger introduced a bill to remove the governor of Maryland from the state's parole board. The bill passed, but was vetoed by Hogan.

In 2023, Clippinger supported legislation that would give the attorney general of Maryland sole prosecutorial power over cases involving police-involved deaths.

Education

In August 2019, Clippinger signed onto a letter calling for the Maryland State Department of Education to add lessons on LGBT and disability rights movements into social studies curriculum. The Department of Education agreed to update its curriculum to include this material two weeks after it was sent.

Gun policy

During the 2022 legislative session, Clippinger supported a bill to ban privately made firearms. He also defended a bill that would require firearms dealers to install security devices, including 24-hour burglary alarm systems and security bars.

In 2023, Clippinger introduced legislation to increase the requirements and fees to obtain a handgun permit. The bill passed and was signed into law by Governor Wes Moore.

Marijuana

During the 2022 legislative session, Clippinger supported legislation creating a statewide referendum on legalizing recreational cannabis in Maryland. He also introduced a bill establishing the framework for the state's cannabis industry, which passed and became law without Governor Larry Hogan's signature.

Paid sick leave

During the 2017 legislative session, Clippinger introduced the Maryland Healthy Working Families Act, a bill that would allow workers to accrue up to seven days of paid sick leave a year. The bill passed, but was vetoed by Governor Larry Hogan; lawmakers voted to override Hogan's veto during the 2018 legislative session.

Social issues

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/JLB_6280_(8186690930).jpg" caption="Clippinger speaks at the [[Question 6]] victory party, 2012"] ::

During the 2011 legislative session, Clippinger supported the Civil Marriage Protection Act, a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in Maryland. He supported it again when it was reintroduced in 2012, during which it passed and was signed into law. Clippinger opposed Question 6, a 2012 referendum to repeal the Civil Marriage Protection Act.

During the 2013 legislative session, Clippinger attended a rally at the Maryland State House to support a bill that would ban discrimination against transgender people. He reintroduced the bill in 2014, during which it passed and was signed into law by Governor Martin O'Malley.

During the 2014 legislative session, Clippinger introduced legislation to ban conversion therapy on minors. In 2020, he supported legislation to repeal sodomy as a criminal offense. Clippinger supported the bill when it was reintroduced during the 2023 legislative session, during which it passed and became law without Governor Wes Moore's signature.

In April 2015, after the Indiana General Assembly passed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, Clippinger penned an open letter inviting Indiana businesses to relocate to Maryland.

In April 2019, Clippinger called for the resignation of Baltimore mayor Catherine Pugh amid the Healthy Holly scandal.

Personal life

Clippinger is openly gay. He attends the Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church in Baltimore.

In April 2016, Clippinger said that he experienced "significant fatigue" at the end of the 2016 legislative session, and in June he was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. In January 2017, he said that the cancer was in remission.

Electoral history

| title = Wayne Township Assessor election, 1994{{cite web | title = Wayne Co. totals for judges, townships, towns | work = Palladium-Item | date = 9 November 1994 | page = 5 | url = https://www.newspapers.com/article/palladium-item-wayne-county-1994-electio/154286095/ | via = Newspapers.com }} |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Michael Statzer (incumbent) |votes = 6,887 |percentage = 64.3 |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Luke Clippinger |votes = 3,830 |percentage = 35.7 | title = Maryland House of Delegates District 46 Democratic primary election, 2010{{cite web | title = Official 2010 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for House of Delegates | work = Maryland State Board of Elections | url = https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2010/results/Primary/gen_results_2010_1_01646.html }} |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Peter A. Hammen (incumbent) |votes = 5,632 |percentage = 26.0 |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Brian K. McHale (incumbent) |votes = 4,128 |percentage = 19.0 |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Luke Clippinger |votes = 4,052 |percentage = 18.7 |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Bill Romani |votes = 3,410 |percentage = 15.7 |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Jason Filippou |votes = 2,503 |percentage = 11.5 |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Melissa A. Techentin |votes = 1,962 |percentage = 9.0 | title = Maryland House of Delegates District 46 election, 2010{{cite web | title = Official 2010 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates | work = Maryland State Board of Elections | url = https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2010/results/General/gen_results_2010_2_01646.html }} |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Peter A. Hammen (incumbent) |votes = 15,367 |percentage = 29.6 |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Brian K. McHale (incumbent) |votes = 14,871 |percentage = 28.6 |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Luke Clippinger |votes = 14,159 |percentage = 27.3 |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Roger Bedingfield |votes = 7,338 |percentage = 14.1 |votes = 205 |percentage = 0.4 | title = Maryland House of Delegates District 46 election, 2014{{cite web | title = Official 2014 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates | work = Maryland State Board of Elections | url = https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2014/results/General/gen_results_2014_2_01646.html }} |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Brooke Lierman |votes = 13,889 |percentage = 24.6 |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Peter A. Hammen (incumbent) |votes = 13,217 |percentage = 23.4 |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Luke Clippinger (incumbent) |votes = 12,680 |percentage = 22.5 |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Roger D. Bedingfield |votes = 6,113 |percentage = 10.8 |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Joseph "Joh" Sedtal |votes = 5,275 |percentage = 9.4 |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Duane Shelton |votes = 5,115 |percentage = 9.1 |votes = 117 |percentage = 0.2 | title = Maryland House of Delegates District 46 election, 2018{{cite web | title = Official 2018 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates | date = December 11, 2018 | work = elections.maryland.gov | publisher = Maryland State Board of Elections | url = https://results.elections.maryland.gov/elections/2018/results/general/gen_results_2018_2_01646.html}} |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Brooke Lierman (incumbent) |votes = 23,711 |percentage = 28.6 |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Luke Clippinger (incumbent) |votes = 23,023 |percentage = 27.8 |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Robbyn Lewis |votes = 22,582 |percentage = 27.3 |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Jeremy Baron |votes = 6,879 |percentage = 8.3 |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Nicholas Wentworth |votes = 6,324 |percentage = 7.6 |votes = 289 |percentage = 0.3 |party = Maryland Democratic Party |candidate = Robbyn Lewis (incumbent) |votes = 22,274 |percentage = 30.8 |party = Maryland Democratic Party |candidate = Luke Clippinger (incumbent) |votes = 22,162 |percentage = 30.7 |party = Maryland Democratic Party |candidate = Mark Edelson |votes = 22,103 |percentage = 30.6 |party = Maryland Republican Party |candidate = Pete Waters |votes = 5,492 |percentage = 7.6 |votes = 265 |percentage = 0.4

References

(October 16, 1992). "42 percent undecided in local poll". [[Palladium-Item]].
"Luke H. Clippinger, Maryland State Delegate". [[Maryland State Archives]].
(October 31, 2024). "Earlham Politicos: Luke Clippinger is boosting solar energy and championing gun reform, union and queer rights". Earlham College.
(3 November 2022). "Election Spotlight with Delegate Luke Clippinger".
(October 14, 1992). "Phone poll planned tonight". [[Palladium-Item]].
(March 7, 1996). "Congressman Lee Hamilton Names Manager". [[Jackson County Banner]].
(November 23, 1997). "State official explains grants to Gaston board". [[The Star Press]].
(April 9, 1998). "Baron Hill Names Campaign Manager". [[Jackson County Banner]].
(July 25, 2007). "Police union backs challengers". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
(June 3, 2010). "Growing number of gays on ballot in Maryland". [[The Washington Blade]].
(September 15, 2010). "House of Delegates loses few incumbents". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
(December 30, 2025). "Peña-Melnyk unveils House leadership shake-up, expands standing committees". [[Maryland Matters]].
(January 7, 2026). "Del. Luke Clippinger staffer mismanaged campaign funds, election board finds". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
(January 7, 2026). "Questionable expenses lead to removal of delegate's campaign treasurer". [[Maryland Matters]].
(July 19, 2018). "Josh Kurtz: In Luke They Trust". [[Maryland Matters]].
(March 16, 2018). "Beer reform taps out as Maryland House panel rejects Franchot brewery bill". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
(January 21, 2022). "Baltimore businesses rally against bill proposing 10 p.m. closing time on The Block". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
(April 2, 2014). "Senate changes to 'Jake's Law' undermine purpose of safety bill, advocates say". [[The Washington Post]].
(April 7, 2014). "Maryland Passes 'Jake's Law,' Bill On Distracted Driving". [[WJZ-TV]].
(July 18, 2017). "Southeast Baltimore lawmakers release anti-violence plan". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
(March 26, 2019). "Anton Black's family frustrated as 'Anton's Law' sits in drawer and another police transparency bill advances". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
(October 9, 2019). "Lawmakers Regroup to Rework Police Transparency Bills". [[Maryland Matters]].
(May 7, 2020). "Citing economic hit from coronavirus, Gov. Hogan vetoes legislation to improve Maryland schools, allows Pimlico bill to become law". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
(January 20, 2021). "Lawmakers, Advocates Continue Push to Remove Governor From Parole Process". [[Maryland Matters]].
(April 13, 2021). "Legislature Votes to Remove Governor From the Parole Process". [[Maryland Matters]].
(March 7, 2023). "Maryland state's attorneys fight against bill that would give attorney general more prosecution powers". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
(August 21, 2019). "Md. school officials developing LGBT curriculum". [[The Washington Blade]].
(August 13, 2019). "Update: State Department of Ed Working on LGBT, Disability Rights Curricula". [[Maryland Matters]].
(January 25, 2022). "Advocates Call for Ghost Gun Ban as Senators Debate Right Approach to Rising Crime Rates". [[Maryland Matters]].
(April 9, 2022). "With Legislative Overrides, Paid Leave and Abortion Access Bills Become Law in Maryland". [[Maryland Matters]].
(April 8, 2023). "Maryland lawmakers send cannabis legalization, gun control bills to governor ahead of Monday deadline". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
(May 16, 2023). "Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signs laws restricting who can carry firearms and where they can carry them". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
(July 1, 2023). "A new era: Legalization of recreational cannabis in Maryland to grow market to more than 4.5 million adults". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
(February 23, 2022). "House Advances Measure Establishing Marijuana Referendum". [[Maryland Matters]].
(May 3, 2022). "Hogan vetoes increased abortion access, paid family leave in Maryland". [[The Washington Post]].
(February 23, 2017). "Sick leave bill advances in General Assembly". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
(May 25, 2017). "Hogan vetoes Maryland Democrats' paid sick leave bill". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
(February 15, 2018). "Many Maryland workers can now accrue paid sick time off as law takes effect". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
(March 10, 2011). "Md. House debating marriage". [[The Washington Blade]].
(January 19, 2012). "Lawmakers weigh in on Md. marriage bill". [[The Washington Blade]].
(January 24, 2012). "O'Malley says marriage bill brings dignity, religious freedom". [[The Washington Blade]].
(February 18, 2012). "Marylanders celebrate as House OKs marriage bill". [[The Washington Blade]].
(November 7, 2012). "Supporters of same-sex marriage celebrate". [[The Baltimore Sun]].
(February 27, 2013). "Md. lawmakers hold hearing on trans rights bill". [[The Washington Blade]].
(February 18, 2014). "Supporters rally for trans rights in Md.". [[The Washington Blade]].
(November 11, 2014). "Advocates confident Larry Hogan will leave LGBT laws intact". [[The Washington Blade]].
(January 8, 2014). "Trans rights bill, ex-gay therapy ban top Maryland legislative agenda". [[The Washington Blade]].
(February 25, 2020). "Maryland House votes to repeal sodomy law". [[The Washington Blade]].
(May 19, 2023). "Bill to repeal Md. sodomy law to take effect without governor's signature". [[The Washington Blade]].
(April 2, 2015). "Hogan rejects request to ban state-funded travel to Indiana". [[The Washington Blade]].
(April 12, 2019). "Baltimore's LGBT lawmakers mixed on Pugh's future". [[The Washington Blade]].
(January 24, 2017). "Md. delegate diagnosed with cancer speaks personally about paid sick-leave bill". [[The Washington Post]].
"Official 2022 Gubernatorial General Election Results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::