A. Wade Kach (born July 19, 1947) is an American politician and member of the Baltimore County Council.

Wade Kach
Member of the Baltimore County Council from District 3
Assumed office
December 1, 2014
Preceded byTodd Huff
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates
In office
January 8, 1975 – November 30, 2014
Succeeded byChris Cavey
ConstituencyDistrict 11 (1975–1983)
District 10 (1983–1995)
District 9A (1995-2003)
District 5B (2003-2014)
Personal details
Born (1947-07-19) July 19, 1947 (age 77)
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseEvelyn
ProfessionRetired Baltimore County teacher and auditor

Early life and education

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Kach was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on July 19, 1947. He attended public schools in Baltimore, including Baltimore Polytechnic Institute. He began college at Towson University before settling at Western Maryland College, now McDaniel College, where he received his B.A. in 1970. Early in life, Kach began to work for his conservative principles, chairing the Maryland Federation of College Republicans in 1970.

Career

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Kach started his career as a middle school math teacher in Baltimore County Public Schools. After 22 years in the classroom, he transitioned to the Audit Office of the school system, reviewing the spending of all schools in the county.

He was a member of the Republican State Central Committee in Baltimore from 1970-73. He was first elected as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates in 1975. Since then, he was elected as a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1988 and 2000.

He is a member of the Baltimore County Council, representing the Third District. He won with over 60% of the vote in both the primary and general elections in 2014, unseating incumbent Councilman Todd Huff (R) and defeating Laurie Taylor-Mitchell (D). In 2018, Kach was re-elected to the Council. As a member of the Maryland House of Delegates, he represented District 5B, part of Baltimore County, Maryland, for 40 years up to 2014. He won 98.9% of the vote in 2006 while running unopposed.[1] In 2002 he defeated Democrat Stephen C. Kirsh and Independent William T. Newton with 71.2% of the vote in the new 5B District.[2]

From 1994 to 2002, his district was 9A, which he represented with fellow Republican Martha Scanlan Klima. Again, they both defeated Stephen C. Kirsch.[3] Prior to 1994, Kach represented District 10 in Baltimore County along with former governor Robert Ehrlich.[4] Before the 1994 election, District 10 was represented by Kach, Ehrlich, and former gubernatorial candidate Ellen Sauerbrey.

Active in his community, Kach is a member of the Timonium Optimists, the North Baltimore County Republican and Civic Organization, and the Ashland Community Organization. Kach is also a past member Parents Anonymous of Maryland, the Reisterstown-Owings Mills-Glyndon Coordinating Council, and the Reisterstown-Owings Mills-Glyndon Chamber of Commerce.

He has received many honors including an award from the Maryland Society of Accountants in 1999 and the Casper R. Taylor, Jr., Founder's Award, from the House of Delegates in 2006 and, in 2017, the Thomas Kennedy Award for personal courage and dedication.

In elected office for over 48 years, Kach is the longest serving Republican elected official in Maryland history.

In October 2024, Kach announced that he would not run for re-election to the Baltimore County Council in 2026.[5]

Election results

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  • 2010 Race for Maryland House of Delegates - District 5B[6]
Voters to choose one:
Name Votes Percent Outcome
Wade Kach, Rep. 13,933   70.8%    Won
Pete Definbaugh, Dem. 4,881   24.8%    Lost
M. Justin Kinsey, Lib. 863   4.4%    Lost
Other Write-Ins 12   0.1%    Lost
  • 2006 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – District 5B[7]
Voters to choose one:
Name Votes Percent Outcome
Wade Kach, Rep. 15,321   98.9%    Won
Other Write-Ins 172   1.1%    Lost
  • 2002 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – District 5B[8]
Voters to choose one:
Name Votes Percent Outcome
Wade Kach, Rep. 13,122   71.2%    Won
Stephen C. Kirsch, Dem. 5,268   28.6%    Lost
William T. Newton, Ind. 31   0.2%    Lost
Other Write-Ins 17   0.1%    Lost
  • 1998 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – District 9A[9]
Voters to choose two:
Name Votes Percent Outcome
Martha Scanlan Klima, Rep. 19,190   40%    Won
Wade Kach, Rep. 18,382   38%    Won
Stephen C. Kirsch, Dem. 10,584   22%    Lost
  • 1994 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – District 9A[10]
Voters to choose two:
Name Votes Percent Outcome
Martha Scanlan Klima, Rep. 19,927   38%    Won
Wade Kach, Rep. 18,734   36%    Won
Shelley Buckingham, Dem. 7,829   15%    Lost
Raymond A. Huber, Dem. 5,823   11%    Lost
  • 1990 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – District 10[11]
Voters to choose three:
Name Votes Percent Outcome
Ellen Sauerbrey, Rep. 22,649   24%    Won
Bob Ehrlich, Rep. 22,246   24%    Won
Wade Kach, Rep. 21,225   23%    Won
Ellery B. Woodworth, Dem. 11,996   13%    Lost
Walter Boyd, Dem. 8,371   9%    Lost
Robert L. Curtis Jr., Dem. 7,832   8%    Lost

References and notes

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  1. ^ Maryland State Board of Elections
  2. ^ Maryland State Board of Elections
  3. ^ Maryland State Board of Elections
  4. ^ Maryland State Board of Elections
  5. ^ Lee, John (October 2, 2024). "After half a century serving Baltimore County, Wade Kach says he will retire". WYPR. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  6. ^ "House of Delegates Results". Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved on March 24, 2024
  7. ^ "House of Delegates Results". Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved on September 11, 2007
  8. ^ "House of Delegates Results". Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved on September 11, 2007
  9. ^ "House of Delegates Results". Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved on September 11, 2007
  10. ^ "House of Delegates Results". Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved on September 11, 2007
  11. ^ "House of Delegates Results". Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved on March 24, 2024
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