Former Maryland Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller dies
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Thomas V. Mike Miller, a major force in Maryland politics for decades and the nation's longest-serving state Senate president, has died, his family said. He was 78.
A Democrat, he was first elected Maryland Senate president in 1987. He stepped down from the leadership position in 2019 as he battled Stage 4 prostate cancer and resigned from his Senate seat in December.
In a nod to Miller’s stature, one of the Senate’s office buildings already carried his name when he wasn’t even halfway through his unprecedented tenure.
“It is impossible to think of the Maryland Senate and not think of Mike —- not just because of his historical longevity -- but because each member of the Senate has his or her own Mike story,” said Senate President Bill Ferguson, Miller's successor. “Whether it’s the senator who he quietly consoled through family matters, the senator who he mentored to compromise and pass legislation, or those who experienced the personal care of Mike to truly listen to their concerns.”
Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, reflected on Miller's tireless dedication to his state.
“Serving the people of our great state was Mike Miller’s life’s work, and he did so with unrelenting passion and courage for a remarkable 50 years. Even as he waged a hard-fought battle with cancer, I was blessed to continue to benefit from Mike’s wisdom and trademark humor. He was, in every sense, a lion of the Senate," Hogan said.
A lawyer whose district included parts of Prince George’s County near the nation’s capital brought a big personality to Annapolis. He won his first election to the House of Delegates in 1970 and moved to the Senate four years later. An astute observer of state politics, he used his acumen to muscle through bills, but he also could willingly acquiesce to major...