Thomas
“Mac” Middleton is a lifelong
Charles County resident, a farmer, husband, father of three,
proud grandfather, and a strong
believer in public service.
Born in September 1945 in La
Plata, Md., Mac grew up in a large family – one of fourteen. He graduated from
Charles County Community College in 1966, then earned a bachelors of science
degree from
Mt. St. Mary’s College in 1968. He served in U.S. Army Intelligence from
1968 to 1971. Returning from the army, he has worked on his family farm – Cedar
Hill Farm - and remained active in the community ever since.
Mac is the
Maryland General Assembly’s only full-time farmer. As a farmer, Mac knows
the challenges faced by all small business owners. He also recognizes the
challenges in retaining Charles County’s rural atmosphere, working to preserve
our quality of life.
Mac and his wife Joan are strong
supporters of public education. All three of their children – Kelly, Brooke and
Bret - attended and graduated from Charles County public schools. All three have
graduated from Maryland colleges or universities. Joan works for the
College of Southern Maryland in La Plata. On the State level, Mac has
developed a reputation as a strong supporter of Maryland’s higher education
institutions.
Mac has served the people of
Charles County for years. As a member then as chairman of the Charles County
Planning Commission from 1978 to 1985, Mac worked for better management of
growth in the county. Elected in 1986 as president of the Charles County
Commissioners, Mac worked to improve county government services, education, and
growth management. He helped steer the county through tough fiscal times during
the last recession, ultimately improving the county’s bond rating – a reflection
of his fiscally conservative management style.
After Charles County voters
elected him to the Maryland Senate in 1994, Mac has quickly become a rising
star. After only three years in the Senate, he was named chairman of the
Senate Capital Budget Subcommittee, a very rare honor for a freshman
senator. He was considered an even-handed, fiscally conservative leader on the
Senate Budget and Taxation Committee. Recognized as a fair-minded and
responsible legislator, he was named as co-chair of the Senate Legislative
Ethics Committee. In 2003, he continued his climb in the Senate leadership,
being named chairman of the
Senate Finance Committee, a challenging but influential post. He is also a
member of the
Legislative Policy Committee, the
Spending Affordability Committee, the
Executive Nominations Committee, and the
Senate Rules Committee. He is co-chair of the
Committee on Agricultural Preservation and Open Space.
Mac also serves on the Board of
Trustees for the Maryland Historical Trust and the Maryland Tourism Council,
Special Committee on State Employee Rights and Protections, Senate
Chair, Joint Legislative Task Force on Small-Group Market Health
Insurance, Joint Oversight Committee on the Department of Juvenile
Services, Joint Committee on the Selection of the State Treasurer,
Joint Legislative Task Force on Universal Access to Quality and
Affordable Health Care, National Conference of State Legislatures
Agriculture & Rural Development Committee, Environment and Energy
Committee, Chesapeake Bay Commission, Task Force on Health Care
Access and Reimbursement, and Southern States Energy Board.
The official Maryland Archives biography of Senator Middleton
