Brooke Lierman, the Democratic incumbent, is seeking a second term as Maryland comptroller. She faces Republican Sonya Dunn.

Asked why she is running for reelection in our candidate questionnaire, Lierman said, "there's more work to do! I have worked to chart a new direction for the agency as a proactive partner in building a more equitable, more prosperous Maryland. That means protecting taxpayer dollars, strengthening our economy, and making government work better for the people it serves."

Candidate information

Party: Democrat

Family: "My husband, Eben Hansel, and I live in Baltimore with our two children, who attend Baltimore City Public Schools," Lierman said in our questionnaire.

Education: "A.B., History, Dartmouth College '01; J.D., University of Texas Law School, '08," according to her questionnaire response. She graduated from Walt Whitman High School in 1997, according to BallotReady.

Family in politics: Asked whether anyone in her family works in politics or government, Lierman said, "My brothers and I were raised to believe in the value of public service in many forms. My father worked on Capitol Hill and chaired the Maryland Democratic Party. My youngest brother worked in the Obama White House, and my other brother has worked in community and labor organizing. My mother worked as a pediatric nurse practitioner at Children's Hospital and a community health center … The discussions shaped my decision to serve in AmeriCorps, become a civil rights attorney, and eventually run for office."

Lierman is the first woman to serve as Maryland comptroller and the first woman independently elected to any of the state's constitutional offices, according to the Maryland Women's Hall of Fame, which inducted her in 2024.

Experience and public service

Elected and appointed offices: "Maryland Comptroller, 2023–present; elected in 2022. Member, Board of Public Works and Board of Revenue Estimates; vice chair, Maryland State Retirement and Pension System Board of Trustees," Lierman said in our questionnaire. She also served in the "Maryland House of Delegates, District 46, 2015–2023; elected in 2014 and reelected in 2018. Appropriations Committee Member, Chair of the Joint Pension Committee, Land Use & Ethics Subcommittee Chair."

Work history: "Maryland Comptroller, State of Maryland, 2023–present. Previously, civil rights and disability rights attorney, Brown Goldstein & Levy, 2010–2022; State Delegate, Maryland General Assembly, 2015–2023," she said.

What sets her apart: Asked about critical differences between herself and other candidates, Lierman said, "I bring proven ability to execute, perform, and innovate during my first four years on the job after spending eight productive years in the General Assembly, passing many bipartisan bills and reforms, and spending over a decade as a federal civil rights and disability rights attorney. I know what this office can do, where it needs to improve, and what it takes to turn a proposal into something tangible."

Accomplishments: "We migrated over 4 billion records to the state's new tax system, revamped our agency website to support multiple languages, created a new unclaimed property website, and launched interactive economic snapshots to increase state financial transparency," Lierman said in our questionnaire. As a delegate, she said she "passed landmark legislation focused on transit, environmental protection, public education funding, and economic development, while serving as Chair of the Joint Committee on Pensions."

On the issues

Revenue forecasts: Asked how honest recent state revenue forecasts have been, Lierman said, "Over the past four years, our Board of Revenue Estimates forecasts have been uncannily accurate - even predicting the number of Marylanders that would be laid off as a result of DOGE." She added that the agency "now publishes independent, data-driven reports on Maryland's economy so policymakers and the public have transparent, accurate information. Revenue forecasts must remain transparent, objective, and insulated from political influence."

Best advice: Lierman cited "Barbara Mikulski's reminder to pay attention to both the 'macro issues' and the 'macaroni and cheese issues.' You have to understand the big budget decisions and what they mean for someone trying to pay their bills, get a tax refund, or keep a small business running."

The general election is Nov. 3, 2026.