James B. Rutledge III, a Republican attorney from Harford County, is running for Maryland attorney general in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.

He faces Democrat Anthony G. Brown.

Rutledge said he is a lifelong Marylander raised on a cattle farm in Harford County, according to his Baltimore Sun candidate profile. The statewide race will appear on Montgomery County ballots.

Candidate information

  • Party: Republican
  • Residence: Harford County, Maryland
  • Education: Juris doctor, with honors, Order of the Coif, University of Maryland (1986); bachelor's degree in Latin, University of Georgia (1983)
  • Law licenses: Maryland and Georgia, according to his firm's website

Experience and public service

Rutledge has worked as an attorney at Whiteford, Taylor and Preston and at Jim Rutledge Esq LLC, according to the Baltimore Sun and BallotReady profile data. He served as a special master at Baltimore City Orphans' Court and as a member of the Judicial Nominating Commission, according to the Baltimore Sun.

He served as a commissioner on the Bel Air Town Board from 2023 to 2025, according to BallotReady. He ran for U.S. Senate in Maryland in 2010, according to Wikipedia's election page.

For more than a decade, Rutledge concentrated on civil and criminal litigation in state and federal courts, according to his firm's website. That work included torts, wrongful death, contracts, divorce, estates, trusts, business, antitrust, fraud, complex commercial litigation, and civil rights and constitutional law cases. His practice over the past 20 years has emphasized estate planning, wills, trusts, real estate, agricultural, corporate and business law, Rutledge said on his website.

On the issues

Criminal justice and public safety

Rutledge said on his campaign website he would focus on cracking down on gangs, fentanyl distribution and organized crime networks. He said he supports pursuing meaningful sentencing to end what he called the revolving door of repeat offenders.

He also said he would target cybercriminal networks involved in identity theft, ransomware attacks and financial fraud. Rutledge said he would crack down on online predators who exploit children and vulnerable individuals through social media and digital platforms. He said he would protect seniors from phone scams, phishing schemes and fraudulent investment operations that wipe out life savings.

Rutledge said he would fully support local prosecutors and law enforcement officers and protect small businesses and families from theft, violence and disorder.

Environment and energy

Rutledge said on his campaign website he would hold polluters accountable with enforcement actions under Maryland law rather than waiting for Washington to act. He said he would take on out-of-state polluters who contribute to Chesapeake Bay contamination, using every legal tool available to protect Maryland's interests.

He said he would defend conservation and agricultural preservation easements to assure Marylanders have the capacity to grow food for Marylanders. He said he would strengthen partnerships with federal agencies to ensure enforcement of clean water standards across state lines and defend Maryland watermen and local industries whose livelihoods depend on a clean and thriving Bay.

Endorsements

Rutledge has been endorsed by Maryland Right to Life, according to Wikipedia's 2026 Maryland attorney general election page.

  • Maryland Right to Life

Candidate issue positions are drawn from Rutledge's campaign website responses compiled by BallotReady and from his Baltimore Sun candidate profile. Biographical details come from his law firm website, the Baltimore Sun and BallotReady.