Jefferson L. Ghrist
Jefferson L. Ghrist is an American politician who has served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates representing District 36 since 2015. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a member of the Caroline County Board of Commissioners from 2006 to 2014.
Background
Ghrist was born on March 14, 1975. He graduated from North Caroline High School and later attended Chesapeake College and Salisbury University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics in 1997. After graduating, Ghrist worked as an assistant store manager at Home Depot and as a real estate agent.
Ghrist was first elected to the Caroline County Board of Commissioners in 2006. He served as the board's president of the Caroline County Board of Commissioners from 2010 to 2012, and again in 2014. Ghrist briefly ran for Congress in Maryland's 1st congressional district in 2010, challenging incumbent Democratic U.S. Representative Frank Kratovil, but dropped out in December 2009 and endorsed state senator Andy Harris.
In the legislature
On October 29, 2013, Ghrist filed paperwork to run for election to one of the three District 36 seats in the House of Delegates. In the primary, he edged out incumbent delegate Michael D. Smigiel Sr. with 17 percent of the vote and by a margin of 144 votes, and went on to win the general election with 24.1 percent of the vote. Ghrist was sworn in on January 14, 2015, and is the first state delegate from Caroline County since Robert Thornton in 1994.
Ghrist has served as a member of the Appropriations Committee during his entire tenure. He also served as a deputy minority whip from 2019 to 2021, and as the minority parliamentarian since 2022. In January 2026, House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk named Ghrist as the co-chair of the newly-created Rural Caucus, alongside Democrat Natalie Ziegler.
Political positions
Ghrist is a fiscal conservative who supports limited government and increasing state funding to local jurisdictions while reducing taxes. During his tenure as county commissioner, he voted to cut Caroline County's budget by thirteen percent by reducing payrolls and employee pensions.
Education
Ghrist opposes the Blueprint for Maryland's Future, saying that its costs will be a "disaster" for school systems and students and predicting that counties would have to raise taxes to pay for it. During the 2023 legislative session, he introduced the Right to Learn Act, which would allow students attending failing schools to change schools and expand the state's private school voucher program.
Environment
Ghrist supports "pragmatic, scientifically-supported" environmental laws, but opposes environmental legislation passed by the Maryland General Assembly. In 2019, he opposed a bill to establish the Oyster Advisory Commission to develop policy recommendations on protecting oyster habitats, predicting that it would kill Maryland's oyster farming industry. During the 2022 legislative session, Ghrist opposed a bill that would move pesticide regulation from the Maryland Department of Agriculture to the Maryland Department of the Environment.
Gun policy
During the 2021 legislative session, Ghrist opposed a bill that would require background checks on all gun sales, which he said would "destroy the rural way of life".
Marijuana
In 2018, Ghrist said that he opposed the legalization of recreational marijuana, calling marijuana a "gateway drug". In 2023, Ghrist said he voted for Question 4 to legalize recreational marijuana.
Redistricting
In January 2026, Ghrist opposed the map proposed by the Governor's Redistricting Advisory Commission, which would improve the Democratic Party's chances of winning Maryland's 1st congressional district, criticizing the map for grouping suburban areas in Howard County with counties on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
Social issues
During the 2023 legislative session, Ghrist introduced legislation that would prohibit foreign governments from buying agricultural land in Maryland.
Transportation
Ghrist supports reducing state funding for rural public transportation. He supports building a second Chesapeake Bay Bridge and supports setting aside money for the project ahead of its construction, saying that he hoped project planners would avoid "the same mistake" Baltimore legislators made by not setting aside money for the Red Line before Governor Larry Hogan cancelled it.
Personal life
Ghrist is married to his wife, Michele, whom he met in high school and married soon after graduating college. Together, they have two children and live in Ridgely, Maryland.