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Endorses Caldwell-Nkongolo
The race
Maryland's House District 31 elects 3 delegates on November 3, 2026, for a four-year term. This ballot unit is an open seat (at least one incumbent is not on the general-election ballot; see the incumbent note below). Incumbent(s): Brian Chisholm; Nic Kipke; LaToya Caldwell-Nkongolo (Republican). The confirmed general-election roster, from Ballotpedia's general-election table for the Maryland House of Delegates, is: Joan Cole (Democratic); Heidi Schmidt (Democratic); Ryan Shaban (Democratic); LaToya Caldwell-Nkongolo (Republican); Brian Chisholm (Republican); Mike Jacobs (Republican).
Ballot note: House of Delegates; multi-member district (3 seats); incumbent Nic Kipke retiring to run for State Senate District 31 per source incumbent listing; other incumbents on ballot.
Competitiveness: State Navigate rates the District 31 seats Tossup (retiring Nic Kipke's seat) and Likely R (October 11, 2026, via Wikipedia's predictions table). Chamber control itself is rated Safe Democratic in both chambers by Sabato's Crystal Ball (January 22, 2026) and State Navigate (October 11, 2026).
The candidates, claim by claim
Joan Cole (D), nominee. Joan Cole appears on the confirmed general-election roster for this district (Ballotpedia general-election table, accessed October 25, 2026).
Pros: A willing nominee giving the district’s Democratic voters a choice on the ballot. Cons: No documented break with the Democratic Party toward this publication's values was located in the compiled record — no Manchin-test break (no in-service vote, suit, or enforcement action against the party's position toward our values). The organizing vote adds to a Democratic caucus whose program this publication opposes; that caucus weight is lighter in the House than in the Senate, but it does not create an exception where no break exists. The flaw, plainly: Enabler class, not extremist — a reliable party-line vote, which is the standing reason the exception for a Democrat is not earned here.
Heidi Schmidt (D), nominee. Heidi Schmidt appears on the confirmed general-election roster for this district (Ballotpedia general-election table, accessed October 25, 2026).
Pros: A willing nominee giving the district’s Democratic voters a choice on the ballot. Cons: No documented break with the Democratic Party toward this publication's values was located in the compiled record — no Manchin-test break (no in-service vote, suit, or enforcement action against the party's position toward our values). The organizing vote adds to a Democratic caucus whose program this publication opposes; that caucus weight is lighter in the House than in the Senate, but it does not create an exception where no break exists. The flaw, plainly: Enabler class, not extremist — a reliable party-line vote, which is the standing reason the exception for a Democrat is not earned here.
Ryan Shaban (D), nominee. Ryan Shaban appears on the confirmed general-election roster for this district (Ballotpedia general-election table, accessed October 25, 2026).
Pros: A willing nominee giving the district’s Democratic voters a choice on the ballot. Cons: No documented break with the Democratic Party toward this publication's values was located in the compiled record — no Manchin-test break (no in-service vote, suit, or enforcement action against the party's position toward our values). The organizing vote adds to a Democratic caucus whose program this publication opposes; that caucus weight is lighter in the House than in the Senate, but it does not create an exception where no break exists. The flaw, plainly: Enabler class, not extremist — a reliable party-line vote, which is the standing reason the exception for a Democrat is not earned here.
LaToya Caldwell-Nkongolo (R), incumbent. LaToya Caldwell-Nkongolo appears on the confirmed general-election roster for this district (Ballotpedia general-election table, accessed October 25, 2026).
Pros: The Republican incumbent in this race; aligned with the values this publication exists to advance (Constitution, capitalism and the free market, Christianity, freedom). Cons: No proven flaw meeting this publication's standard was located in the compiled record. The flaw, plainly: None proven was located in the compiled record.
Brian Chisholm (R), incumbent. Brian Chisholm appears on the confirmed general-election roster for this district (Ballotpedia general-election table, accessed October 25, 2026).
Pros: The Republican incumbent in this race; aligned with the values this publication exists to advance (Constitution, capitalism and the free market, Christianity, freedom). Cons: No proven flaw meeting this publication's standard was located in the compiled record. The flaw, plainly: None proven was located in the compiled record.
Mike Jacobs (R), nominee. Mike Jacobs appears on the confirmed general-election roster for this district (Ballotpedia general-election table, accessed October 25, 2026).
Pros: The Republican nominee in a race against a party-line Democrat; aligned with the values this publication exists to advance. Cons: No proven flaw meeting this publication's standard was located in the compiled record; the nominee has not previously served in this office, so the record is thin by definition — that is unproven, not a demerit. The flaw, plainly: None proven was located in the compiled record.
OUR CALL
We endorse LaToya Caldwell-Nkongolo (R). We endorse Brian Chisholm (R). We endorse Mike Jacobs (R) — as unproven, and on watch. This ballot unit fills 3 seats; the endorsement covers 3 of the 3 seats — a partial slate, because only 3 Republican(s) are on the ballot. No proven flaw was located in the endorsed nominee(s)' compiled record; where a nominee has not previously served, the endorsement carries the unproven form — support, with the record to be watched. The Democratic alternative(s) are party-line votes with no Manchin-test break located.
For the complete Election 2026 breakdown — every race, claim by claim — see the full coverage on our website.
Vote early. Research your candidates. Choose the best moderates, whatever their party — no extremism from either side. And encourage your friends and family to do the same.
Sources
- Ballotpedia, "Maryland House of Delegates elections, 2026" — general-election roster, incumbency markers, and ballot-status notes (accessed October 25, 2026): https://ballotpedia.org/Maryland_House_of_Delegates_elections,_2026
- Maryland State Board of Elections, 2026 Gubernatorial General Election State Candidates List (last updated October 16, 2026) — official list spot-checked against this roster with no discrepancy in the checks (see research file): https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2026/general_candidates/2026_GG_statewide_candidatelist.html
- Wikipedia, "2026 Maryland Senate election" / "2026 Maryland House of Delegates election" — predictions tables (Sabato's Crystal Ball; State Navigate, October 11, 2026) and district results history, as cited in the competitiveness line above
- Record gaps: no district-level legislative voting records, campaign-finance figures, or biographies beyond the offices and facts printed above were verified for the nominees in this district at this sourcing depth
- Standing check: no pedophile-association material meeting the proven standard (knowing association with or defense of a convicted pedophile) was located for any candidate on this ballot
Result pending. No verified call (Associated Press or official) as of November 4, 2026. This page will be updated when the race is called or certified. The original article above is unchanged.
AI-assisted article — but the sources are human, and the facts are very real.
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