Michael E. Busch facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mike Busch
106th Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates
In office January 8, 2003 – April 7, 2019
Preceded by	Casper Taylor
Succeeded by	Adrienne A. Jones
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates from the 30th district
In office January 14, 1987 – April 7, 2019 Serving with Alice J. Cain, Herbert H. McMillan, Ron George, Virginia P. Clagett, C. Richard D'Amato, Phillip D. Bissett, John Astle, Aris T. Allen
Preceded by	Elmer Hagner Robert Kramer
Succeeded by	Shaneka Henson
Personal details
Born	Michael Erin Busch (1947-01-04)January 4, 1947 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Died	April 7, 2019(2019-04-07) (aged 72) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Cynthia Abbott
Children	2
Education	Temple University (BA)

Michael Erin “Coach” Busch (January 4, 1947 – April 7, 2019) was an American politician and member of the Democratic Party who served as the 106th Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates from 2003 until his death in 2019. Busch was a member of the House for nine terms, beginning in 1987. He represented all of legislative District 30 prior to redistricting in 2012, and represented District 30A after the district was split following the 2010 census. The district encompasses parts of Anne Arundel County, including the state capital of Annapolis.

Background

Busch was born in Baltimore and was a lifelong resident of the state of Maryland. He attended St. Mary's High School in Annapolis and in 1970 received his B.S. degree in education from Temple University, where he was a member of the Pi Lambda Phi fraternity.

Busch was pursued by the National Football League as a running back, prior to a knee injury. Busch then returned to Maryland to coach athletics and teach.

He was married to Cynthia Abbott Busch, with whom he had two children, Erin and Megan.

Legislative career

Busch first got involved in politics at the urging of parents of his students. After winning election to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1986, Busch served on the Judiciary Committee, the Economic Matters Committee, which he later chaired, and as Chairman of the Anne Arundel County Delegation before being elected Speaker. Busch repeatedly won reelection in an evenly-split district and served alongside other delegates in District 30 from both the Republican Party and Democratic Party during his tenure in the House. As Speaker, he had significant influence over matters in the House and in state government overall. He served through 5 governors and alongside his counterpart in the state senate, long-time President of the Maryland Senate Mike Miller.

At the beginning of the 2003 session of the Maryland Legislature, Busch was elected Speaker of the House by his colleagues in the Maryland House of Delegates. He became the longest-serving Speaker in Maryland history.

Busch was known for his interest in the areas of healthcare, education, and economic development. During the 2007 legislative session, he sponsored a bill with other members of the leadership titled the Children and Working Families Healthcare Act of 2007, which proposed to provide health care access to 250,000 Marylanders and all children in the state.

Democrats held a supermajority in the House throughout Busch's terms in office. Busch successfully leveraged his party's majority to advance his legislative goals over the objections of Republican Governors Larry Hogan and Bob Ehrlich. The House overrode a number of vetoes by both aforementioned governors during Busch's time as Speaker. Some significant veto overrides include raising the state's minimum wage, twice, restoring voting rights to felons, closing a hotel sales tax loophole, increasing funding for performing arts, and creating a new Public Service Commission.

Busch had significant knowledge of procedural rules of the House and occasionally maneuvered to block efforts by the minority party to advance legislation outside the normal committee process. Notably, in 2015 Busch blocked an attempt by Republicans to put forward legislation to ban gay marriage in the state by ending the day's session abruptly in a rare move.

Speaker Busch was also instrumental in the passage of LGBTQ+ supportive legislation in Maryland. He rallied his caucus to support legislation allowing visitation rights for unmarried partners before gay marriage was legalized in the state. He also led the fight to legalize gay marriage in the state before other key lawmakers supported the measure. His first attempts to pass the legislation failed, however in 2012 he was successful in leading his caucus to pass legislation legalizing same-sex marriage. The legislation was forced to a ballot referendum in the 2012 general election. The ballot referendum, known as Question 6, passed.

Awards

• 2010 Most Influential Maryland Legislators (Top 20)

Death

Michael Busch lies in state at the Maryland State Capitol.

Busch underwent a liver transplant in 2017. As his health declined, his supporters adopted the nickname "Iron Mike" to emphasize his strength and resilience as he tried to recover from the transplant. He reportedly fell ill with pneumonia on March 26, 2019, after a follow-up procedure. He was hospitalized at the University of Maryland Medical Center, where he died on April 7. Maryland Governor Larry Hogan ordered flags to be flown at half-staff following his death. Busch laid in state at the Maryland State House rotunda on April 15, 2019. His funeral took place on April 16 at St. John Neumann Church in Annapolis and was followed by a reception at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. He was laid to rest on April 16, 2019. Tributes from across the state flowed in following Busch's death.

Legacy

In 2019, Maryland Hall, a cultural and arts center located in Annapolis, MD renamed their center the Michael E. Busch Center for the Arts at Maryland Hall, in honor of Busch, who had fought for funding for the institution throughout his career.

In 2020, Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman, Jr. directed that the newly built Annapolis branch of the Anne Arundel County Public Library be named the Michael E. Busch Annapolis Library in Busch's honor.

In 2020, the District 30 Democratic Club, a social political club representing the same legislative district that Busch represented, was renamed the Michael E. Busch District 30 Democratic club in his honor.

Election results

• 2018 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – District 30A

Voters to choose two:

Name	Votes	Percent	Outcome
Michael E. Busch, Dem.	20,080	32.6%	Won
Alice J. Cain, Dem.	18,070	29.3%	Won
Chelsea Gill, Rep.	12,097	19.6%	Lost
Bob O'Shea, Rep.	11,324	18.4%	Lost
Other Write-Ins	53	0.01%	Lost

• 2014 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – District 30A

Voters to choose two:

Name	Votes	Percent	Outcome
Herb McMillan, Rep.	14,484	27.9%	Won
Michael E. Busch, Dem.	14,289	27.6%	Won
Chuck Ferrar, Dem.	11,932	23.0%	Lost
Genevieve Lindner, Rep.	11,100	21.4%	Lost
Other Write-Ins	56	0.01%	Lost

• 2010 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – 30th District

Voters to choose three:

Name	Votes	Percent	Outcome
Ron George, Rep.	25,631	19.25%	Won
Michael E. Busch, Dem.	23,995	18.02%	Won
Herb McMillan, Rep.	22,553	16.94%	Won
Virginia P. Clagett, Dem.	21,142	15.88%	Lost
Seth Howard, Rep.	20,080	15.08%	Lost
Judd Legum, Dem.	19,670	14.77%	Lost

• 2006 Race for Maryland House of Delegates– 30th District

Voters to choose three:

Name	Votes	Percent	Outcome
Michael E. Busch, Dem.	22,479	17.1%	Won
Virginia P. Clagett, Dem.	22,360	17.0%	Won
Ron George, Rep.	21,811	16.6%	Won
Barbara Samorajczyk, Dem.	21,758	16.5%	Lost
Andy Smarick, Rep.	20,594	15.6%	Lost
Ron Elfenbein, Rep.	20,497	15.5%	Lost

• 2002 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – 30th District

Voters to choose three:

Name	Votes	Percent	Outcome
Michael E. Busch, Dem.	22,422	17.7%	Won
Virginia P. Clagett, Dem.	21,875	17.3%	Won
Herbert H. McMillan, Rep.	20,972	16.6%	Won
C. Richard D'Amato, Dem.	20,545	16.3%	Lost
Michael Collins, Rep.	19,140	15.1%	Lost
Nancy Almgren, Rep.	18,861	14.9%	Lost
David M. Gross, Green	2,536	2.0%	Lost
Other Write-Ins	71	0.1%	Lost

• 1998 Race for Maryland House of Delegates– District 30

Voters to choose three:

Name	Votes	Percent	Outcome
Michael E. Busch, Dem.	24,075	21%	Won
Virginia P. Clagett, Dem.	24,036	21%	Won
C. Richard D'Amato, Dem.	20,223	18%	Won
Phillip D. Bissett, Rep.	18,690	16%	Lost
Edward J. Turner, Rep.	14,119	12%	Lost
Anthony McConkey, Rep.	12,353	11%	Lost

• 1994 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – District 30

Voters to choose three:

Name	Votes	Percent	Outcome
Michael E. Busch, Dem.	18,709	19%	Won
Phillip D. Bissett, Rep.	18,009	23%	Won
Virginia P. Clagett, Dem.	18,254	18%	Won
Ralph C. Rosacker, Rep.	16,299	16%	Lost
Joan Beck, Rep.	15,974	16%	Lost
John C. Eldridge Jr., Dem.	13,320	13%	Lost

• 1990 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – District 30

Voters to choose three:

Name	Votes	Percent	Outcome
John Astle, Dem.	18,009	23%	Won
Aris T. Allen, Rep.	16,951	22%	Won
Michael E. Busch, Dem.	16,104	18%	Won
Edith Segree, Dem.	14,341	18%	Lost
Phillip D. Bissett, Rep.	13,321	17%	Lost

See also

In Spanish: Michael E. Busch para niños