A longtime political fixture in Maryland, Kevin Kamenetz died Thursday morning at the age of 60.
Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz, a frontrunner in the upcoming Democratic primary for governor, passed away Thursday, May 10, after being transported to University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center via ambulance. Kamenetz had awakened around 2 a.m., complaining that he did not feel well. Paramedics were called to his home, and upon arriving at the hospital, Kamenetz was pronounced dead of cardiac arrest, at 3:22 a.m. "We are all in a state of shock,” his aide and chief of staff, Don Mohler, said, according to the Baltimore Sun. Kamenetz was a well-known public servant in Maryland, starting out as a prosecuting lawyer in Baltimore and being elected to the Baltimore County Council in 1994, where he served four terms. He was elected Baltimore County's executive in 2010 and then elected to a second term in 2014.
According to the Baltimore Sun, Kamenetz's list of accomplishments was noteworthy — from renovating aging schools to revitalizing the downtown area of Towson without ever raising taxes. As a result, he was a leading contender in the Democratic primary for the governor race, coming up on June 26.
In response to the news of Kamenetz's passing, Republican Gov. Larry Hogan -- who is running as an incumbent in the gubernatorial election -- ordered state flags to be flown at half-staff.
Kamenetz is survived by his wife, Jill, and two teenage sons, Karson and Dylan.
Fred Homan, the county’s administrative officer, will assume the title of “acting county executive effective immediately.”
Our sympathies go out to Mr. Kamenetz's family! If you would like to leave your condolences, you can do so in the comments below.
