Don H. Dwyer Jr.

Don H. Dwyer Jr. (born February 11, 1958) is an American former politician and former member of the Maryland House of Delegates. He served the 31st District of Anne Arundel County from January 8, 2003 to January 14, 2015. A member of the Republican Party, Dwyer is known for his conservative positions on certain issues, including outspoken opposition to same-sex marriage in Maryland.[2][3] He was reelected by 25 votes in the November 2006 election and reelected again in 2010. He was defeated in the June, 2014 Republican primary, thought to be largely due to his legal troubles.[4] Since 2017, Dwyer has lived in Clearwater, Florida.[5] As of April 2021, Dwyer chairs the Board of Supervisors for the Clearwater Cay Community Development District.[6][7]

Don H. Dwyer Jr.
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates
from the 31st district
In office
January 8, 2003 – January 14, 2015
Succeeded byMeagan C. Simonaire & Nicholaus R. Kipke
ConstituencyAnnapolis, Maryland
Personal details
Born (1958-02-11) February 11, 1958
Annapolis, Maryland[1]
Political partyRepublican
SpouseCheryl
Children3
ResidenceGlen Burnie, Maryland
OccupationPolitician

Dwyer has admitted to drinking on a "pretty regular" basis, beginning at the end of the 2011 legislative session.[8] He has also spoken of attending counseling sessions and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings to cope with alcohol dependency.[8]

On August 22, 2012, Dwyer was operating a motorboat on the Magothy River when he collided with another vessel, seriously injuring himself, John Moran IV, his companion and former police officer,[8] and five others.[9] Among the others injured were three children, including a 5-year-old girl who fractured her skull.[8] Dwyer's blood alcohol content tested three times the legal limit of 0.08.[8][10] He admitted to operating the boat under the influence at a news conference held outside Maryland Shock Trauma, adding that he regretted his actions.[9] On August 6, 2013, Dwyer pleaded guilty to the charges but appealed his 30-day jail sentence.[11]

While he was appealing, early on the morning of August 20, 2013, Dwyer was pulled over by an Anne Arundel County sheriff's deputy in his 2001 Cadillac DeVille for suspected intoxication. After showing signs of alcohol intoxication, failing field sobriety tests, and refusing a to submit to a breathalyzer examination, he was arrested and transported to the Eastern District for booking.[12]

He was again found guilty and received an additional 30-day sentence for that offense, for a total of 60 days in jail. He did not resign his seat.[13]

Dwyer claimed his drinking that led to the boat accident was a result of marital problems and feeling betrayed by fellow lawmakers who supported legislation in favor of same-sex marriage in Maryland. Dwyer said "I felt a tremendous amount of pressure in my family. You take those personal issues [and] add betrayal on the professional side, and it really gets to be overwhelming."[14]

Political fundraising

At a May 2013 fundraiser for his political campaign, Rep. Dwyer hosted an auction of assault weapons during a "Gun Rights and Liberty BBQ".[15]

Election results
  • 2002 General Election for Maryland House of Delegates – District 31[16]
Voters to choose three:
Name Votes Percent Outcome
John R. Leopold, Rep. 24,937   24.31%    Won
Joan Cadden, Dem. 16,906   16.48%    Won
Don Dwyer Jr., Rep. 16,807   16.39%    Won
Thomas R. Gardner, Rep. 15,321   14.94%    Lost
Mary Rosso, Dem. 15,127   14.75%    Lost
Thomas J. Fleckenstein, Dem. 13,404   13.07%    Lost
Other Write-Ins        73     0.07%
  • 2006 General Election for Maryland House of Delegates – District 31[17]
Voters to choose three:
Name Votes Percent Outcome
Steve Schuh, Rep. 19,049   18.4%    Won
Nic Kipke, Rep. 18,150   17.5%    Won
Don Dwyer Jr., Rep. 17,558   17.0%    Won
Joan Cadden, Dem. 17,533   16.9%    Lost
Thomas J. Fleckenstein, Dem. 16,654   16.1%    Lost
Craig A. Reynolds, Dem. 14,454   14.0%    Lost
Other Write-Ins        58     0.1%
  • 2010 General Election for Maryland House of Delegates – District 31[18]
Voters to choose three:
Name Votes Percent Outcome
Nic Kipke, Rep. 24,143   21.96%    Won
Steve Schuh, Rep. 22,805   20.74%    Won
Don Dwyer Jr., Rep. 22,452   20.42%    Won
Jeremiah Chiappelli, Dem. 12,943   11.77%    Lost
Justin M. Towles, Dem. 11,968   10.89%    Lost
Robert L. Eckert, Dem. 11,856   10.78%    Lost
Other Write-Ins      105     0.1%
  • 2014 Republican Primary Election for Maryland House of Delegates – District 31B[19]
Voters to choose two:
Name Votes Percent Outcome
Nic Kipke, Rep. 3,920   31.00%    Won
Meagan Simonaire, Rep. 3,075   24.30%    Won
Gus Kurtz, Rep. 1,779   14.10%    Lost
Brian A. Chisholm, Rep. 1,607   12.70%    Lost
Faith M. Loudon, Rep. 1,017     8.10%    Lost
Don Dwyer, Jr., Rep.    890     7.00%    Lost
Paul William Drgos, Jr., Rep.    230     1.80%    Lost
David Lee Therrien, Rep.    111     0.90%    Lost

References
  1. "Don H. Dwyer, Jr., Maryland State Delegate". Maryland Manual On-Line. Maryland State Archives. September 29, 2015. Retrieved August 26, 2012.
  2. Bykowicz, Julie (February 25, 2011). "House same-sex marriage hearing underway". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved February 7, 2012. Del. Don Dwyer Jr., an Anne Arundel County Republican who has called himself "the face of the opposition" began his testimony with a prayer.
  3. Santoscoy, Carlos (February 27, 2011). "Maryland's Don Dwyer Claims Gay Marriage Supporters Have Perjured Themselves". On Top Magazine. Retrieved February 7, 2012.
  4. Sauers, Elisha; Bottalico, Brandi; Read, Zoe (June 25, 2014). "Dwyer loses House seat in 31B; Simonaire advances". Maryland Gazette. Retrieved June 26, 2014.
  5. Danielson, Richard (June 28, 2019). "The nuclear option: Clearwater condo owners push back against bond debt". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
  6. Don Dwyer on LinkedIn
  7. "Contact". Clearwater Cay Community Development District. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  8. Prudente, Tim (January 14, 2013). "Dwyer discusses drinking and recovery". Maryland Gazette. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
  9. Rector, Kevin (August 23, 2012). "Del. Dwyer admits to drinking in Arundel boating accident". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
  10. "Md. Del. Dwyer acknowledges drinking before operating boat that struck another, injuring kids". The Washington Post. Associated Press. August 23, 2012. Archived from the original on August 24, 2012. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
  11. Wagner, John (August 6, 2013). "Md. delegate enters guilty plea for drunken boating, awaits sentence in October". The Washington Post.
  12. "Delegate Dwyer Arrested On DUI Charge". Eye on Annapolis. August 20, 2013. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
  13. "Don Dwyer sentenced to 60 days in jail". WJLA-TV. October 25, 2013.
  14. "Drunken Republican Says It Was Gay Marriage That Made Him Operate Vehicles Under The Influence". AddictingInfo.org. August 20, 2013. Archived from the original on June 7, 2019. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  15. Serino, Louis (April 12, 2013). "Maryland delegate raffles off two assault weapons in fundraiser". PoliticalPartyTime.org. Archived from the original on January 9, 2016. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
  16. "2002 Gubernatorial Election". Maryland State Board of Elections. December 2, 2002. Retrieved November 13, 2007.
  17. "Official 2006 Gubernatorial General Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved August 12, 2007.
  18. "2010 General Election Official Results". Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  19. "Official 2014 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for House of Delegates". Maryland State Board of Elections. July 16, 2014. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
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