Representative Jazz Lewis Contact information

Jazz M. Lewis (born February 26, 1989) is an American politician and Democratic member of the Maryland House of Delegates. Lewis represents Maryland’s 24th district, and is currently serving as House Majority Whip.

Early Life and Education: Lewis was born in Silver Spring, Maryland. He graduated from Charles Herbert Flowers High School and later attended the University of Maryland, College Park, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science in 2011 and a Master of Public Policy degree in acquisition management and international development in 2014.

Political Career: Lewis first entered politics as a campus organizer, organizing students in a protest against a proposed tuition increase. After graduating, he joined the Service Employees International Union as a community organizer. In 2012, he worked as a regional field director for Ben Cardin’s Senate campaign. After graduating, he became a community organizer for the Good Jobs Better Baltimore campaign. Lewis also worked for U.S. Representative Steny Hoyer, first as a field director before becoming an executive director in July 2015. During the 2016 presidential primaries, he worked as the Maryland political director for former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

On January 11, 2017, state delegate Michael L. Vaughn resigned from the Maryland House of Delegates, citing unspecified health issues. Lewis applied to fill the vacancy left by Vaughn’s resignation, and was nominated by the Prince George’s County Democratic Central Committee on January 24.

Lewis was appointed to the Maryland House of Delegates by Governor Larry Hogan on February 10, 2017, and was sworn in on the same day. He was subsequently elected for a full term in 2018, and re-elected in 2022. In September 2019, House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones named Lewis as the chair of the House Democratic Caucus. In January 2023, Jones named him as the House Majority Whip, succeeding then-delegate Talmadge Branch. From 2019 until October 2021, Lewis worked as a senior policy advisor to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer.

Committee Assignments: Lewis has served as a member of the Appropriations Committee since 2021. Member, Appropriations Committee, 2021–present (transportation & the environment subcommittee, 2021–present; oversight committee on pensions, 2021–2022; capital budget subcommittee, 2023–present; chair, oversight committee on personnel, 2023–present)