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But many others have targets on their backs, and several are running for other offices — leaving their seats wide open. And for Democrats, a popular Republican governor has been an ongoing frustration, particularly since only a few votes in the Senate could make the difference between overriding one of his vetoes or letting it stand.
Nevertheless, the rampant politicizing widely predicted in January did not materialize. At least for the most part. Gov. Larry Hogan and legislative leaders managed to find agreements in many areas, including:
• stabilizing rates in the Maryland Health Care Exchange's individual market after federal tax reform changes
• protections against sexual harassment
• raising the standard deduction to offset the elimination of other deductions in the federal tax reform
"Unlike Washington, where nobody works together, and nothing ever seems to get done, here in Annapolis we have chosen a different path," Hogan said as he sat down with Senate President Mike Miller and House Speaker Mike Busch on Monday to sign bills.
Annapolis as the "not Washington" was a familiar theme throughout the session as lawmakers in both parties touted a spirit of bipartisanship. There were exceptions, however.
The first came early as the General Assembly voted largely along party lines to override Hogan's veto of a mandatory sick leave bill passed last year.
But the impact on small businesses was softened a little when the Legislature approved Hogan's bill to give income tax relief to businesses with up to 25 employees who get certain benefits.
In the final weeks, controversy erupted again as a school construction funding bill two years in the making was amended in the House Appropriations Committee to take the state Board of Public Works out of the process for funding school projects.
The change targeted state Comptroller Peter Franchot, who serves on the board with Hogan and Treasurer Nancy Kopp. Franchot often chided school officials from certain counties during their appearances before the board over classroom conditions in some schools.
But Sen. Andrew Serafini, R-Washington, complained that the bill had been "hijacked" for political purposes. Serafini served on the commission that met for two years to draft the recommendations on which the bill was based.
The amendment "took an excellent bill, a bipartisan bill that a lot of people put a lot of hard work into, and just absolutely hijacked it, sadly," Serafini said.
Hogan said Monday he plans to get that part of the legislation repealed next year.
But first he must survive November's election.
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