James F. Ports Jr. (born December 1, 1958) is an American politician who was a member of the

Maryland House of Delegates The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the Maryland General Assembly, legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland. It consists of 141 delegates elected from 47 districts. The House of Delegates Chamber is in the Maryland State House ...

, representing District 8, which covered portions of

Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...

Baltimore City Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-larges ...

in Maryland. He served alongside Democrat

Kathy Klausmeier Katherine A. Klausmeier (née Nossel; born February 22, 1950) is an American politician who is the 15th and current county executive of Baltimore County, Maryland, serving since 2025. She is the first woman to serve in the position. Born and ra ...

and Republican Alfred W. Redmer Jr. In 2002, Ports decided against running for reelection in the House of Delegates and decided instead to run for Baltimore County Council. He won the Republican primary election, but lost in the general election to Vincent J. Gardina.

Education

Delegate Ports graduated from Perry Hall High School. After serving in the Marine Corps, Ports attended and graduated from Essex Community College, with his Associates of Arts Degree in 1989.

Career

As previously mentioned Ports was in the United States Marine Corps. He attained the rank of Sergeant, and once received the Expeditionary Medal for Marine of the Month. He served from 1978 until 1982. After serving in the military, Ports was a supervisor of Industrial and Commercial Gas Field Operations for Baltimore Gas and Electric Company. He is also licensed as a registered representative by the

Financial Industry Regulatory Authority The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) is a private American corporation that acts as a self-regulatory organization (SRO) that regulates member brokerage firms and exchange markets. FINRA is the successor to the National Associati ...

as an insurance agent. In his community he served as Vice-President of the Northeast Fullerton Community Association, which he was a member from 1986 until 1990. He has been a member of the 8th District Republican Club since 1988. Ports was a member of the Baltimore County Republican Central Committee, serving from 1989 until 1990 and again from 2003 until 2006. He was once elected to be a delegate for the 2000 Republican Party National Convention. Delegate Ports also is a member of the Rossville Democratic Association, the Taxpayers for Government Efficiency, th
Essex Community College Alumni Association
Additionally, he is a member of the Competent Toastmasters, and the

Phi Theta Kappa Phi Theta Kappa ( or PTK) is an honor society for students of associate degree-granting colleges. Its headquarters are in Jackson, Mississippi and it has more than 4.3 million members in nearly 1,300 chapters in eleven nations. History Phi The ...

honorary fraternity. Delegate Ports is also an associate member of Lodge no. 76, of the

Fraternal Order of Police The National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) is a fraternal organization consisting of sworn law enforcement officers in the United States. It reports a membership of over 355,000 members organized in 2,100 local chapters (lodges), state lodge ...

. He was the Commander of the Perry Hall/White Marsh Post no. 11378,

Veterans of Foreign Wars The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), formally the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, is an Voluntary association, organization of United States Armed Forces, United States war veterans who fought in wars, Military campaign, campaig ...

(VFW) from 1992 until 1994. He is a life member of the Parkville Memorial Post no. 9083. Finally, he is an honorary co-chair and co-founder of the Perry Hall High School Alumni Association. Delegate Ports has received awards from People Against Child Abuse, th
Maryland School for the Blind
th

and th
Tall Cedars of Lebanon
In 1996, Delegate Ports was selected as Outstanding Young Marylander of the Year by th
Maryland Jaycees
Additionally, he received the General James P. S. Devereux Award from the Maryland Society of the

Sons of the American Revolution The Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), formally the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (NSSAR), is a federally chartered patriotic organization. The National Society, a nonprofit corporation headquartered in Louisvi ...

in 1997. Finally, Ports was awarded Legislator of the Year by the

American Legislative Exchange Council The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is a nonprofit organization of conservatism in the United States, conservative state legislature (United States), state legislators and private sector representatives who draft and share Model act, ...

(ALEC) in 2001.

Legislative career

While a member of the

, Ports was a member of the Constitutional and Administrative Law Committee from 1991 until 1992, the Ways and Means Committee from 1992 until 2003, the Joint Transportation Financing Committee in 1994, and the Special Joint Committee on Competitive Taxation and Economic Development from 1996 until 1997. Additionally, he served on the Joint Committee on the Selection of the State Treasurer in 2002, the Legislative Policy Committee from 2002 until 2003, and the Rules and Executive Nominations Committee from 2002 until 2003. Delegate Ports was also a member of the National Task Force on Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources, and with ALEC from 1991 until 2003, serving as vice-chair of the energy subcommittee. Ports served as Minority Whip from 2001 until 2002.https://www.newspapers.com/image/282394040/ Delegate Ports originally made a name for himself when he fought against Baltimore County Executive

C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger Charles Albert "Dutch" Ruppersberger III ( ; born January 31, 1946) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 2003 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as an assistant state attorney of ...

's property condemnation bill, which was ultimately defeated. The bill would have allowed the county to use

eminent domain Eminent domain, also known as land acquisition, compulsory purchase, resumption, resumption/compulsory acquisition, or expropriation, is the compulsory acquisition of private property for public use. It does not include the power to take and t ...

to seize waterfront property in Essex and redevelop i

Election results

*1998 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – District 08 Retrieved on September 07, 2007 ::Voters to choose three: : *1994 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – District 08 ::Voters to choose three: : *1990 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – District 08 ::Voters to choose three: :

References and notes

External links