Charles Lollar

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Charles Lollar

|image =

|birthname = Charles Joseph Lollar

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|6|22}}

|birth_place = Toppenish, Washington, U.S.

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party = Republican

|education = Emory University
Kennesaw State University
Regent University{{CN|date=February 2022}}

|allegiance = {{flag|United States}}

|branch = {{flag|United States Marine Corps}}

|unit = United States Marine Corps Reserve

|serviceyears = 1997–present

|rank = 25px Major

|battles = Kosovo War

|awards = Navy Unit Commendation
Combat Action Ribbon
Joint Meritorious Unit Award

}}

Charles Lollar (born June 22, 1971){{Citation needed|date=February 2022}} is an American businessman and Republican Party politician. A former Marine Corps officer, he was the Republican nominee for Maryland's 5th congressional district in 2010, losing to Democratic incumbent Steny Hoyer. After coming third in the Republican primary for Governor of Maryland in the 2014 election, he ran for the Charles County Board of Commissioners, losing to Democratic Commissioner Ken Robinson.

Career

Lollar served in the Marine Corps from 1997 to 2003. He was deployed to the Kosovo with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division as part of the 26 MEU (SOC) aboard the USS Kearsarge from March through October 1999 as part of Operation Joint Guardianhttps://www.defense.gov/Multimedia/Photos/igphoto/2002018174/ and later part of the earthquake relief effort in Turkey Operation Avid Response.https://nara.getarchive.net/media/during-operation-avid-response-oar-marine-corps-first-lieutenant-charles-lollar-e7edde Leaving active duty in July 2003, he joined the reserves and served as an intelligence officer at Headquarters Marine Corps.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/lollar-set-to-enter-gop-primary-for-maryland-governor-with-bus-tour-that-launches-tuesday/2013/09/02/797e35fc-140a-11e3-a100-66fa8fd9a50c_story.html|title=Lollar enters GOP primary for Md. governor with appeal to Democrats, independents|date=September 3, 2013|accessdate=September 24, 2013|newspaper=The Washington Post|author=John Wagner}}{{cite web|url=http://combatveteransforcongress.org/alumni/2816 |title=Major Chales Lollar |year=2006|accessdate=October 7, 2013|work=Combat Veterans for Congress|author=Anonymous}} He was then general manager for facility services corporation Cintas. As of July 2014, he works as a budgeting and political consultant for government contractor Blackson Arrow.

= Political campaigns =

In his first political campaign, which took place in 2004, Lollar lost a bid for the Gwinnett County, Georgia school board.{{cite web|url=http://ww2.gazette.net/stories/07242009/polinew203441_32530.shtml|work=The Maryland Gazette|date=July 24, 2009|accessdate=March 3, 2014|first=Alan|last=Brody|title=Voter rule leaves Lollar on the outside|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103064721/http://ww2.gazette.net/stories/07242009/polinew203441_32530.shtml|archive-date=November 3, 2013|url-status=dead}}

Lollar, a Tea Party Republican,{{cite web|url=http://marylandreporter.com/2013/09/08/in-republican-race-for-governor-lollar-shows-fire-and-craig-needs-some-spark/|title=In Republican race for governor, Lollar shows fire, and Craig needs some spark|date=September 8, 2013|accessdate=January 22, 2014|author=Len Lazarick|work=MarylandReporter.com}}{{cite web|url=http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2013/08/09/lollar-to-announce-run-for-md-governor/|title=Businessman Charles Lollar To Run For Governor|date=August 9, 2013|accessdate=January 22, 2014|work=CBS Baltimore}}{{cite web|url=http://programs.wypr.org/podcast/charles-lollar-tea-party-candidate-thurs-jan-9-12-1-pm|title=Charles Lollar, tea party candidate: Thurs. Jan. 9, 12–1 p.m.|accessdate=January 22, 2014|work=wypr.org}}{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/all-opinions-are-local/wp/2013/09/04/does-lollar-alter-the-governors-race-in-md/|title=Does Lollar alter the governor's race in Md.?|date=September 4, 2013|accessdate=January 22, 2014|author=Todd Eberly|newspaper=The Washington Post}}{{cite web|url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0410/35697.html|title=Tea party touts 'Maryland miracle'|date=April 13, 2010|accessdate=January 22, 2014|author=Marin Cogan|work=Politico}} subsequently moved to Maryland and served as Chair of the Charles County Republican Central Committee. He planned to run for Governor of Maryland in the 2010 election, but was prevented from doing so by the state's requirement that a candidate must have been registered to vote in Maryland for five years.{{cite web|url=http://ww2.gazette.net/stories/07242009/polinew203441_32530.shtml|title=Voter rule leaves Lollar on the outside|date=July 24, 2009|accessdate=June 5, 2013|first=Alan|last=Brody|work=The Gazette|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928002303/http://ww2.gazette.net/stories/07242009/polinew203441_32530.shtml|archive-date=September 28, 2013|url-status=dead}} Instead, he sought the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic incumbent Steny Hoyer in Maryland's 5th congressional district.{{cite web|url=http://ww2.gazette.net/stories/10092009/polinew203937_32527.shtml|title=Lollar eyes Hoyer's seat|date=October 9, 2009|accessdate=June 5, 2013|work=The Gazette|first=Daniel|last=Valentine|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928002301/http://ww2.gazette.net/stories/10092009/polinew203937_32527.shtml|archive-date=September 28, 2013|url-status=dead}} Lollar won the Republican primary in September 2010 with 58% of the vote.{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=489002|title=MD District 5 – R Primary|accessdate=September 24, 2013|publisher=Our Campaigns}} In the general election, Hoyer was re-elected with 64.3% of the vote to Lollar's 34.6%.{{cite web|url=http://elections.nytimes.com/2010/results/maryland|title=Maryland|accessdate=June 5, 2013|work=The New York Times}}

Lollar subsequently became the director of the Maryland chapter of Americans for Prosperity,{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2011/02/09/baltimore-democrat-joins-tea-party-caucus/|title=Baltimore Democrat joins tea party caucus|date=February 9, 2011|access-date=January 22, 2014|work=The Baltimore Sun}} the head of the PAC New Day Maryland, spoke at Second Amendment and anti-tax rallies{{cite web|url=http://marylandreporter.com/2013/06/24/lollar-not-running-for-governor-yet/|title=Lollar not running for governor – yet|date=June 24, 2013|accessdate=July 21, 2013|work=MarylandReporter.com}} and served as a delegate to the 2012 Republican National Convention.{{cite web|url=https://www.bet.com/article/23xnc4/portrait-of-a-delegate-charles-lollar|title=Portrait of a Delegate: Charles Lollar|date=August 30, 2012|access-date=June 5, 2013|first=Joyce|last=Jones|publisher=Black Entertainment Television}}

On September 2, 2013, Lollar announced he was running for the Republican nomination for Governor of Maryland in the 2014 election at an event in Mechanicsville. He raised $65,000 during the whole of 2013 and reported $5,700 cash-on-hand at the end of the year.{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2014/01/16/lollar-campaign-finance-report-raises-questions/|title=Lollar campaign finance report raises questions|date=January 16, 2014|access-date=January 22, 2014|author=Brian Griffiths|work=The Baltimore Sun}} On February 24, 2014, Lollar announced that his running mate was Kenneth R. Timmerman, an investigative reporter, conservative activist and the Republican nominee for Maryland's 8th congressional district in 2012.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/md-gop-gubernatorial-hopeful-lollar-chooses-kenneth-timmerman-as-running-mate/2014/02/23/eeb8a23c-9cd4-11e3-ad71-e03637a299c0_story.html|title=Md. GOP gubernatorial hopeful Lollar chooses Kenneth Timmerman as running mate|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=February 24, 2014|accessdate=February 24, 2014|first=John|last=Wagner}}

In the primary held on June 24, 2014, Lollar finished third out of the four candidates with 15.5% of the vote, behind Larry Hogan and David R. Craig, who received 43% and 29.1%, respectively, but ahead of Ron George, who received 12.4%.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/marylanders-go-to-the-polls-tuesday-for-primary-elections-for-governor-other-offices/2014/06/23/8a545e48-faef-11e3-8176-f2c941cf35f1_story.html|title=Brown, Hogan win Md. gubernatorial primaries; Frosh wins attorney general contest|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=June 25, 2014|accessdate=August 5, 2014}}

After his defeat, Lollar announced he would seek the district 1 seat on the Charles County Board of Commissioners, replacing fellow Republican J.T. Crawford on the ballot, who had withdrawn because of work and family commitments. He faced incumbent Democratic Commissioner Ken Robinson in the general election.{{cite web|url=http://www.somdnews.com/article/20140718/NEWS/140719316/1074/lollar-readies-district-1-challenge-in-commissioner-race&template=southernMaryland|work=Southern Maryland News|date=July 18, 2014|accessdate=August 5, 2014|first=Jeff|last=Newman|title=Lollar readies District 1 challenge in commissioner race}} Lollar, using money left over from his gubernatorial campaign, outspent Robinson{{cite web|url=http://www.somdnews.com/article/20141031/NEWS/141039780/1043&template=southernMaryland |work=Southern Maryland News|date=October 31, 2014|accessdate=November 6, 2014|title=Commissioner hopefuls spend campaign cash on last-minute messages}} and promised to freeze taxes without affecting services, though he offered no specifics as to how he would accomplish this.{{cite web|url=http://www.somdnews.com/article/20141029/NEWS/141029041/1043&template=southernMaryland |work=Southern Maryland News|date=October 29, 2014|accessdate=November 6, 2014|title=Lollar, Robinson square off in District 1 commissioner debate}} Lollar was defeated by Robinson by 19,112 votes (42.7%) to 25,467 (57%).{{cite web|url=http://www.somdnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20141105/NEWS/141109720/1055/section/news07/&template=southernMaryland|work=Southern Maryland News|date=November 5, 2014|accessdate=November 6, 2014|title=Murphy, Robinson, Stewart, Davis, Rucci win in Charles County|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20141106143805/http://www.somdnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20141105/NEWS/141109720/1055/section/news07/&template=southernMaryland|archivedate=November 6, 2014}}