Dennis C. Donaldson
{{Short description|American politician (1938–2024)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name =
| office = Member of the Maryland House of Delegates
| constituency= 26th district (1979–1983), 25th district (1983–1991)
| term_start = January 10, 1979
| term_end = January 16, 1991
| preceded =
| succeeded =
| alongside = Francis W. White (1979–1983), Lorraine M. Sheehan (1979–1983), Albert Wynn (1983–1987), Jerry E. Perry (1983–1987), Ulysses Currie (1987–1991) and Juanita Miller (1987–1991)
| party = Democratic
| birth_date = {{birth date|1938|6|9}}
| birth_place = Washington, D.C., U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|10|11|1938|6|9}}
| death_place = Melbourne, Florida, U.S.
}}
Dennis Clifton Donaldson (June 9, 1938 – October 11, 2024) was an American politician from the state of Maryland.{{cite news|url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/dennis-donaldson-obituary?id=56537399|title=Dennis C. Donaldson Sr.|work=Kalas Funeral Home & Crematory|date=October 15, 2024}} Born in Washington, D.C., he served in the U.S. Air Force from 1960 to 1966. He served as a Democratic member of the Maryland House of Delegates, representing Prince George's County-based district 26 from 1979 to 1983 and district 25 from 1983 to 1991, serving as speaker pro tempore for the final two years.
Donaldson considered a primary challenge against Congressman Roy Dyson in the 1990 cycle, receiving the endorsement of state house speaker R. Clayton Mitchell Jr., but declined to run, citing a lack of funds.{{cite news|title=Donaldson says he won't challenge Dyson|work=The Star-Democrat|location=Easton, Maryland|date=January 9, 1990}} [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-democrat/159032855/ p. 1], [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-democrat/159032874/ p. 2] He did not seek re-election that year, having accepted a position as a liaison between the Maryland Department of Transportation and the state legislature.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-baltimore-sun/159033914/|title=Speaker pro tem of House confirms he is stepping down|work=Baltimore Sun|date=May 30, 1990}} He ran for a Maryland Senate seat on the lower Eastern Shore in 1994, losing to incumbent Republican J. Lowell Stoltzfus.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-times/159036072/|title=38th same; 37th gets shuffled|work=The Daily Times|location=Salisbury, Maryland|date=November 9, 1994}} He later worked as a political consultant, founding his own company, Donaldson Consultants. He died in Melbourne, Florida on October 11, 2024, at the age of 86.
Electoral history
=1978=
{{Election box begin no change|title=Maryland House of Delegates, District 26, 1978 election
* denotes incumbent{{nb5}}Source:{{cite web|url=https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc2900/sc2908/000001/000179/pdf/am179--686.pdf|publisher=Maryland State Board of Elections|title=Maryland Manual|year=1979|accessdate=November 14, 2024}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Francis W. White|votes=6974|percentage=27.4}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Dennis C. Donaldson|votes=6603|percentage=25.9}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Lorraine M. Sheehan*|votes=6100|percentage=23.9}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=John Simpson|votes=3947|percentage=15.5}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Joseph A. Finlayson Jr.|votes=1866|percentage=7.3}}
{{Election box total no change|votes=25490|percentage=100}}
{{Election box end}}
=1982=
{{Election box begin no change|title=Maryland House of Delegates, District 25, 1982 election
* denotes incumbent{{nb5}}Source:{{cite web|url=https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc2900/sc2908/000001/000181/pdf/am181--705.pdf|publisher=Maryland State Board of Elections|title=Maryland Manual|year=1983|accessdate=November 14, 2024}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Lorraine M. Sheehan*|votes=11966|percentage=32.4}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Albert Wynn|votes=11318|percentage=30.7}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Dennis C. Donaldson*|votes=11265|percentage=30.5}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Joseph A. Finlayson Jr.|votes=2353|percentage=6.4}}
{{Election box total no change|votes=36902|percentage=100}}
{{Election box end}}
=1986=
{{Election box begin no change|title=Maryland House of Delegates, District 25, 1986 election
* denotes incumbent{{nb5}}Source:{{cite web|url=https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/1986/results_1986/gahod.html|publisher=Maryland State Board of Elections|title=1986 Gubernatorial Election - House of Delegates|accessdate=November 14, 2024}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Dennis C. Donaldson*|votes=10806|percentage=33.0}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Juanita Miller|votes=10180|percentage=31.1}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Ulysses Currie|votes=9733|percentage=29.7}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Bryan K. Swartwood|votes=2049|percentage=6.3}}
{{Election box total no change|votes=32768|percentage=100}}
{{Election box end}}
=1994=
{{Election box begin no change|title=Maryland Senate, District 38, 1994 election
* denotes incumbent{{nb5}}Source:{{cite web|url=https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/1994/results_1994/gasse.html|publisher=Maryland State Board of Elections|title=1994 Gubernatorial Election - State Senate|accessdate=November 14, 2024}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=J. Lowell Stoltzfus*|votes=21783|percentage=66.9}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Dennis C. Donaldson|votes=10794|percentage=33.1}}
{{Election box total no change|votes=32577|percentage=100}}
{{Election box end}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Donaldson, Dennis C.}}
Category:People from Washington, D.C.
Category:People from District Heights, Maryland
Category:Democratic Party members of the Maryland House of Delegates
Category:20th-century members of the Maryland General Assembly
{{Maryland-politician-stub}}