Malcolm Ruff

Malcolm Ruff
Ruff in 2026
Member-elect of the Maryland Senate
from the 41st district
Assuming office
January 13, 2027
SucceedingDalya Attar
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates
from the 41st district
Incumbent
Assumed office
July 6, 2023
Appointed byWes Moore
Preceded byTony Bridges
Personal details
Born (1984-04-18) April 18, 1984 (age 42)
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
PartyDemocratic
SpouseSydnee
Children4
EducationDuke University (BA)
University of Baltimore (JD)
OccupationAttorney
WebsiteCampaign website

Malcolm Peter Ruff (born April 18, 1984) is an American politician and attorney who is a member-elect of the Maryland Senate from District 41. A member of the Democratic Party, Ruff has served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from District 41 since 2023.

Born and raised in Baltimore, Ruff graduated from Duke University and the University of Baltimore School of Law. Ruff is an associate with the law firm Murphy, Falcon & Murphy, which is managed by prominent civil rights attorney Billy Murphy Jr. He has been described as a protégé of Murphy.

Ruff was appointed to the Maryland House of Delegates by Governor Wes Moore in 2023. In 2026, he ran for the Maryland Senate, defeating incumbent state senator Dalya Attar in the Democratic primary and running unopposed in the general election.

Early life and education

Ruff was born in Baltimore on April 18, 1984. He grew up in the Park Heights neighborhood of Baltimore, and spent his summers on a small family-owned farm in Harford County, Maryland. Ruff graduated from the Gilman School in 2002, where he was considered a track and football standout. He later attended Duke University, where he played for the Duke Blue Devils football team and earned a bachelor's degree in African and African American studies in 2006. Ruff later attended the University of Baltimore School of Law, where he earned a Juris Doctor degree in 2012. While at the University of Baltimore, he was one of only six students nationwide selected for the NAACP-Kellogg's Law Fellow program.

Ruff has been a member of the Maryland Bar since 2012. He began his legal career as an assistant state's attorney in Baltimore and Baltimore County, where he prosecuted criminal cases. From 2014 to 2018, he worked as a trial attorney for the Saller & Biship law firm. Afterwards, Ruff became a partner at the Murphy, Falcon & Murphy law firm. In this position, he has represented several victims of police brutality and wrongful death matters, including in the cases of Jordan McNair, William Green, Quinton Burns, Taizier Griffin, Renardo Green, Zayne Abdullah, and Demonte Ward-Blake.

Outside of his legal career, Ruff is the founder of the Pagya Project, a non-profit to support residents of underserved communities and to address homelessness and street violence in Baltimore.

In February 2023, Ruff participated in and spoke at a Tyre Nichols protest at Festival Park in Aberdeen, Maryland, where he read a list of names of African Americans killed in police encounters and suggested that police agencies "clean house".

Political career

Maryland House of Delegates

Malcolm Ruff, with his family, being sworn in by House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones

In May 2023, after state delegate Tony Bridges was appointed to be the assistant secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation, Ruff applied to fill the vacancy left by his resignation in the Maryland House of Delegates. In June 2023, the Baltimore City Democratic Central Committee voted to send Governor Wes Moore the names of both Ruff and former state delegate Angela Gibson for consideration to fill the vacancy. On June 18, 2023, Moore appointed Ruff to fill the vacancy. He was sworn in on July 6, 2023.

House speaker Adrienne A. Jones assigned Ruff to the Appropriations Committee. He was also a member of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland and the Baltimore City Delegation. In January 2026, new Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates Joseline Peña-Melnyk appointed Ruff Chairman of the Capital Budget subcommittee of the Appropriations committee.

2026 Maryland Senate campaign

Governor Moore speaks at Malcolm Ruff rally in Edmondson Village, Baltimore, May 18, 2026.

In January 2025, after state senator Jill P. Carter resigned following her nomination to the Maryland State Board of Contract Appeals, Ruff applied to fill the remainder of Carter's term in the Maryland Senate. Ruff was backed by Carter and Baltimore lawyer Billy Murphy Jr. The Baltimore City Democratic Central Committee voted 5–3 to nominate Dalya Attar to the seat later that month. In August 2025, Ruff announced that he would run for the Maryland Senate in District 41, challenging Attar.

Baltimore Brew described Ruff as the underdog in the Democratic primary, during which Ruff touted juvenile justice bills he introduced in the General Assembly and highlighted state funding brought into the district, including toward the Enoch Pratt Free Library and the Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park preservation project. He also sought to bring attention to Attar's federal extortion charges and received endorsements from Governor Moore, U.S. representative Kweisi Mfume, and Baltimore mayor Brandon Scott. Ruff defeated Attar in the Democratic primary election on June 23, 2026.

Political positions

Crime and policing

During the 2024 legislative session, Ruff was one of eight members of the Maryland House of Delegates to vote against a bill to reform the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services, increase penalties for young people, and increase the number of charges kids aged 10 to 12 could face, saying that the bill would "impact the Black community in a way that is unfair". In 2026, Ruff introduced the NyKayla Strawder Memorial Act, which would mandate services for young children whose actions resulted in someone's death.

Energy

During the 2025 legislative session, Ruff supported the Next Generation Energy Act, which mandated the Maryland Public Service Commission to seek out energy generation proposals to support energy consumption on the state's highest usage days in the summer in an effort to phase out coal and gas-fired power generation in Maryland. In 2026, he voted for the Utility RELIEF Act, which prohibits energy companies from using forecast-based energy bill increases for one year and cuts funding for Maryland's EmPOWER program.

Gun control

During the 2026 legislative session, Ruff supported a bill that would ban the sale of firearms that can be converted into automatic firearms through the use of a Glock switch.

Healthcare

During the 2025 legislative session, Ruff voted for legislation to allow the Maryland Prescription Drug Affordability Board to set upper payment limits for prescription drugs.

Housing and development initiatives

During the 2024 legislative session, Ruff introduced a bill that would create a state-city partnership for the preservation of Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park, Baltimore's largest park, which passed and was signed into law by Governor Moore.

During the 2026 legislative session, Ruff introduced legislation to study incidents of mortgage fraud in Maryland. The bill passed and was signed into law by Governor Moore.

Immigration

During the 2026 legislative session, Ruff supported the Community Trust Act, which prohibits counties from holding people detained at state prisons and local jails at the request of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or from transferring detainees from one of its facilities unless presented with a valid judicial warrant.

Personal life

Ruff lives in Baltimore. He is married to his wife, Sydnee, and has four children. He is a member of the Heritage United Church of Christ.

References

  1. 1 2 "Malcolm Peter Ruff". Martindale.com. Martindale-Hubbell. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  2. 1 2 Kurtz, Josh (June 8, 2023). "Baltimore Democrats deadlock, send two names to governor for consideration to fill House vacancy". Maryland Matters. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Malcolm Ruff". goduke.com. Duke Blue Devils. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  4. 1 2 Iannetta, Jessica (2019). "40 Under 40 2019: Malcolm Ruff, Murphy, Falcon & Murphy". Baltimore Business Journal. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  5. 1 2 Morales, Maria (February 22, 2023). "Harford and Cecil residents call for action, change during Tyre Nichols memorial in Aberdeen". The Aegis. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  6. ↑ Graham, Glenn (May 19, 2020). "On track for retirement: Curley's Gene Hoffman, Gilman's Johnnie Foreman leave impressive legacies". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 "Malcolm Ruff". lawyers.justia.com. Justia. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Meet a Student: Malcolm Ruff" (PDF). University of Baltimore Magazine. Fall 2009. p. 4. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Malcolm P. Ruff". The Daily Record. Baltimore, Maryland. November 30, 2022. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  10. 1 2 "Members - Delegate Malcolm P. Ruff". Maryland General Assembly. July 6, 2023. Retrieved July 6, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Malcolm P. Ruff". murphyfalcon.com. Murphy, Falcon & Murphy. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  12. ↑ "2 ex-Maryland players reach settlement to football lawsuit". Associated Press. December 17, 2021. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
  13. ↑ Murphy, Heather (September 28, 2020). "$20 Million Settlement Reached in Officer's Fatal Shooting of William Green". The New York Times. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  14. ↑ del Valle, Lauren (July 27, 2022). "Family sues SeaWorld's Sesame Place Philadelphia for alleged racist interaction". CNN. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  15. ↑ Thompson, Steve (March 11, 2022). "Teen shot with Taser along Ocean City boardwalk acquitted of most-serious charges". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  16. ↑ Prudente, Tim (June 29, 2021). "Baltimore attorney Billy Murphy takes case of Black teens violently arrested on Ocean City boardwalk". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  17. ↑ Parker, Luke (February 13, 2023). "Annapolis seeks to dismiss $75 million wrongful death suit; Renardo Green's family must respond by Wednesday". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  18. ↑ Anderson, Jessica (September 14, 2021). "Baltimore police officer convicted of lying about being spat on before struggle that was captured on viral video". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  19. ↑ Hilton, Jasmine; Mettler, Katie (March 31, 2023). "Family of man paralyzed during Md. traffic stop wins $7.5 million". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  20. ↑ Morgan, Jeff (January 27, 2023). "Protests to remain peaceful following release of Nichols' video". WMAR-TV. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  21. ↑ Wood, Pamela (June 18, 2023). "Gov. Moore appoints Malcolm Ruff to House of Delegates". The Baltimore Banner. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  22. ↑ Sears, Bryan (July 6, 2023). "House back to full membership after new delegates are sworn in". Maryland Matters. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  23. 1 2 "Malcolm P. Ruff, Maryland State Delegate". Maryland Manual On-Line. Maryland State Archives. January 27, 2026. Retrieved May 16, 2026.
  24. ↑ Brown, Danielle J.; Sears, Bryan P.; Kurtz, Josh (January 20, 2025). "More legislative seats to fill, more money raised, more excitement over the budget, more notes". Maryland Matters. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  25. ↑ Shen, Fern (January 22, 2025). "Upset in northwest's 41st District places Dalya Attar over Malcolm Ruff as area's prospective state senator". Baltimore Brew. Retrieved January 22, 2025.
  26. ↑ Wood, Pamela (January 21, 2025). "Baltimore Democrats nominate Del. Dalya Attar to the state Senate". The Baltimore Banner. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  27. ↑ Wood, Pamela (August 21, 2025). "Del. Malcolm Ruff will seek West Baltimore state Senate seat". The Baltimore Banner. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  28. 1 2 Shen, Fern (June 13, 2026). "Always an election season hot spot, Baltimore's 41st District is extra edgy thanks to criminal charges one candidate is facing". Baltimore Brew. Retrieved June 13, 2026.
  29. ↑ Collins, David (June 5, 2026). "Baltimore primary: Senate candidates clash over indictment". WBAL-TV. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
  30. ↑ Sears, Bryan P.; Ford, William J. (May 8, 2026). "Moore issues scores of endorsements, but some incumbent Democrats miss the cut". Maryland Matters. Retrieved March 16, 2026.
  31. ↑ Williams, John-John IV (May 28, 2026). "Ivan Bates distances himself from endorsement of indicted Dalya Attar". The Baltimore Banner. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
  32. ↑ Reutter, Mark; Shen, Fern (June 24, 2026). "Malcolm Ruff and Bill Ferguson cruise to victory in Baltimore's most contested races". Baltimore Brew. Retrieved June 24, 2026.
  33. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Gaskill, Hannah (June 18, 2026). "Where do Attar and Ruff stand on the issues in the heated D41 Senate race?". The Daily Record. Retrieved June 21, 2026.
  34. ↑ Wintrode, Brenda (February 13, 2024). "A Baltimore family's effort to pass a juvenile justice law gets tangled in Annapolis politics". The Baltimore Banner. Retrieved June 21, 2026.
  35. ↑ Petrowich, Sarah (April 7, 2026). "Maryland lawmakers on course to ban sale of Glocks and 'machine gun convertible pistols'". WYPR. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  36. ↑ Wheeler, Timothy B. (July 5, 2024). "A city-state partnership seeks to rescue Baltimore's beautiful but beleaguered Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park". Baltimore Brew. Retrieved June 13, 2026.
  37. ↑ Cassie, Ron (August 2025). "Will Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park Become Baltimore City's First State Park?". Baltimore. Retrieved June 13, 2026.
  38. ↑ "Malcolm Ruff". insideoutinitiative.org. Inside Out Initiative. Retrieved June 11, 2023.