Catherine M. Grasso
Candidate for the upcoming General Election on November 3, 2026. Always verify official ballot status with the Maryland State Board of Elections.
Incumbent Republican County Commissioner for District 3 (Northern Calvert), elected in 2022. Dunkirk resident of 51 years where she and her husband Frank raised three children and a house full of grandchildren. Spent her professional career in federal service with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), formulating and executing agency budgets and managing three nationwide livestock programs. Former Chair of the Calvert County Republican Central Committee and President of Republican Leaders of Calvert; serves on the Calvert Library Board of Trustees and Calvert Hospital Ball Committee. Running for re-election on her core principles: 'No Data Centers. Responsible Growth.'
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Verified Policy Stances & Platform
Public record positions, statements, and campaign positions.
Firm Rejection of Data Centers & Pushing Back on Developer Allegations
Steadfast opponent of industrial-scale data centers who seconded the initial moratorium motion and supported the enacted countywide moratorium. Pushed back forcefully on accusations of developer negotiations, reaffirming that data centers are not appropriate for Calvert County's environment or community.
"I have not been in any negotiations with data centers. I have not had any sit-downs with AWS or Natelli talking about data centers. Period. End of story. The more I got into this data center debacle, you know how I feel. I’m not for them. I don’t think they’re conducive or appropriate for our community and what we want for our community and for our environment. End of story."
Responsible Growth That Complements Calvert Rather Than Overwhelming It
Demands every development decision strictly account for existing neighborhood impacts, roads, school capacity, public safety, water, power infrastructure, and long-term costs before approval.
"Development should complement Calvert County — not overwhelm it. Every development decision must account for traffic and roads, schools and public safety, water, power and infrastructure, existing neighborhoods, agriculture and open space, and the long-term cost to the county."
Federal Budget Experience: Distinguishing What Government Can Spend from What It Needs to Spend
Brings USDA federal budgeting experience to county finances, exercising fiscal discipline to maintain essential services while refusing to treat overburdened taxpayers as an endless revenue source.
"County government must carefully distinguish between what it can spend and what it needs to spend. Calvert County residents should not automatically be the answer every time government faces a difficult budget."
Treating Growth Decisions as Critical Public Safety Decisions
Prioritizes public safety as a core commissioner responsibility, measuring every land-use and development proposal against its concrete strain on emergency services, roads, and community response times.
"Growth decisions are public-safety decisions, too: every development proposal should be measured against its impact on schools, roads and the services residents already depend on."
Protecting Calvert's 51-Year Rural Heritage and Farmland
Committed to preserving the agricultural open spaces, waterfront communities, and tranquil rural character that define Calvert County and distinguish it from surrounding congested metropolitan jurisdictions.
"Calvert’s future should be determined by what is right for the people who live here — not by the demands of massive industrial development. Calvert’s farms, open space, waterfront communities and rural character distinguish it from the heavily developed jurisdictions surrounding Washington."
Standing Up for Plant Safety and Halting 800-Acre Industrial Rezoning
Supports the safe, reliable operation of Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant while leading commissioner efforts to prevent the industrial rezoning of surrounding forest buffers.
"Calvert Cliffs has been an integral and safe part of our county for decades. But preserving the nuclear plant does not mean we allow industrial developers to clear-cut hundreds of acres of surrounding woods for commercial gain."
Official Campaign Priorities
- No Data Centers: Early champion of the two-year data center moratorium; unwavering opposition to industrial data centers in Calvert
- Responsible Growth: Ensuring development complements Calvert rather than overwhelming roads, schools, water, power, and open space
- Strong Public Safety: Integrating public safety into every growth decision; supporting law enforcement, volunteer fire/EMS, and schools
- Responsible County Spending: Applying federal budget discipline to distinguish what county can spend from what it needs to spend; protecting residents from tax pressure
- Protect Calvert's Rural Character: Preserving family farms, open spaces, waterfront heritage, and rural quality of life from suburban sprawl
Other Candidates in This Race:
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Live Activity Timeline
Press releases, announcements and media coverage of Catherine's campaign.
Catherine was elected District 3 County Commissioner and took office in December 2022.
Catherine Grasso took a firm position on industrial-scale data centers early in Calvert County’s debate.She supported and seconded the two-year moratorium when it first came before the Board, kept pushing after it failed 3–2, and months later the full Board adopted a countywide m
County Commissioner Catherine Grasso took office in December 2022, representing District 3 and working for all citizens of Calvert County on the Calvert County, Maryland, Board of County Commissioners. She is serving her first term. Before retiring from federal service, Grasso fo
County Commissioner Catherine Grasso took office in December 2022, representing District 3 and working for all citizens of Calvert County on the Calvert County, Maryland, Board of County Commissioners. She is serving her first term. Before retiring from federal service, Grasso fo
County Commissioner Catherine Grasso took office in December 2022, representing District 3 and working for all citizens of Calvert County on the Calvert County, Maryland, Board of County Commissioners. She is serving her first term. Before retiring from federal service, Grasso fo
County Commissioner Catherine Grasso took office in December 2022, representing District 3 and working for all citizens of Calvert County on the Calvert County, Maryland, Board of County Commissioners. She is serving her first term. Before retiring from federal service, Grasso fo
County Commissioner Catherine Grasso took office in December 2022, representing District 3 and working for all citizens of Calvert County on the Calvert County, Maryland, Board of County Commissioners. She is serving her first term. Before retiring from federal service, Grasso fo
During the Calvert Board of County Commissioners meeting, Commissioner Catherine Grasso forcefully rejected claims of closed-door negotiations with data center firms like AWS or Natelli, reiterating her opposition to industrial data centers in Calvert County.