Ryan Shaban

Ryan Shaban served in the U.S. Army Reserve from 2011 to 2024. Shaban earned an associate degree from Purdue University and a bachelor's degree from Purdue University. His career experience includes working as an IT professional.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I'm Ryan Shaban, and I'm running as a 'Teddy Roosevelt' Democrat. I spent 13 years total in the Army, between active and reserve, including a tour in Afghanistan from 2013-2014. I originally worked in logistics before I became a Counterintelligence Special Agent, and then later on found a passion for Cyber Supply Chain Risk Management, the field I work in now- my name is even referenced as a contributor for a scientific publication, which I think is pretty cool!

But that's just what I do, what I am is a proud father and happy husband and, frankly, a frustrated Maryland citizen. I look around and see us slowly losing our rights and paying more into a system that benefits big businesses before it benefits we the people, and that's unacceptable. My campaign theme, 'Hold the Line', is both a reference to Maryland being the Old Line State, and a call to action to our citizens to say enough is enough, the government should be working for the people, not special interests.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Protection of Rights: My first and foremost belief is that the government should protect the rights of the PEOPLE, and otherwise stay out of day to day life. I both like guns and I believe all people should be should be treated with the utmost respect and equity regardless of their gender identity, sexuality, or race. The government shouldn't be legislating peoples morals or bodies, but it should be there to make sure that the rights of ALL Maryland residents are protected.Protection of Residents and Small Businesses: If anyone tells you that business can't survive if people are given a livable wage, they are lying to you. It works in the Nordic countries and even notably competitive and capitalist Switzerland. The government doesn't need to be involved in peoples day to day lives, but that's not what a corporation is. If a company can make record profits, like Exelon did, while making electricity a luxury, that's a problem. We can enforce fair standards on business with billions in profit, while also being sensitive to our local business owners- they shouldn't be treated the same, because they aren't.Accountability: We pass bills currently with no provisions to make sure that they are enforced or that they produce results. Its wrong, and it steals all of our money. We need to have a statewide inspector general, every bill should have provisions to audit it and reform or sunset it if it isn't effective, and we need a legislature that doesn't work for a 90 days a year before they go back to being bankers and lawyers- the legislature needs to be doing work year round because its ridiculous that all the work is done in 3 months and then you as the citizen is stuck with the mess for the next 9 months.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Besides what I have above, criminal justice reform is another passion. I wore a badge, and I can tell you that the issue isn't just 'enforce harder'. We have a system now that throws people in prison and then the government sends you, the taxpayer, a bill for the $60k per year it takes to keep someone in prison. Then they are kicked onto the street with a record and the same issues that led to them being in prison in the first place. The real solution is to stop charging children as adults and giving both adults and juvenile offenders access to robust skill training programs, especially in high demand, good paying fields like welding and plumbing, so that they can rejoin society without crime being their last option.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Progressive Maryland