As a man of few words, Sen. Nathaniel Exum can confound detractors and reporters, but his nature plays well in his district.
‘‘I’m just trying to serve my constituents,” Exum said in a brief interview March 13.
But his laconic nature contrasts with the power he wields. He delayed a Senate decision on the appointment of Col. Terrence Sheridan to become superintendent of the Maryland State Police and then cast the sole dissenting vote.
Since 1975, the 24th district of Prince George’s County has been represented by Exum, a legislator with deep political ties whose sometimes abrasive character and volatile actions are juxtaposed against his charity fundraisers and youth mentoring programs.
A Memphis native, Exum left Tennessee to attend Howard University before joining the Army. The legislator, who came of age at the height of the Civil Rights movement, is one of the longest serving members of the legislature, having served for 24 years in the House before he succeeded former Sen. Decatur W. (Bucky) Trotter (D) in 1998.
Over the years Exum, 68, has risen through the ranks of political seniority to become an influential player in Prince George’s politics and in Annapolis decision-making.
Since his primary win in 1998, Exum has faced scant opposition in his district, which borders the Washington line and includes the county’s poorest neighborhoods. He ran unopposed in 2006, and easily defeated his challenger in 2002.
Along the way, Exum has developed a reputation as a hard-charging legislator with his own mind. And his own opinions.
‘‘I see him as a very committed legislator. His word is his word: his yes is yes, and his no is no,” fellow Prince George’s Sen. Anthony C. Muse said. ‘‘Whether you agree with him or not, he believes in what he believes in.”
Muse (D-Dist. 26) of Fort Washington, a freshman senator who leads the county’s delegation, said Exum has been a good resource for him and other new senators.
Including David Harrington.
Harrington was appointed to the seat held by Gwendolyn T. Britt after she died in January. In a contentious contest for the seat, Exum proved to be the kingmaker, lobbying hard for Harrington, who was challenged by former delegate Rushern Baker, Britt’s widower and Del. Jolene Ivey, who also represents Britt’s 47th district.
‘‘Our relationship actually started not with him supporting me, but with me opposing him,” said Harrington of Cheverly. ‘‘I supported his opponent when [Exum] ran for the Senate seat way back when I was mayor of Bladensburg.”
But Exum never retaliated against him, Harrington said.
And he did not retaliate against the new senator this week when Harrington joined the rest of the Senate in voting for Sheridan’s appointment.
The Washington Post had reported that Exum’s resistance to Sheridan’s appointment stemmed from four years ago when the state police revoked the license of an automotive inspection station in Exum’s district. Exum maintained that his lone opposing vote this week was because of his concern over the lack of diversity in the state police force.
‘‘I most respect him for the fact that we were able to sit and talk after that, and that he’s going to stand for what he believes in, particularly for people in his district,” Harrington said. ‘‘There’s no way you can convince Nat Exum of supporting something he doesn’t want to.”
Personally, Harrington said, Exum has never told him how to vote or asked him about voting a certain way. ‘‘He does expect you to talk to him and show him respect, and as a senior senator, you should.”
Exum may not have retaliated against Harrington, but other legislative colleagues are not always afforded the same treatment. Several political operatives and lawmakers contacted in person and by phone refused to comment about the senator on the record for fear of retribution.
‘‘He is a mean-spirited, vindictive man. But we all have to work with him,” one state legislator said.
And working with Exum can sometimes be difficult because his actions sometimes put him on a political island, his colleagues said. But on Exum’s island is his daughter, Camille, who has been a Prince George’s County councilwoman since 2002.
‘‘He is very much involved in issues on the state level and his daughter’s district overlaps his, and some of the county issues, such as the [county] hospital system, directly affect his constituents,” said Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr., who characterized Exum as a ‘‘people’s advocate.”
‘‘He prides himself on being of the people. He is a hardworking person proud of his blue collar roots,” said Miller (D-Dist. 27) of Chesapeake Beach.
Officials involved in last year’s failed negotiations for a state package to assist the county hospital system say Exum played a key role in persuading council members to withdraw from the deal in the final hours of the session. His daughter was chairwoman of the council at the time.
The senator also drew fire from county politicians in 2006, when he took the unusual step of endorsing newcomer Cereta Lee over incumbent Lynn L. Skerpon for the non-political Register of Wills office. Critics said that Exum campaigned for Lee, who is black, solely because of her race.
‘‘Our political slate-makers shut out a well-respected, well-educated, well-experienced, successful incumbent officeholder only because she is white. That was flat out wrong,” said former County Councilman Thomas Hendershot at the time.
Skerpon, who lost the primary, declined to comment for this story.
But opponents and supporters credit his attention to detail. The Tennessee-born lawmaker still walks his district every year to court supporters and check in with constituents.
‘‘He’s a true retail politician,” said Congressman Albert R. Wynn (D-Dist. 4) of Mitchellville, who knew Exum during his time in the General Assembly. ‘‘He knows the people in his district.”
Wynn acknowledged that Exum’s approach ruffles some.
When consulted for this story, Exum had few words, instead instructing a reporter to talk with his staff. ‘‘These people have worked with me for years, they can tell you all about me,” he said.
On an impromptu tour of the senator’s office, decorated with family photos, African statues and his first Senate parking tag, Exum’s special assistant, Boyd Poole, waxed positively about the senator’s work.
‘‘He’s a man of character and he’s strong,” said Poole, who has worked with Exum for 14 years. The aide, like many of Exum’s colleagues spoke highly of his work with a high school male mentoring program, his February mock-legislature for county youth and his attendance at county meetings.
‘‘He thinks for himself,” Wynn said. ‘‘Like his daughter. She’s also very independent. But they’re committed to their constituents.”
Staff Writer Margie Hyslop contributed to this report.
