[6][7] Kamenetz worked as a prosecutor in the Office of the State's Attorney for Baltimore City from 1982 to 1987, and practiced law for over 30 years.

[citation needed] Kamenetz was elected to the Democratic State Central Committee for terms in 1982, 1990, 1994, and served as Baltimore County Chair from 1993 to 1994.

[20] On September 18, 2017, Kamenetz announced his candidacy for Governor of Maryland in the 2018 election, running against incumbent Larry Hogan.

He had awoken at 2 a.m., complaining that he felt unwell, and was taken to the University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center in Towson, where he was pronounced dead at 3:22 a.m., after going into cardiac arrest.

[1][24] Two weeks later, the County Council chose Kamenetz's chief of staff, Donald I. Mohler III, to serve out the remaining months of his term.

[25] In 2010, Kamenetz received the Valleys Planning Council’s McHarg award for his efforts to reduce density, protect environmentally sensitive land and watersheds, and secure Baltimore County’s rural heritage.