Democrats retain legislative majorities, but some seats have shuffled between parties – Maryland Matters

Democrats will retain their supermajorities within the Home of Delegates and state Senate over the following 4 years.

Regardless of the late surge of help for Republicans nationally and in sure corners of Maryland, susceptible Democrats appeared to carry on to their seats in a number of swing districts Tuesday, and the Democrats could have even made incursions into Republican districts.

However the ultimate consequence of some intently watched races is not going to be identified for a number of days, till mail-in ballots are counted in Anne Arundel County and some different locations, and a few incumbents may nonetheless wind up dropping. However these outcomes is not going to impression the general stability of legislative energy in Annapolis.

Within the legislative time period that’s winding down, Democrats held a 32-15 edge within the state Senate and a 99-42 benefit within the Home of Delegates.

Solely a handful of Senate seats had been hotly contested this fall, and in probably the most hard-fought race involving an incumbent, Democratic Sen. Katie Fry Hester seems to have prevailed over her Republican challenger, Del. Reid Novotny within the ninth District. With all Election Day precincts reporting, Hester had 54.03% of the vote whereas Novotny had 45.88%. No matter mail-in ballots are left to be counted within the district ought to favor the incumbent.

As a novice candidate 4 years in the past, Hester ousted veteran Republican lawmaker Gail Bates by a slender margin, benefiting from a heavier than regular Democratic turnout. This time, Hester could have benefited from a change in district traces that took territory out of Carroll County and changed it with a small sliver of northern Montgomery County – although Hester really carried out higher within the Howard County a part of the district than within the Montgomery piece in preliminary outcomes. The district in any other case takes within the Ellicott Metropolis space plus western Howard County.

One other first-term senator was trailing on Tuesday evening, however could have the sting when mail-in ballots are tallied.

Sen. Sarah Elfreth (D-Anne Arundel) was working behind Stacie MacDonald (R), a rich businesswoman who self-funded her marketing campaign, after early voting and Election Day ballots had been counted. MacDonald had 18,034 votes for 51.18%, whereas Elfreth had 17,164 votes for 48.71%. However greater than 7,000 mail-in ballots are excellent and received’t start to be counted till Thursday. If voting patterns within the state maintain, they need to favor Elfreth by a large margin.

Democrats and Republicans could wind up splitting tight battles for 2 open Senate seats.

Within the Harford County-based thirty fourth District, former Del. Christian Miele (R), who beforehand represented Baltimore County within the Home of Delegates, seems to have edged former Del. Mary-Dulany James (D), who was making her third bid for the Senate seat, 53.63% to 46.16%. It doesn’t seem as if there are sufficient excellent mail-in ballots for James to beat Miele’s lead. He would substitute outgoing Sen. Robert Cassilly (R), who was overwhelmingly elected Harford County govt on Tuesday.

In District 33 in Anne Arundel County, the place Sen. Ed Reilly (R) is retiring after 13 years, Del. Sid Saab (R) was main legal professional Daybreak Gile (D) 52.07% to 47.82%. However there could also be sufficient uncounted mail-in ballots for Gile to prevail. This race obtained nasty within the ultimate weeks, and Saab sued Gile for slander over marketing campaign literature that the Senate Democrats’ marketing campaign committee produced.

Six new senators had been elected Tuesday:

• Michael McKay (R-Allegany) was elected within the 1st District to interchange retiring Sen. George Edwards (R-Garrett)
• Karen Lewis Younger (D-Frederick) was elected within the third District to interchange retiring Sen. Ron Younger (D), her husband
• Former Del. Invoice Folden (R-Frederick) was elected within the 4th District to interchange departing Sen. Michael Hough (R), who was main the race for Frederick County govt
• Ben Brooks (D-Baltimore County) was elected within the tenth District to interchange retiring Senate Finance Chair Delores Kelley (D)
• Former Sen. Anthony Muse (D-Prince George’s) received his previous seat again within the twenty sixth District following the retirement of veteran workplace holder Obie Patterson (D)
• Johnny Mautz (R-Center Shore) was elected within the thirty seventh District to interchange Sen. Adelaide Eckardt (R), whom he defeated within the GOP major in July

Shut Home races

Del. Brian Crosby’s reelection race in St. Mary’s County was a high precedence of Home Speaker Adrienne Jones (D-Baltimore County), and he seems to have received.

In District 29B, Crosby, vice chair of the Home Financial Issues Committee, was main in his rematch with former Del. Deb Rey (R), 51.6% to 48.25%. No matter mail-in ballots have but to be counted ought to favor Crosby, who clung to a uncooked vote lead of 327.

However one other susceptible Democratic incumbent, Del. Heather Bagnall (D-Anne Arundel), gave the impression to be in bother Wednesday morning.

In District 33C, Republican Kerry Gillespie, a self-described Mama Bear, who rallied in opposition to some COVID-19 protocols and restrictions, was main Bagnall, 53.95% to 45.94%. There might not be sufficient mail-in ballots in that subdistrict for Bagnall to beat her 1,127-vote deficit.

A Republican incumbent can also be in bother: Del. Brenda Thiam (R-Washington), who was appointed to her seat in 2020, was trailing her Democratic challenger, Brooke Grossman, by 34 votes. Thiam is the primary Black girl in historical past to serve within the Home GOP Caucus.

A subdistrict inside Harford County’s thirty fourth Senate district produced one of many tightest Home races within the state, and the 2 events seem to have cut up the 2 seats. In that District 34A race, Harford County Councilmember Andre Johnson (D) was within the lead with 27.88% of the vote, adopted by former Del. Glen Glass (R), who’s making an attempt to get his previous job again, with 25.69%. Del. Steve Johnson (D) – no relation to Andre – was subsequent with 24.44%, whereas the opposite Republican, police officer Teresa Walter, was at 21.85%. It’s potential that mail-in ballots may alter the end result, however unlikely.

Democrats appear poised to choose up a seat within the two-seat Howard-Montgomery District 9A, however the consequence is not at all ultimate. Del. Trent Kittleman (R), looking for a 3rd time period, was within the lead, with 28.65%. The 2 Democrats within the race had been simply 59 votes aside – with businesswoman Natalie Ziegler at 24.46% and scientist Chao Wu at 24.35%. Republican Jianning Jenny Zeng had 22.47%.

The race to interchange retiring Del. Ned Carey (D) in a northern Anne Arundel County district that borders Baltimore Metropolis couldn’t be nearer. Republican Ashley Arias had a seven-vote lead over Democrat Gary Simmons, 3,930 votes (49.96%) to three,923 votes (49.87%). Mail-in ballots will determine the end result.

Right here’s a take a look at newly elected Home members:

• District 1A: Jim Hinebaugh (R)
• District 1C: Terry Baker (R)
• District 2A: William Valentine (R)
• District 3: Kris Truthful (D), Karen Simpson (D)
• District 4: April Fleming Miller (R)
• District 5: Christopher Bouchat (R), Chris Tomlinson (R)
• District 7A: Ryan Nawrocki (R)
• District 8: Nick Allen (D)
• District 10: N. Scott Phillips (D), Jennifer White (D)
• District 11A: Cheryl Pasteur (D)
• District 13: Pam Lanman Guzzone (D)
• District 17: Joe Vogel (D)
• District 18: Aaron Kaufman (D)
• District 23: Adrian Boafo (D), Kym Taylor (D)
• District 24: Tiffany Alston (D)*
• District 26: Jamila Woods (D)
• District 27A: Kevin Harris (D)
• District 27B: Jeffrie Lengthy (D)
• District 29C: Todd Morgan (R)
• District 33A: Andrew Pruski (D)
• District 33B: Stuart Schmidt (R)
• District 37B: Tom Hutchinson (R)
• District 42C: Joshua Stonko (R)
• District 43A: Elizabeth Embry (D)
• District 44B: Aletheia McCaskill (D)
• District 45: Jackie Addison (D), Caylin Younger (D)
• District 46: Mark Edelson (D)
• District 47B: Deni Taveras (D)

*beforehand served in 2011 and 2012