Maryland
Election aftermath: Maryland's winners and losers – Maryland Matters
It’s all over but the shouting.
The sheer scale of former President Donald Trump’s victory in the presidential election was breathtaking — and will still require a lot of soul-searching and contemplation in a lot of corners of this country.
Here in Maryland, Election Day didn’t produce too many surprises. But still, there were consequential developments, and performances, and political trends, that are worth talking about.
So without further ado, here’s our list of winners and losers. It’s by no means complete. And we apologize in advance for any sins of commission or omission.
Winner: Angela Alsobrooks
Another history-making political star is born in Maryland, and she’s headed to the U.S. Senate. Even her vanquished opponent, former Gov. Larry Hogan (R), said her election was something to celebrate — as is the fact that there will be two Black women serving together in the Senate for the first time in history.
After a shaky start, the Prince George’s County executive ran a disciplined, focused campaign and prosecuted the case against Hogan — who left office with mind-bending job approval ratings — almost flawlessly. She revealed just enough of herself, as a hardworking, conscientious public servant from humble beginnings, to connect with the voters.
But she won’t be going to Capitol Hill with the mission she envisioned. Instead of serving in a Democratic Senate, with a Democratic president who was a friend and mentor, Alsobrooks will be heading into hostile territory, dominated by Republicans. Her predecessor, outgoing U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin (D), managed to be productive under GOP majorities. That now becomes Alsobrooks’ challenge.
Winner: Sheila O’Connell
The veteran Democratic strategist has now guided both of Maryland’s U.S. senators — Alsobrooks and Chris Van Hollen (D), who is about to become the state’s senior senator — to victory. Not bad…
Winner: Diversity in the state’s congressional delegation
Maryland has had zero women in its congressional delegation for the past eight years, but with Alsobrooks’ victory and Democratic state Sen. Sarah K. Elfreth’s win in the 3rd Congressional District puts two women in the state’s 10-member Capitol Hill contingent. Assuming April McClain Delaney (D) hangs on in the 6th District, that will make three of 10.
The record for women in Maryland’s delegation? Four. From 1987-1993, the state delegation included Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D) and Reps. Helen Delich Bentley (R-2nd), Beverly Byron (D-6th) and Connie Morella (R-8th).
With Alsobrooks’ election, the state will also have more Black members of Congress than ever before, as she joins Reps. Glenn Ivey (D-4th) and Kweisi Mfume (D-7th). And her victory comes on the heels of Wes Moore’s election as governor and Anthony Brown’s election as state attorney general in 2022, a reminder that Black politicians are prospering as candidates for statewide office in Maryland.
Winner: Andy Harris
Maryland’s lone Republican member of Congress is a strong ally of President-elect Donald Trump and should see many of his priorities enacted — or initiatives that he hates blocked — in the next few years. Harris is currently the chair of the far-right House Freedom Caucus, whose ranks will grow in the next Congress. He’s rising in seniority. And the physician will invariably be considered for a high-ranking position in the Trump administration — most likely in the health care realm — if that’s something that interests him.
Loser: Neil Parrott
The third time does not appear to have been the charm for the Republican nominee in the 6th Congressional District, pending the count of the final mail-in ballots. Parrott is a canny guy, with a following, so his political career may not be over. But it seems highly unlikely that the GOP will want to nominate the ex-state lawmaker for this competitive congressional seat a fourth time.
The governors
Push: Larry Hogan
Sure, he lost his high-profile Senate bid to Alsobrooks. But face it, he never wanted to be in the Senate anyway, as he said repeatedly over the years.
Hogan ran a high-profile race that regularly attracted national media attention, not to mention tens of millions of dollars. He kept Democrats at home and largely off-balance, with the threat that he could flip a long-held Democratic seat, and made Maryland matter this election cycle. And even though he lost in part because Democrats did such a good job of tying him to national Republicans, he managed to largely keep his independent reputation intact — at least with the national media.
Hogan’s goal is always to be part of the political conversation. He’ll always be welcome on the cable chat shows, and invariably, there will be speculation that he might run for governor again in 2026. So … mission accomplished!
Push: Wes Moore
Our energetic governor was a coveted surrogate for the Harris-Walz ticket and other Democrats around the country, engendering good will among fellow officeholders, party donors and activists, and notice from the national pundit class. He’ll undoubtedly be discussed as a potential Democratic candidate for president in 2028.
But man, Trump’s victory and the likelihood of full Republican hegemony on Capitol Hill is a disaster for Moore’s policy priorities and many of Maryland’s federal funding imperatives, at a time when four senior members of Congress from Maryland are moving on. [Loser: Matthew Verghese, Moore’s director of federal relations and senior adviser. Sorry, Matt.] How does the state prepare and compensate?
And we wonder: Are Moore and his team ready for the additional and inevitable national scrutiny and expectations, especially when there are so many governing and funding challenges ahead? How does he balance the work that’s required at home with his presumed national ambitions? Where does he fit in the national conversation about the future of the Democratic Party? Who’s advising him on these matters?
Loser: Martin O’Malley
His term as commissioner of the Social Security Administration ends around the time Trump will reenter the White House in January, and there’s zero chance he’ll be reappointed, which means he’ll be out of a job then. Adding to the indignity, Baltimore City voters ignored his advice to vote against Question F, a ballot measure that will pave the way for the redevelopment of the Inner Harbor.
The resistance
Push: Jamie Raskin
Whether or not Democrats retake control of the U.S. House of Representatives, which may be a stretch at this point, Raskin will use his position as the top Democrat on the Oversight and Accountability Committee to serve as a counterweight to Trump and Republican excesses on a variety of fronts. Obviously being chair comes with real power, while being the ranking member at least provides a bully pulpit. We can only begin to imagine how bummed Raskin, who has spent the last several years defending freedom and the Constitution, must be feeling right now. But people will listen — even if they don’t hear.
Push: Anthony Brown
See Raskin, Jamie, above. Especially if Republicans have full control of the federal government, Democratic attorneys general like Brown could become the last line of defense against extreme Trump and Republican policies — a role Brown’s predecessor, Brian Frosh (D), performed well during Trump’s first term.
In a statement Wednesday, Brown acknowledged the challenges ahead and vowed to act against any federal actions that threaten Marylanders’ rights.
“No matter who sits in the White House, my dedication to protecting the rights and well-being of Maryland’s communities remains unwavering,” he said.
The question is, how many federal judges remain who will be receptive to the Democratic AGs’ arguments?
The rest
Winners: Ambitious Montgomery County politicians
Now that MoCo voters have effectively booted County Executive Marc Elrich (D) by imposing a two-term limit that prevents him from seeking reelection in 2026, umpteen ambitious Montgomery Democrats, most of whom serve on the county council, can begin mobilizing in earnest to try to replace him.
How many will run in the end? How many will share the same political bases and cut into each others’ base of support? Are there any outsiders who could make a viable run in the Democratic primary? How many candidates will agree to use the county’s robust public financing system, minimizing the influence of special interest money?
And could 2026 finally be the year that Montgomery County elects a woman as county executive? They’ve already done it in Anne Arundel, Cecil, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Prince George’s and Wicomico counties, and in Baltimore City — but not in the jurisdiction that prides itself on being the most forward-looking and progressive in the state.
Meanwhile, Elrich could have the last laugh: He’s contemplating running for a county council at-large seat again — a position he held for three terms before being elected executive in 2018. We would not bet against him.
Winner: Brandon Scott
Although he never had to sweat the general election, Scott (D) on Tuesday became the first Baltimore mayor to be reelected since Martin O’Malley in 2003. Because he looks like a kid, and sometimes displays a teen’s edgy energy, Scott is often underestimated. He shouldn’t be.
Winner: Zeke Cohen
Another political reformer wins citywide office. Cohen (D) will take over as Baltimore City Council president in December. That’s not a bad thing.
Winner: Abortion rights
Seventy-four percent of state voters can’t be wrong.
Push: Prince George’s County
County residents, who often complain that they’re overlooked in the DMV, can and will take enormous pride in the election of Angela Alsobrooks as the state’s next U.S. senator. But Alsobrooks’ looming departure for greener political pastures comes at a potential cost to the county. For 14 years, even during crises like the pandemic, the county government had fairly stable and forward-looking leadership, after a major and deflating scandal — first under Rushern Baker (D), then under Alsobrooks (D).
Now the county enters a period of political transition and uncertainty, with even the method for picking Alsobrooks’ temporary successor not altogether clear. And many of the competent professionals who surrounded Alsobrooks in county government are likely to disburse.
Loser: The Washington Post
The newspaper was roundly criticized, and rightfully so, after failing to endorse a presidential candidate for the first time since the 1970s. So much for “Democracy Dies in Darkness.”
But even people who saw great import in the Post’s White House endorsements conceded that a minuscule number of readers, at most, could be influenced by what the editorial board said about presidential candidates.
Where the Post could be, and has been, influential is with endorsements in local races. And this year, the paper all but abdicated that responsibility. In fact, the only Maryland general election in which the editorial board weighed in was the U.S. Senate race, opting for Alsobrooks over Hogan, though it praised both.
The New York Times this year announced that it would no longer endorse candidates in local races, though it did endorse Kamala Harris for president. Is the Post moving out of the endorsement business altogether? That would be a diminishment of its power and civic duty.
Maryland
Lawmaker pushes bill to prevent felony-charged teachers from working in Maryland schools
Hunt Valley, Md. (WBFF) — Calls continue to grow for Harford County Public Schools to investigate why the district hired a teacher who was charged with stealing $215,000 from taxpayers. Some lawmakers want answers.
“Parents are just like, ‘what has happened to our school system?’” Stated Delegate Lauren Arikan, a Republican representing Harford County.
On December 1, 2025, Arikan sent a letter to Harford County Public Schools calling on the district to investigate its hiring of Lawrence Smith.
“I think there’s a lot of unanswered questions,” Arikan told Project Baltimore.
Arikan’s letter follows a similar request for an investigation, sent to the district last month, by Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly.
ALSO READ || Demands grow for investigation into Harford County Schools’ hiring of accused felon
“I think the public deserves to know when they’re hiring teachers, what are the protocols that are supposed to be used – were they actually followed?” Questioned Arikan.
In September 2023, Smith, a former Baltimore City Public Schools police officer and state champion high school football coach, was arrested and charged with 15 federal counts, many related to overtime fraud. This past August, as he awaited trial, HCPS hired Smith to be an eighth-grade English teacher on a conditional teaching license.
In October, Smith pled guilty to felony wire fraud and income tax evasion. He admitted to stealing $215,000 in overtime from Baltimore City Schools. After he pled guilty, HCPS placed Smith on administrative leave where taxpayers continued to pay him his $57,997 salary for about a month. Smith faces a maximum of 25 years in prison. His sentencing date has not yet been set.
HCPS Superintendent Dr. Sean Bulson told Project Baltimore last month, when Smith was initially hired, he was not made aware. But he supports his district’s decision to hire Smith to teach at Edgewood Middle School.
Aaron Poynton, the President of the Harford County Board of Education, said Smith’s alleged crimes, at the time of his hiring, did not legally disqualify him from employment under current state law.
“It did not raise a red flag that prohibited him from being hired, and he was the most qualified person to be hired,” Poynton explained before a November Board of Education meeting.
This means, according to Poynton, the most qualified applicant to be an eighth-grade English teacher, was a person who was facing 15 federal charges and recently earned a conditional teaching license.
ALSO READ || Maryland school paying convicted felon/teacher who stole $215K, faces 25 years in prison
“We hire a lot of conditional teachers. The fact that he had charges that were pending did not disqualify him from being hired,” stated Poynton.
“It feels very much like to myself, and many other parents of young children, that the system is very broken,” explained Arikan.
Arikan told Fox45 News she is currently drafting legislation to help strengthen background checks for educators. Arikan believes if someone has been charged with certain felony crimes, that person should not be eligible to teach in Maryland public schools until the criminal charges have been resolved in court. The legislation, Arikan said, should be finalized by the start of the 2026 legislative session in Annapolis – which begins on January 14.
“If the teachers that they look up to are people who are scamming the system, ripping off the taxpayers, stealing money from people, I think most parents don’t want that kind of person teaching their children how to grow up,” Arikan told Project Baltimore.
Harford County Public Schools, so far, has not publicly agreed to investigate the hiring of Smith. The district says it did conduct a “formal review”, which Fox45 News has filed a public records request to obtain.
Follow Project Baltimore’s Chris Papst on X and Facebook. Send news tips to cjpapst@sbgtv.com
Maryland
‘Culture’ of violence: Maryland National Guard abused at-risk teens, records claim
MARYLAND (WBFF) — At the Maryland National Guard Freestate Challenge Academy, a residential boot camp and educational program for at-risk and troubled youth owned and operated by the Guard, staff abused the teens in their care, according to court records and criminal complaints The Baltimore Sun reviewed. The teens then, in turn, assaulted each other, even participating in an after-hours fight club.
The Sun reviewed more than 400 pages of documents, including two sets of criminal charges, a lawsuit and all serious incident reports filed since 2019 that documented allegations of cadet violations, as well as investigations into allegations of inappropriate staff behavior and subsequent disciplinary records.
In all internal documents provided by the program, the names of cadets and staff involved were redacted.
Time and again, staff members hit, humiliated or encouraged others to hurt the teens in their care at the Aberdeen Proving Ground camp, internal records indicate. Time and again, camp leaders fired the offending staff members, or cadre, as they are called in the camp’s military parlance; put them on administrative leave or “took them off the schedule,” the records said. At times, they referred the allegations to law enforcement.
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Read the full story on the Baltimore Sun.
Maryland
1 man dead in shooting at Walgreens involving Maryland Heights police officers
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. (First Alert 4) -The St. Louis County Police is actively investigating an officer-involved shooting at a Walgreens on Dorsett and McKelvey roads, which resulted in one man dead, Sunday evening.
According to police, at around 6 p.m., Maryland Heights police officers responded to the Walgreens on the 12000 block of Dorsett.
Once arriving, officers found a man with a gun. The man fired at the officers. One officer returned fire.
The man was hit and pronounced dead at the scene. His identity has not been released.
No officers were injured. St. Louis County Police Bureau of Crimes Against People detectives responded and assumed responsibility for the case.
The officer involved in the shooting is 30 years old, with two and a half years of experience with the Maryland Heights Police Department. The officer has previous experience in law enforcement.
Police say this is an active investigation, information will be shared as it becomes available.
This is a developing story that will be updated.
Copyright 2025 KMOV. All rights reserved.
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