After a multi-week hiatus, it's yet again primary day — this time in Maryland — as Republicans and Democrats face off for the chance to represent their party's voters in November's critical midterm elections that will determine control of Congress and Maryland's state government.
Our friends over at Decision Desk HQ put together a helpful primer on what to watch in this week's primaries:
The Democratic primary for Governor has emerged as a highly competitive three-way race between former DNC Chair and U.S. Secretary of Labor Tom Perez, nonprofit executive Wes Moore, and state Comptroller Peter Franchot. Perez has presented himself as the most experienced politician in the field and the safest choice for the Democratic nomination, while Moore has leaned on his personal biography and charisma, and Franchot as a moderate best fit to succeed outgoing Gov. Larry Hogan (R). Perez has outspent every other candidate in the race, but recent polling shows a virtual tie between the three frontrunners.
The Republican side of the gubernatorial primary features a battle between the GOP establishment and its right-wing flank. Governor Larry Hogan endorsed former state Commerce Secretary Kelly Schulz, who has branded herself as a moderate in the same vein as Hogan. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump endorsed first-term State Senator Dan Cox, who helped organize buses for protestors to attend the “Stop the Steal” rally in Washington, DC on January 6th, 2021. Many state Republicans view Schulz as the more electable candidate in the general election, especially considering Maryland’s status as a deeply blue state where the moderate Hogan found success as a rare two-term Republican governor. Polling shows the two candidates in a statistical tie.
There’s a competitive Republican primary in Maryland’s sixth congressional district. Democratic Incumbent Rep. David Trone’s district was drawn more competitive during redistricting, essentially cutting the Democrat’s advantage in half. There are six Republicans in the running, but the frontrunners are State Delegate and 2020 nominee in the district Neil Parrott and journalist Matthew Foldi. Trone has the backing of several state legislators, while Foldi has captured the attention and support of Donald Trump Jr. and Larry Hogan.
On Tuesday, ballots will be counted in races for U.S. House, Senate, and the Maryland Governor's mansion, and polls close at 8:00 p.m. ET, but don't hold your breath to immediately see who's won which race. As a column by The Baltimore Sun Editorial Board explains:
With a wide-open race to succeed Larry Hogan as Maryland’s governor and quite a few down-ballot races considered too close to call, it’s fair to assume that a lot of folks — from Northeast to St. Mary’s City and from Berlin to Oakland — will be anxiously awaiting primary election results long after polls close at 8 p.m. Tuesday. Combine those tight races with an expectation that a lot of votes will be cast absentee and, most frustratingly, a standing rule that elections officials can’t even open those ballots until the day after the primary, and Marylanders could be in for a long week (or more).
Check below for live results on a county-by-county level throughout the evening and days ahead as ballots are counted, and stay with Townhall for analysis and further coverage as the midterm election cycle continues to heat up.
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