It’s been six weeks since voters cast their votes in the 2014 gubernatorial primary elections. Now that the Baltimore County Election Board has counted the absentee and provisional ballots—and even recounted votes cast in the Republican primary for county executive—the results are all official.
A look back, particularly at races in the new District 10 and District 44, reveals some expected, as well as surprise victories and losses. Most of them hard fought—some were decided by slim margins that should remind us that every vote really does count.
County Executive
Kevin Kamenetz, who ran a “promises made, promises kept” campaign, cruised to victory for a second term as county executive. He pointed to a record of no property and income tax increases, better school funding and community investment. On July 16, the election board completed a recount that gave Republican George Harman of Reisterstown a 22-vote win over challenger Tony Campbell. Harman will run against Kamenetz in the general election.
County Council
The County Council races were spirited, particularly those in the northwest. In District 4, which covers Randallstown, Woodlawn and parts of Owings Mills, Julian Jones, who lost by less than 100 votes in the 2010 primary election, finished with better results this time. Campaigning on a theme, “together, we can do better,” the Anne Arundel County fire division chief defeated three-term Councilman Kenneth Oliver by more than 1,700 votes.
Councilman Tom Quirk, who represents Catonsville and parts of Woodlawn and Windsor Mill in District 1, won easily over his Republican challenger.
Incumbent Vicki Almond handily defeated Jon Herbst, an attorney who changed his affiliation to Democrat to run against the first-term councilwoman. The Foundry Row retail project, which will include a Wegman’s and DSW at the former Solo Cup site on Reisterstown Road in Owings Mills, and other development initiatives were a big issue in the District 2 council race. Almond has supported the Foundry Row shopping center over the opposition of the Metro Centre developers David S. Brown Enterprises.
The nearby Metro Centre houses the Owings Mills branches of the Baltimore County Public Library and Community College of Baltimore County, and will expand with additional apartment units, office space, a hotel and retail shops.
District 10 House and Senate
Competition was fierce in the new District 10, which includes Owings Mills, Reisterstown and Randallstown. Voters sent Delores Kelley back for a fifth term in the State Senate. Kelley will have no Republican competition in the general election.
The district’s House of Delegates’ race had just one incumbent–Del. Adrienne Jones–and nine other candidates vying for the three seats. Several challengers were believed to have solid chances to pull out a victory.
In the end, the winners were Jones, House speaker pro tem and chair of the capital budget subcommittee; Jay Jalisi, a medical doctor and small businessman; and Ben Brooks, an accountant and small businessman. Brooks ran as part of the “ABC team” that included Jones, and eked out a 320-vote win over his team mate, Carin Smith, a disabilities commissioner and daughter-in-law of former County Executive Jim Smith, came in fourth place.
Jalisi, who ran an aggressive campaign that captured high visibility with large signs at corner gas stations on high traffic roads and on prime real estate, was considered an upset win.
William Newton won the Republican primary.
District 11
Voters in District 11, which covers Pikesville and parts of Owings Mills, re-elected Sen. Bobby Zirkin and Delegates Dan Morhaim and Dana Stein. They’ll be joined by first-timer Shelly Hettleman, who has worked as campaign manager and legislative assistant for U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin. Hettleman fills the seat vacated by Del. Jon Cardin’s unsuccessful campaign for Attorney General. They will run against Republican candidate Laura Harkins.
District 44
In the redrawn Baltimore City-County District 44 that includes Catonsville, Windsor Mill and west Baltimore, Shirley Nathan-Pulliam, a five-term delegate currently serving in District 10, pulled in 70 percent of the vote over incumbent Verna Jones of Baltimore City. In addition to choosing a senator, county voters had to elect two delegates and city residents one delegate. Charles Sydnor III, an environmental services attorney, was the top vote getter in District 44B; Pat Young, a veterans services coordinator, edged the union endorsed longshoreman Aaron Barnett by just 49 votes for the second seat after the absentee and provisional votes were counted. (Who says your vote doesn’t make a difference?)
Rainer Harvey, a retired police officer and member of the county’s planning board, was widely considered the frontrunner, but finished fourth. (Harvey has since been elected to chair the Baltimore County Central Committee). Nathan-Pulliam, Sydnor and Young will be joined by Del. Keith Haynes, an attorney who will represent the city’s District 44A. Haynes beat out two fellow incumbents, including Del. Keiffer Mitchell Jr. by 160 votes.
Governor, Comptroller and Attorney General
In the race for Governor, the victorious Anthony Brown-Ken Ullman ticket got 38 percent of the Baltimore County Democratic vote; 30 percent county voters went for Attorney General Doug Gansler and 29 percent for Del. Heather Mizeur.
Comptroller Peter Franchot was unopposed in his re-election bid. Voters chose the heavily endorsed Del. Brian Frosh of Montgomery County over Del. Jon Cardin of Baltimore County, and Del. Aisha Braveboy of Prince George’s County.
U.S. House of Representatives
As expected, U.S. Representatives Elijah Cummings, Dutch Ruppersberger and John Sarbanes enjoyed landslide wins, and are expected to have little competition in the general election.
General Election
The general election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 4.
See the full election results at http://egov2.baltimorecountymd.gov/electionresults/ and elections.state.md.us/elections/2014/results/Primary/.
BY THE NUMBERS
24.6 percent of the county’s 424,060 eligible voters went to the polls, according to the state election’s board’s unofficial results.