2 incumbents lose in MD congressional primaries
Posted by Jeff Quinton on February 13, 2008Andy Harris defeated Rep. Wayne Gilchrest in the Republican Primary in the 1st District and Donna Edwards defeated Rep. Albert Wynn in the 4th District Democratic Primary.
A nine-term Republican congressman who voted to go to war in Iraq but later said he regretted the decision and that President Bush bungled the war was defeated by a well-funded Republican state senator who called the incumbent too liberal.
Rep. Wayne Gilchrest was narrowly defeated Tuesday by state Sen. Andy Harris, a year after Gilchrest was one of two Republicans in Congress to vote for a withdrawal timeline in Iraq.
Gilchrest called the campaign the most intense of his political career. Gilchrest had Republican challengers just a few months after being inaugurated into his ninth term.
Harris depicted Gilchrest as too moderate for Maryland’s first congressional district, which includes the state’s Eastern Shore and parts of the Baltimore suburbs.
In the District 1 Democratic primary, Frank Kratovil was in the lead over three other rivals.
Democratic Rep. Albert Wynn lost his seat Tuesday as primary challenger Donna Edwards, a lawyer and liberal activist, captured the party’s nomination.
Wynn became the nation’s first congressional member to lose his seat in this year’s round of primary elections. However, only Maryland and Illinois have held primaries that included congressional races.
Wynn is in his eighth term representing Maryland’s 4th District, which includes many of Washington’s eastern and northern suburbs.
With 51 percent of precincts reporting, Edwards led with 28,992 votes, or 59 percent. Wynn had 18,097, or 37 percent.
The Republicans have little chance of defeating Edwards in the heavily Democratic district. Four Republicans were vying for the nomination. With 51 percent of precincts reporting, Peter James led with 1,896 votes, or 38 percent.
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The Maryland delegation’s most powerful member, House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, won the Democratic nomination to compete for a 15th term representing southern Maryland’s 5th District. With 67 percent of precincts reporting, Hoyer had 47,774 votes, or 84 percent, to 9,192, or 16 percent for challenger James Cusick.
Three candidates were competing for the Republican nomination in the 5th District. With 67 percent of precincts reporting, Collins Bailey led with 8,739 votes, or 47 percent.
In the 6th District, a broad swath including the northern tier of counties from the state’s western border to the Susquehanna River, five Democrats vied for the right to run in November against eight-term Republican Roscoe G. Bartlett. The 2006 nominee, Pentagon consultant Andrew Duck, was losing to former Frederick Mayor Jennifer P. Dougherty. With 61 percent of precincts reporting, Dougherty led with 14,028, or 44 percent. Duck had 11,836, or 37 percent.
Bartlett easily defeated four Republican challengers. With 61 percent of precincts reporting, he had 27,652 votes, or 78 percent.
First-term Democratic Rep. John P. Sarbanes defeated John Rea for nomination in the 3rd District, representing sections of the city of Baltimore and parts of Anne Arundel, Baltimore and Howard counties. With 38 percent of precincts reporting, Sarbanes had 31,914 votes, or 90 percent, to 3,707, or 10 percent, for Rea.
Six-term Rep. Elijah E. Cummings won the Democratic nomination in the 7th District, encompassing much of Baltimore city and parts of Baltimore and Harford counties. With 43 percent of precincts reporting, Cummings had 40,183 votes, or 94 percent. Challenger Charles Smith had 2,526, or 6 percent.
On the Republican side, Michael Hargadon led Ray Bly. With 46 percent of precincts reporting, Hargadon had 4,744 votes, or 74 percent.
In the 8th District, covering parts of Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, Democrat Chris Van Hollen won a three-way race in his quest for a fourth term. With 72 percent of precincts reporting, he had 59,506, or 88 percent of the vote.
Five Republicans were competing to challenge Van Hollen. With 72 percent of precincts reporting, Steve Hudson led with 5,285 votes, or 37 percent.
Third-term Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, a Democrat, had no primary opposition in the 2nd District. He will face Republican Richard P. Matthews in November.
Related:
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Miscommunication leads to voters turned away in Maryland
Maryland Primary Results
Maryland Polls closing at 9:30 due to weather
40% turnout in Maryland Primary
Liveblogging the Maryland Primary
Inside Charm City 2008 Updates
Other blogging of tonight’s results:
Outside the Beltway
Michelle Malkin
Instapundit
Pingback by Maryland Primary Results
[…] A.M. EST: 2 incumbents in the Maryland Congressional delegation have been defeated. With 78% of the precincts reporting, Andy Harris has been declared the winner in the 1st District […]