2018 Maryland Senate election

Elections for the Maryland Senate were held on November 6, 2018, with all 47 seats being contested. Republicans had initially hoped to break the Democrats' supermajority in the upper chamber by knocking off five incumbents, known as their "Drive for Five" plan.^[1] Though they did make a net gain of one seat, they came short of their goal. Three seats switched hands: District 9 in Carroll and Howard counties flipped from Republican to Democratic while District 38 in Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester counties and District 42 in Baltimore County both flipped from Democrats to Republicans.

2018 Maryland Senate election

← 2014 November 6, 2018 2022 →
All 47 seats in the Maryland Senate 24 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Mike Miller J.B. Jennings Party Democratic Republican Leader since January 21, 1987 November 12, 2014 Leader's seat 27th District 7th District Last election 33 seats 14 seats Seats before 33 14 Seats won 32 15 Seat change 1 1 Popular vote 1,446,326 742,827 Percentage 64.9% 33.3% Swing 6.12% 7.51%
Results by seat gains Results by vote share Results:      Democratic gain      Democratic hold      Republican gain      Republican hold Democratic:      50–60%      60-70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Republican:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      >90%
President before election Mike Miller Democratic Elected President Mike Miller Democratic

The Maryland Senate had been in Democratic hands since the elections of 1900. Despite Governor Larry Hogan's success in his gubernatorial race at the top of the ticket, nobody expected Republicans to come close to recapturing the majority. In terms of popular vote, Maryland's Republican Senate candidates performed significantly worse than they previously had in 2014.

Summary

Closest races

Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:

1. State Senate district 34, 0.39%
2. State Senate district 9, 1.74% (gain)
3. State Senate district 42, 2.02% (gain)
4. State Senate district 8, 2.23%
5. State Senate district 38, 5.39% (gain)
6. State Senate district 33, 7.03%
7. State Senate district 30, 9.23%

Retiring incumbents

Democrats

1. District 12: Edward J. Kasemeyer retired.^[2]
2. District 18: Richard Madaleno retired to run for governor.^[3]
3. District 19: Roger Manno retired to run for Congress in Maryland's 6th congressional district.^[4]
4. District 25: Ulysses Currie retired.^[5]
5. District 26: C. Anthony Muse retired to run for Prince George's County Executive.^[6]
6. District 30: John Astle retired to run for mayor of Annapolis in 2017.^[7]
7. District 31: James E. DeGrange Sr. retired.^[8]
8. District 42: James Brochin retired to run for Baltimore County Executive.^[9]
9. District 47: Victor R. Ramirez retired to run for Prince George's County State's Attorney.^[10]

Republicans

1. District 35: Linda Norman retired.^[11]

Incumbents defeated

In primary elections

Democrats

1. District 28: Thomas M. Middleton lost renomination to Arthur Ellis.^[12]
2. District 40: Barbara A. Robinson lost renomination to Antonio Hayes.^[12]
3. District 43: Joan Carter Conway lost renomination to Mary L. Washington.^[13]
4. District 45: Nathaniel J. McFadden lost renomination to Cory McCray.^[14]

Republicans

1. District 29: Stephen Waugh lost renomination to Jack Bailey.^[15]

In the general elections

Democrats

1. District 38: James N. Mathias Jr. lost to Mary Beth Carozza.^[16]

Republicans

1. District 9: Gail H. Bates lost to Katie Fry Hester.^[17]

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
Governing[18]	Safe D	October 8, 2018

Detailed results

District 1 • District 2 • District 3 • District 4 • District 5 • District 6 • District 7 • District 8 • District 9 • District 10 • District 11 • District 12 • District 13 • District 14 • District 15 • District 16 • District 17 • District 18 • District 19 • District 20 • District 21 • District 22 • District 23 • District 24 • District 25 • District 26 • District 27 • District 28 • District 29 • District 30 • District 31 • District 32 • District 33 • District 34 • District 35 • District 36 • District 37 • District 38 • District 39 • District 40 • District 41 • District 42 • District 43 • District 44 • District 45 • District 46 • District 47

All election results are from the Maryland Board of Elections.^[19]

District 1

2018 Maryland's 1st Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	George C. Edwards (incumbent)	34,966	98.3%
	Write-in		593	1.7%
Total votes			35,559	100%
	Republican hold

District 2

Results by precinct

  Serafini

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%

  Roland

•   50–60%
•   60–70%

2018 Maryland's 2nd Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Andrew A. Serafini (incumbent)	29,798	71.7%
	Green	Jenna L. Roland	11,631	28.0%
	Write-in		158	0.4%
Total votes			41,587	100%
	Republican hold

District 3

Results by precinct

  Young

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%

  Giangrande

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%

2018 Maryland's 3rd Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Ronald N. Young (incumbent)	30,391	58.5%
	Republican	Craig Giangrande	21,471	41.3%
	Write-in		114	0.2%
Total votes			51,976	100%
	Democratic hold

District 4

Results by precinct

  Hough

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%

  Douglass

•   50–60%

  Tie

2018 Maryland's 4th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Michael Hough (incumbent)	35,240	59.1%
	Democratic	Jessica Douglass	24,358	40.8%
	Write-in		47	0.1%
Total votes			59,645	100%
	Republican hold

District 5

Results by precinct

  Ready

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%

2018 Maryland's 5th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Justin Ready (incumbent)	39,568	71.5%
	Democratic	Jamie O'Marr	15,739	28.4%
	Write-in		63	0.1%
Total votes			55,370	100%
	Republican hold

District 6

Results by precinct

  Salling

•   40–50%
•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%

  Staigerwald

•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%
•   >90%

2018 Maryland's 6th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Johnny Ray Salling (incumbent)	19,511	55.3%
	Democratic	Buddy Staigerwald	14,108	40.0%
	Independent	Scott M. Collier	1,631	4.6%
	Write-in		23	0.1%
Total votes			35,273	100%
	Republican hold

District 7

Results by precinct

  Jennings

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%

  Hines

•   50–60%

2018 Maryland's 7th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	J. B. Jennings (incumbent)	40,070	66.9%
	Democratic	Donna Hines	19,780	33.0%
	Write-in		69	0.1%
Total votes			59,919	100%
	Republican hold

District 8

Results by precinct

  Klausmeier

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%
•   >90%

  Miele

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%

2018 Maryland's 8th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Kathy Klausmeier (incumbent)	24,332	51.1%
	Republican	Christian Miele	23,271	48.8%
	Write-in		45	0.1%
Total votes			47,648	100%
	Democratic hold

District 9

Results by precinct

  Hester

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%

  Bates

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%

2018 Maryland's 9th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Katie Fry Hester	33,493	50.8%
	Republican	Gail H. Bates (incumbent)	32,347	49.1%
	Write-in		52	0.1%
Total votes			65,892	100%
	Democratic gain from Republican

District 10

Results by precinct

  Kelley

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%
•   >90%

  Boston

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%

2018 Maryland's 10th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Delores G. Kelley (incumbent)	38,005	80.3%
	Republican	Stephanie Boston	9,229	19.5%
	Write-in		74	0.2%
Total votes			47,308	100%
	Democratic hold

District 11

2018 Maryland's 11th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Robert Zirkin (incumbent)	40,472	96.9%
	Write-in		1,299	3.1%
Total votes			41,771	100%
	Democratic hold

District 12

Results by precinct

  Lam

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%

  Hooe

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%

2018 Maryland's 12th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Clarence Lam	32,730	66.1%
	Republican	Joseph D. "Joe" Hooe	16,747	33.8%
	Write-in		46	0.1%
Total votes			49,523	100%
	Democratic hold

District 13

2018 Maryland's 13th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Guy Guzzone (incumbent)	47,309	97.4%
	Write-in		1,267	2.6%
Total votes			48,576	100%
	Democratic hold

District 14

Results by precinct

  Zucker

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%
•   >90%

  Drozd

•   50–60%

2018 Maryland's 14th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Craig Zucker (incumbent)	40,262	72.6%
	Republican	Robert Drozd	15,177	27.1%
	Write-in		52	0.1%
Total votes			55,491	100%
	Democratic hold

District 15

Results by precinct

  Feldman

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%

  Wilson

•   50–60%

  Tie

2018 Maryland's 15th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Brian Feldman (incumbent)	38,771	72.0%
	Republican	David Wilson	15,000	27.9%
	Write-in		46	0.1%
Total votes			53,817	100%
	Democratic hold

District 16

Results by precinct

  Lee

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%

2018 Maryland's 16th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Susan C. Lee (incumbent)	48,822	80.1%
	Republican	Marcus Alzona	12,052	19.8%
	Write-in		61	0.1%
Total votes			60,935	100%
	Democratic hold

District 17

Results by precinct

  Kagan

•   70–80%
•   80–90%
•   >90%

  Tie

2018 Maryland's 17th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Cheryl Kagan (incumbent)	36,147	79.0%
	Republican	Josephine J. Wang	9,529	20.8%
	Write-in		62	0.1%
Total votes			45,738	100%
	Democratic hold

District 18

2018 Maryland's 18th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Jeff Waldstreicher	41,360	97.6%
	Write-in		1,009	2.4%
Total votes			42,369	100%
	Democratic hold

District 19

Results by precinct

  Kramer

•   70–80%
•   80–90%
•   >90%

  Tie

2018 Maryland's 19th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Benjamin F. Kramer	39,393	88.0%
	Green	David Jeang	4,795	10.7%
	Write-in		574	1.3%
Total votes			44,762	100%
	Democratic hold

District 20

Results by precinct

  Smith

•   70–80%
•   80–90%
•   >90%

2018 Maryland's 20th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	William C. Smith Jr. (incumbent)	42,069	90.8%
	Republican	Dwight Patel	4,236	9.1%
	Write-in		35	0.1%
	Independent	Vardly E. "North" St. Preux (write-in)	5	0.0%
Total votes			46,345	100%
	Democratic hold

District 21

Results by precinct

  Rosapepe

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%
•   >90%

  Havis

•   50–60%

  Tie

2018 Maryland's 21st Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	James Rosapepe (incumbent)	32,262	77.5%
	Republican	Lee Havis	9,311	22.4%
	Write-in		59	0.1%
Total votes			41,632	100%
	Democratic hold

District 22

Results by precinct

  Pinsky

•   80–90%
•   >90%

  Tie

2018 Maryland's 22nd Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Paul G. Pinsky (incumbent)	33,849	92.4%
	Libertarian	Lauren K. Drew	2,633	7.2%
	Write-in		136	0.4%
Total votes			36,618	100%
	Democratic hold

District 23

2018 Maryland's 23rd Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Douglas J. J. Peters (incumbent)	53,176	98.6%
	Write-in		769	1.4%
Total votes			53,495	100%
	Democratic hold

District 24

2018 Maryland's 24th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Joanne C. Benson (incumbent)	44,568	99.2%
	Write-in		338	0.8%
Total votes			44,906	100%
	Democratic hold

District 25

2018 Maryland's 25th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Melony G. Griffith	44,390	99.4%
	Write-in		253	0.6%
Total votes			44,643	100%
	Democratic hold

District 26

Results by precinct

  Patterson

•   70–80%
•   80–90%
•   >90%

  Tie

2018 Maryland's 26th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Obie Patterson	42,929	92.5%
	Republican	Ike Puzon	3,280	7.1%
	Write-in		183	0.4%
Total votes			46,392	100%
	Democratic hold

District 27

Results by precinct

  Miller

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   80–90%
•   >90%

  Peed

•   50–60%
•   60–70%

2018 Maryland's 27th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Thomas V. Miller Jr. (incumbent)	39,664	66.0%
	Republican	Jesse Allen Peed	20,359	33.9%
	Write-in		111	0.2%
Total votes			60,134	100%
	Democratic hold

District 28

Results by precinct

  Ellis

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%
•   >90%

  Dotson

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%

2018 Maryland's 28th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Arthur Ellis	37,585	66.2%
	Republican	Bill Dotson	19,063	33.6%
	Write-in		145	0.3%
Total votes			56,793	100%
	Democratic hold

District 29

Results by precinct

  Bailey

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%

  Brewer

•   50–60%
•   60–70%

  Tie

2018 Maryland's 29th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jack Bailey	28,918	60.2%
	Democratic	Thomas Brewer	19,017	39.6%
	Write-in		96	0.2%
Total votes			48,031	100%
	Republican hold

District 30

Results by precinct

  Elfreth

•   40–50%
•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%

  George

•   40–50%
•   50–60%
•   60–70%

  Tie

2018 Maryland's 30th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sarah Elfreth	29,736	53.8%
	Republican	Ron George	24,639	44.6%
	Libertarian	Christopher Wallace, Sr.	826	1.5%
	Write-in		38	0.1%
Total votes			55,239	100%
	Democratic hold

District 31

Results by precinct

  Simonaire

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%

  Democrats

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%

2018 Maryland's 31st Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Bryan Simonaire (incumbent)	29,489	61.0%
	Democratic	Scott Harman	18,778	38.9%
	Write-in		61	0.1%
Total votes			48,328	100%
	Republican hold

District 32

Results by precinct

  Beidle

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%
•   >90%

  Grasso

•   50–60%
•   60–70%

  Tie

2018 Maryland's 32nd Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Pamela Beidle	30,384	66.4%
	Republican	John Grasso	15,306	33.4%
	Write-in		70	0.2%
Total votes			45,760	100%
	Democratic hold

District 33

Results by precinct

  Reilly

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%

  Hurwitz

•   50–60%
•   60–70%

2018 Maryland's 33rd Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Edward R. Reilly (incumbent)	34,884	53.5%
	Democratic	Eve Hurwitz	30,298	46.4%
	Write-in		51	0.1%
Total votes			65,233	100%
	Republican hold

District 34

Results by precinct

  Cassilly

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%

  James

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%

  Tie

2018 Maryland's 34th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Robert Cassilly (incumbent)	24,445	50.1%
	Democratic	Mary-Dulany James	24,256	49.7%
	Write-in		87	0.2%
Total votes			48,788	100%
	Republican hold

District 35

Results by precinct

  Gallion

•   40–50%
•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%

  Tie

2018 Maryland's 35th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jason C. Gallion	33,813	67.3%
	Independent	Frank Esposito	10,600	21.1%
	Libertarian	Christopher Randers-Pehrson	5,632	11.2%
	Write-in		222	0.4%
Total votes			50,267	100%
	Republican hold

District 36

Results by precinct

  Hershey

•   40–50%
•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%

  Sinclair

•   50–60%

2018 Maryland's 36th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Stephen S. Hershey Jr. (incumbent)	33,028	65.1%
	Democratic	Heather Lynette Sinclair	17,691	34.9%
	Write-in		32	0.1%
Total votes			50,751	100%
	Republican hold

District 37

Results by precinct

  Eckardt

•   40–50%
•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%
•   >90%

  Wright

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%
•   >90%

2018 Maryland's 37th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Adelaide C. Eckardt (incumbent)	29,520	59.9%
	Democratic	Holly Wright	19,691	40.0%
	Write-in		56	0.1%
Total votes			49,267	100%
	Republican hold

District 38

Results by precinct

  Carozza

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%

  Mathias

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%
•   >90%

2018 Maryland's 38th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Mary Beth Carozza	25,731	52.6%
	Democratic	James N. Mathias Jr. (incumbent)	23,098	47.3%
	Write-in		44	0.1%
Total votes			48,873	100%
	Republican gain from Democratic

District 39

Results by precinct

  King

•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%

2018 Maryland's 39th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Nancy J. King (incumbent)	32,417	79.3%
	Republican	Al Phillips	8,434	20.6%
	Write-in		53	0.1%
Total votes			40,904	100%
	Democratic hold

District 40

2018 Maryland's 40th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Antonio Hayes	26,960	98.7%
	Write-in		349	1.3%
Total votes			27,309	100%
	Democratic hold

District 41

2018 Maryland's 41st Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Jill P. Carter (incumbent)	33,284	98.2%
	Write-in		616	1.8%
Total votes			33,900	100%
	Democratic hold

District 42

Results by precinct

  West

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   >90%

  Leonard

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   >90%

  Tie

2018 Maryland's 42nd Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Chris West	29,100	51.0%
	Democratic	Robbie Leonard	27,949	49.0%
	Write-in		46	0.1%
Total votes			57,095	100%
	Republican gain from Democratic

District 43

2018 Maryland's 43rd Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Mary L. Washington	35,972	98.8%
	Write-in		423	1.2%
Total votes			36,395	100%
	Democratic hold

District 44

Results by precinct

  Nathan-Pulliam

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%
•   >90%

2018 Maryland's 44th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Shirley Nathan-Pulliam (incumbent)	34,834	84.5%
	Republican	Victor Clark, Jr.	6,280	15.2%
	Write-in		86	0.2%
Total votes			41,200	100%
	Democratic hold

District 45

2018 Maryland's 45th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Cory V. McCray	29,608	98.8%
	Write-in		373	1.2%
Total votes			29,981	100%
	Democratic hold

District 46

Results by precinct

  Ferguson

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%
•   >90%

  Tie

2018 Maryland's 46th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Bill Ferguson (incumbent)	26,203	78.2%
	Republican	Christine Digman	7,238	21.6%
	Write-in		60	0.2%
Total votes			33,501	100%
	Democratic hold

District 47

Results by precinct

  Augustine

•   70–80%
•   80–90%
•   >90%

  Tie

2018 Maryland's 47th Senate district election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Malcolm Augustine	23,983	93.0%
	Republican	Fred Price Jr.	1,777	6.9%
	Write-in		33	0.1%
Total votes			25,793	100%
	Democratic hold