By Katharine Wilson
Capital News Service
Three newcomers will join the Maryland delegation in the House in January – but it remained unclear near midnight on Nov. 5 whether one would break the Democratic hold on the 6th Congressional District.
The 6th District contest between Democrat April McClain Delaney and Republican Neil Parrott was the only one of the eight House races not called by the Associated Press on election night. However, by 10 a.m. on Nov. 6, 100 percent of the votes had been counted, with Parrot narrowly clenching a victory.
The race concluded with Parrott receiving 159,823 votes to McClain Delaney’s 160,138. The candidates were running for the seat of Rep. David Trone, D-Maryland, who could not run for reelection due to his failed primary bid for U.S. Senate.
1st Congressional District
Rep. Andy Harris, R-Maryland, won his reelection bid against Democrat Blane Miller.
Harris – who represents the Eastern Shore, Harford County and parts of Baltimore County – ascended in September to the chairmanship of the House Freedom Caucus, a right-wing group of lawmakers. Harris is an original member of the group, which was founded in 2015.
The congressman has represented District 1 since 2011.
2nd Congressional District
Baltimore County Executive John “Johnny O” Olszewski, a Democrat, won his bid for Congress.
Olszewski faced radio show host Kim Klacik, the Republican, in the contest to represent Baltimore County.
Olszewski was first elected as Baltimore county executive in 2018 and reelected in 2022. He previously represented the county in the Maryland House of Delegates from 2006 to 2015 and worked as a public school civics teacher.
Olszewski will replace Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, D-Maryland, who is retiring.
3rd Congressional District
Democratic state Sen. Sarah Elfreth beat Republican businessman Rob Steinberger to represent Anne Arundel and Howard County.
She was elected to the state Senate in 2019. Elfreth previously worked on economic development in university cities with the consulting firm Margrave Strategies and as the government affairs director for Baltimore’s National Aquarium.
Elfreth will replace retiring Rep. John Sarbanes, D-Maryland, who has served the district since 2007.
4th Congressional District
Rep. Glenn Ivey, D-Maryland, won his second term to represent Prince George’s County in Congress.
He won his campaign against Republican businessman George McDermott.
Ivey formerly served as the states attorney for Prince George’s County from 2003 to 2011. The lawyer established the Greenbelt law firm Ivey & Levetown in 2020.
5th Congressional District
Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland, won his reelection to the seat he has held since 1981. The district covers Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s Counties and portions of Prince George’s and Anne Arundel Counties.
Hoyer ran against Republican business owner Michelle Talkington.
Hoyer, 85, is a prominent Democrat in Congress, serving as the House majority leader from 2007 to 2011 and from 2019 to 2023.
The lawmaker stepped down from House leadership in 2023 to make way for a new generation of Democrats.
6th Congressional District
The 6th Congressional District was won by Republican Neil Parrott in a tight race against Democrat April McClain Delaney.
7th Congressional District
Rep. Kweisi Mfume, D-Maryland, won reelection to represent Baltimore City and parts of Baltimore County.
He was opposed by Republican Scott Collier, the founder of DundalkTV.
Mfume returned to representing the district in 2020, following the death of former Rep. Elijah Cummings. He represented the 7th District from 1987 to 1996. He left Congress to be the president of the NAACP for nine years.
“No matter how long I live, every time voters affirm my work by electing me to office I am blessed and humbled beyond words,” said Congressman Mfume, in a statement to the AFRO.
8th Congressional District
Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Maryland, beat his GOP opponent, public relations strategist Cheryl Riley. His district covers Montgomery County.
A constitutional lawyer, Raskin became nationally prominent after his involvement with Trump’s second impeachment trial and the January 6th Select Committee.
The congressman has represented District 8 since 2018.
Before his time in Congress, Raskin served for three terms in the Maryland State Senate.
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