Harford County remained a suburban stronghold for Republicans in Maryland after the midterm elections, but Democrats edging their way into several county posts could be proof that both parties are alive and well in the county.
While Gov. Robert Ehrlich and Republican Senate candidate Michael Steele carried the county handily, the margins by which Republicans won were considerably smaller than they had been four years earlier. The contest for county executive was also closer than the last race, with Republican David Craig capturing 52 percent of the vote.
Ehrlich won 62.5 percent of the vote Tuesday night compared to Baltimore Mayor Martin O?Malley?s 36.4 percent, with absentee and provisional ballots still to be counted. As Republican poll-watchers sent early results to Craig?s headquarters Tuesday night, cheers went up for every precinct where Ehrlich nearly doubled O?Malley?s share of the vote.
But Ehrlich had taken almost 75 percent in 2002 when up against Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, a change that could be due to Baltimore Mayor Martin O?Malley being a stronger candidate with a more extensive local campaign than Townsend, said Avery Ward, professor of political science at Harford Community College.
“That actually surprised me. I figured the results would be about the same as last time,” Ward said.
The O?Malley campaign?s effort to venture into “Ehrlich strongholds” like Harford was an asset in a race where whittling away at Ehrlich?s margins was part of the strategy, he said.
In Harford County, registered Democrats continue to outnumber Republicans, though the gap is narrowing, according to the Board of Elections.
But a combination of high Republican turnout and conservative Democrats crossing party lines has consistently given the county to Republican candidates in the last decade.
A concentration of Democrats in the southern part of the county and along the Route 40 corridor helped take some of the open or vulnerable seats, including sheriff, County Council District F and state delegate for District 34A, Ward said.
But the showing for many Republicans in the rural northern parts of the county stayed strong, including State Sen. Nancy Jacobs? re-election with 56 percent of the vote ? about the same as her last results.
“I think the Republicans should feel good about their results because they were very successful in holding onto their offices, and successful with people changing their affiliations and winning,” Ward said.
Both sides of the aisle are taking the election results as a good sign.
“It took us many years to dig ourselves into the hole we?re in, and now we?re digging back out,” said Mike Comeau, Democratic Central Committee chairman.
