In a close race to replace retiring Sen. Paul Sarbanes, it was unclear late Tuesday night whether 10-term Congressman Ben Cardin had held the seat for the Democrats or whether Republican Lt. Gov. Michael Steele had won the race with a campaign theme of changing Washington.
The Associated Press and other news organizations called the race for Cardin before 10 p.m. based on exit polls and previous voting patterns, but actual vote counts after 11 p.m. showed Steele running ahead 51 percent to Cardin?s 47 percent with 44 percent of the precincts counted. Cardin gave what was essentially a victory speech to supporters in Baltimore, saying “We?re going to fight for what is right for the people.”
But he still refused to concede, noting that there were close to 200,000 absentee ballots to be counted. “I still have awhole lot of fight left in me,” Steele told the crowd at a Bowie hotel. “I intend to go as long and as hard and as far as I have to take this seat.”
Cardin, a lawmaker for 40 years who had seldom faced a serious challenger, ran a traditional campaign based on issues, particularly opposition to the Iraq war and favoring universal health care, and tried to tie Steele to President Bush, who had helped recruit the lieutenant governor.
AP exit polls found that Steele was hurt by his ties to the Bush administration and Republican support for the war in Iraq.
Steele, Maryland?s first statewide elected black official, ran a decidedly non-traditional race, with offbeat TV ads that emphasized the need for change in Washington. The commercials talked little about issues and never mentioned his party affiliation.
Cardin also attacked Steele?s opposition to embryonic stem cell research and his support of private accounts in Social Security.
Race was an underlying issue in the contest, particularly after Cardin?s fairly narrow win over ex-Rep. Kweisi Mfume in a crowded Democratic primary. Cardin and Mfume, who had served in the House, kept their debates positive and issue-oriented. But Mfume complained about how the Democratic establishment had anointed Cardin, helping him raise millions more than the former congressman who had served as NAACP president.
Mfume endorsed Cardin publicly, but he also criticized the party for producing a statewide ticket that looked much as it did 50 years ago.
Steele was sensitive to racial insinuations raised by Cardin supporters such as Rep. Steny Hoyer, who had said Steele was “slavishly” in support of Bush administration policy.
Another factor was Kevin Zeese, nominee of the Green, Libertarian and Populist parties. He was the most fervid opponent of the Iraq war, which Steele continued to support, and Zeese said both major partycandidates represented the corporate control. Democrats believe Zeese took votes from Cardin.
Part of the Baltimore Examiner’s 2006 Election Coverage
