US primaries: What’s on the ballot in Maryland?

Maryland will vote in the primary elections on July 19, 2022, restarting America’s election season after a long break. While multiple state offices are also up for election, the main fight will be concentrated in the US House of Representatives, Senate and the governor’s office. A crowded race is seen in almost all offices that are up for grabs.

The Governor’s office

The Republican race for Maryland governor in Tuesday’s primary election pits a candidate backed by outgoing governor Larry Hogan against a rival endorsed by Donald Trump.

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The Democratic primary for governor is shaping up as a competitive three-way race among former US Labor Secretary Tom Perez; author Wes Moore, who held a virtual fundraiser with Oprah Winfrey; and state Comptroller Peter Franchot, who had wide margins of victory in his four terms as a state tax collector.

The drama unfolds in the Republican race. Hogan’s hand-picked successor Kelly Schulz will be taking on Dan Cox, a state lawmaker who has been backed by former US President Donald Trump.

US Senate

Only one of the two Senate seats is open for re-election in this cycle. Democratic lawmaker Chris Van Hollen will look to retain his Senate seat, but voters are likely to have their reservations. Hollen suffered a stroke earlier this year, shedding uncertainty on his political future.

Van Hollen, who has previously served seven terms in the US House of Representatives, has just one challenger in his Democratic primary: Michelle Smith, a political analyst.

US House of Representatives

The state has eight congressional districts but only one open seat this cycle, according to reports from Associated Press. Some reports suggest that other seats may also be open for re-election.

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Democratic Representative Anthony Brown, who has represented Maryland’s 4th Congressional District, is stepping down after three terms to run for attorney general.

Former Representative Donna Edwards, who held the seat from 2008 to 2017, is running to get her job back representing the Black-majority district in the suburbs of the nation’s capital. She will face former county prosecutor Glenn Ivey.