2018 Maryland gubernatorial election

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 2018 Maryland gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 2018. The date included the election of the governor, lieutenant governor, and all members of the Maryland General Assembly. Popular incumbent Governor Larry Hogan and Lieutenant Governor Boyd Rutherford, both Republicans, were elected to a second term in a landslide against Democrat Ben Jealous, the former NAACP CEO, and his running mate Susan Turnbull. This was one of eight Republican-held governorships up for election in a state carried by Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election.

Quick facts Turnout, Nominee ...
2018 Maryland gubernatorial election
← 2014
November 6, 2018 (2018-11-06)
2022 →
Turnout59.06% Increase 11.83%[1]
 
Nominee Larry Hogan Ben Jealous
Party Republican Democratic
Running mate Boyd Rutherford Susan Turnbull
Popular vote 1,275,644 1,002,639
Percentage 55.35% 43.51%
Hogan:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Jealous:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Tie:      40–50%      50%      No data
Governor before election

Larry Hogan
Republican

 Elected Governor

Larry Hogan
Republican

Close

Hogan became the second Republican governor of Maryland to win re-election, and the first since Theodore McKeldin in 1954.[2] He also became the first Republican to win over 55% of the vote in a statewide election in Maryland since U.S. Senator Charles Mathias in 1980. This was the first election since 1974 in which Maryland simultaneously elected a gubernatorial nominee and a U.S. Senate nominee of opposite parties. This was the first and only Maryland gubernatorial election in which both major party candidates received over one million votes. As of 2025, this is the last time that a Republican won a statewide election in Maryland.

Background

At the presidential level, Maryland is a staunchly Democratic state due to the large number of Democratic voters in the Washington metropolitan area and Baltimore City. Maryland had not seen a Republican presidential candidate win its votes since 1988, and the state had not been within 15% since 2004; Hillary Clinton won the state by 26 points over Donald Trump (60% to 34%) in 2016, Barack Obama defeated Mitt Romney by 26 points in 2012 (62% to 36%), and Obama defeated John McCain by 25 points in 2008 (62% to 37%).

Hogan was elected governor in 2014, defeating then-lieutenant governor Anthony Brown by a margin of 51% to 47%; the result was considered one of the biggest election upsets that year.[3] Prior to Hogan's victory, Bob Ehrlich, elected in 2002, had been the only Republican elected as Governor of Maryland since Spiro Agnew. However, Ehrlich was defeated for reelection in 2006 by Martin O'Malley and defeated again in 2010, when he faced O'Malley in a rematch.

In April 2018, Hogan had a 68% approval rating, the second-highest approval of any governor in the country, only behind Governor Charlie Baker of Massachusetts, who had a 71% approval rating.[4] Despite the state's Democratic leaning, Hogan had a high approval rating among all partisan groups (65% approval from Democrats, 64% of Independents, and 81% of Republicans).[5]

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominated

Declined

Endorsements

Larry Hogan
Statewide officials
State legislators
Local officials
Judges
Individuals
Organizations
Newspapers

Results

More information Party, Candidate ...
Republican primary results[41]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Larry Hogan (incumbent) 210,935 100.00%
Total votes 210,935 100.00%
Close

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominated

Eliminated in primary

Deceased

Withdrew

  • Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, policy consultant and wife of U.S. Representative Elijah Cummings[60]
  • Valerie Ervin, former senior advisor to the Working Families Party and former Montgomery County Councilmember[61]
    • Running mate: Marisol Johnson, former vice chair of the Baltimore County Board of Education and small businesswoman[62]
    • (Valerie Ervin, who had been the running mate of Kevin Kamenetz before he died on May 10, became a candidate for governor with Marisol Johnson as running mate on May 17. This came too late to change the primary ballot, so notices were posted at polling places informing voters that votes for Kamenetz and Ervin would be counted as votes for Ervin and Johnson. On June 12, Ervin withdrew from the race.[63])

Declined

Endorsements

Rushern Baker
U.S. senators
Statewide officials
State legislators
Individuals
  • Valerie Ervin, senior adviser to the Working Families Party and former gubernatorial candidate[82]
  • David Trone, businessman[17]
Newspapers and magazines
Valerie Ervin (withdrew)
U.S. representatives
Ben Jealous
Newspapers and magazines
U.S. executive branch officials
U.S. senators
U.S. representatives
Individuals
State legislators
Local officials
  • Vicki Almond, Baltimore County Councilwoman
  • Kristerfer Burnett, Baltimore City Councilman
  • Edward Burroughs, Prince George's County Board of Education member
  • Zeke Cohen, Baltimore City Councilman
  • Eric Costello, Baltimore City Councilman
  • Ryan Dorsey, Baltimore City Councilman
  • Jessica Fitzwater, Frederick County Councilmember
  • Bill Henry, Baltimore City Councilman
  • Ike Leggett, Montgomery County Executive
  • Sharon Middleton, Baltimore City Councilwoman
  • Don Mohler, Baltimore County Executive
  • Catherine Pugh, mayor of Baltimore City
  • Edward Reisinger, Baltimore City Councilman
  • Brandon Scott, Baltimore City Councilman, candidate for lt. governor
  • Shannon Sneed, Baltimore City Councilwoman
  • Robert Stokes, Baltimore City Councilman
Organizations
Kevin Kamenetz (deceased)
U.S. representatives
State legislators
Local officials
  • Cathy Bevins, member of the Baltimore County Council[104]
  • Julian E. Jones Jr., member of the Baltimore County Council[104]
Individuals
Rich Madaleno
U.S. representatives
Attorneys general
State senators
  • Susan Lee, state senator
  • Will Smith, state senator
State delegates
  • Al Carr, state delegate
  • Bonnie Cullison, state delegate
  • Jim Gilchrist, state delegate
  • Sheila Hixson, state delegate
  • Anne Kaiser, state delegate
  • Eric Luedtke, state delegate
  • David Moon, state delegate
  • Marice Morales, state delegate
  • Ana Sol-Gutierrez, state delegate
  • Jeff Waldstreicher, state delegate
  • Karen Young, state delegate
Local officials
  • Pat Baptiste, former Village of Chevy Chase mayor and former Montgomery County Planning Board member
  • Linna Barnes, former Chevy Chase mayor
  • Peter Benjamin, Garrett Park mayor
  • Shirley Brandman, former Montgomery County Board of Education member
  • Pat Burda, former Chevy Chase mayor
  • Mary Flynn, Chevy Chase mayor
  • Scott Fosler, Chevy Chase Councilmember and former Montgomery County Councilmember and former Chevy Chase mayor
  • Lance Hoffman, former Chevy Chase Councilmember
  • David Lublin, former mayor of Chevy Chase[17]
  • Barney Rush, Chevy Chase Councilmember
  • Kathy Strom, former Chevy Chase mayor
  • Vicky Taplin, former Chevy Chase Councilmember
  • Chris Trumbauer, Anne Arundel County Councilmember
  • Meredith Wellington, former Montgomery County Planning Board member
Organizations
Individuals
Alec Ross
Individuals
Jim Shea
Elected officials
State delegates
  • Antonio Hayes, state delegate
  • Cory McCray, state delegate
Local officials
  • John Bullock, member of Baltimore City Council
  • Kristerfer Burnett, member of Baltimore City Council
  • Brandon Scott, member of Baltimore City Council
  • Shannon Sneed, member of Baltimore City Council
Krish Vignarajah
Individuals
Organizations

Polling

More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin
of error		 Rushern
Baker		 Valerie
Ervin		 Ben
Jealous		 Kevin
Kamenetz		 Richard
Madaleno		 Jim
Shea		 Krish
Vignarajah		 Other Undecided
Gonzales Research[110] June 4–10, 2018 505 ± 4.5% 25% 7% 23% – 9% 6% 5% 2%[a] 22%
OpinionWorks[111] May 29 – June 6, 2018 500 ± 4.4% 16% 5% 16% – 4% 4% 4% 7%[b] 44%
University of Maryland[112] May 29 – June 3, 2018 532 ± 6.0% 16% 8% 21% – 6% 4% 4% 2%[c] 39%
Mason-Dixon[113] February 20–24, 2018 500 ± 4.5% 26% – 14% 15% 4% 3% 2% 3%[d] 32%
Goucher College[114] February 12–18, 2018 409 ± 4.8% 19% – 10% 12% 2% 2% 2% 6%[115] 47%
Gonzales Research[116] December 27, 2017 – January 5, 2018 501 ± 4.5% 24% – 14% 14% 5% 1% 2% 8%[e] 33%
Mason-Dixon[117] September 27–30, 2017 400 ± 5.0% 28% – 10% 11% 3% <1% 1% 1%[f] 46%
Goucher College[118] September 14–18, 2017 324 ± 5.4% 13% – 6% 8% 2% 2% 1% 22%[g] 44%
Close
Notes
  1. [a]
    Alec Ross with 2%, Ralph Jaffe and James Jones with <1%
  2. [b]
    Alec Ross with 1%, someone else with 6%
  3. [c]
    Alec Ross with 2%
  4. [d]
    Alec Ross with 2%, Ralph Jaffe 1%
  5. [e]
    Maya Rockeymoore 6%, Alec Ross with 1%, Ralph Jaffe with 0%
  6. [f]
    Alec Ross with 1%</
  7. [g]
    Doug Gansler 11%, Maya Rockeymoore 8%, Alec Ross with 1%. Other 2%

Results

Results by county:
  Jealous—40–50%
  Jealous—30–40%
  Baker—30–40%
  Baker—40–50%
More information Party, Candidate ...
Democratic primary results[41]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ben Jealous 231,895 39.6%
Democratic Rushern Baker 171,696 29.3%
Democratic Jim Shea 48,647 8.3%
Democratic Krish O'Mara Vignarajah 48,041 8.2%
Democratic Richard Madaleno 34,184 5.8%
Democratic Kevin Kamenetz/Valerie Ervin 18,851 3.2%
Democratic Alec Ross 13,780 2.4%
Democratic Ralph Jaffe 9,405 1.6%
Democratic James Jones 9,188 1.6%
Total votes 585,687 100.0%
Close

Green nomination

Candidates

Declared

Results

Following the Maryland Green Party's nominating procedure, the delegates of the Coordinating Council, which is the party's State Central Committee, made the decision to nominate the gubernatorial ticket as no other candidate had filed by the party's March 30, 2018, deadline. More than one ticket seeking the nomination would have required the party to conduct a primary, an obligation not mandated by the State Board of Elections for non-principal parties.[121]

More information Green State Central Committee Designation April 20 – April 25, Candidate ...
Green State Central Committee Designation[121]
April 20 – April 25
Candidate Delegates in favor Delegates against Delegates not voting
Ian Schlakman / Annie Chambers 15 0 5
Close

Libertarian convention

Candidates

Declared

  • Shawn Quinn, nominee for governor in 2014 and nominee for the House of Delegates in 2010[122]
    • Running mate: Christina Smith
More information Candidate, Votes in favor ...
Candidate Votes in favor Votes against Not voting
Shawn Quinn / Christina Smith 32 1 0
Close

General election

Debates

Larry Hogan and Ben Jealous met for their one and only scheduled debate on September 24. The debate was livestreamed in the evening by the Maryland Public Television.[123]

Predictions

More information Source, Ranking ...
Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report[124] Likely R October 26, 2018
The Washington Post[125] Likely R November 5, 2018
FiveThirtyEight[126] Safe R November 5, 2018
Rothenberg Political Report[127] Likely R November 1, 2018
Sabato's Crystal Ball[128] Likely R November 5, 2018
RealClearPolitics[129] Likely R November 4, 2018
Daily Kos[130] Likely R November 5, 2018
Fox News[131][a] Likely R November 5, 2018
Politico[132] Likely R November 5, 2018
Governing[133] Likely R November 5, 2018
Close
Notes
  1. [a]
    The Fox News Midterm Power Rankings uniquely does not contain a category for Safe/Solid races

Polling

%support01020304050609/30/20176/3/20189/16/2018HoganJealousOther/UndecidedOpinion polling for the 2018 Maryland gubern...
View source data.
More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin
of error		 Larry
Hogan (R)		 Ben
Jealous (D)		 Other Undecided
University of Maryland[134] October 4–7, 2018 648 LV ± 4.5% 58% 38% 0% 3%
814 RV ± 4.0% 56% 36% 0% 2%
Gonzales Research[135] October 1–6, 2018 806 ± 3.5% 54% 36% 2%[a] 9%
Mason-Dixon[136] September 24–26, 2018 625 ± 4.0% 52% 37% 2%[a] 9%
Goucher College[137] September 11–16, 2018 472 ± 4.5% 54% 32% 2%[a] 9%
Gonzales Research[138] August 1–8, 2018 831 ± 3.5% 52% 36% 1%[b] 11%
Garin-Hart-Yang (D-Jealous)[139] July 10–14, 2018 601 ± 4.0% 49% 40% – 11%
Gonzales Research[110] June 4–10, 2018 800 ± 3.5% 51% 34% – 14%
University of Maryland[112] May 29 – June 3, 2018 968 ± 4.5% 51% 39% – 10%
Goucher College[140] April 14–19, 2018 617 ± 3.9% 44% 31% – 22%
Mason-Dixon[141] February 20–22, 2018 625 ± 4.0% 50% 33% – 17%
Gonzales Research[142] December 27, 2017 – January 5, 2018 823 ± 3.5% 49% 36% – 15%
Mason-Dixon[117] September 27–30, 2017 625 ± 4.0% 49% 33% – 18%
Close
Notes
  1. [a]
    Shawn Quinn (L) and Ian Schlakman (G) with 1%
  2. [b]
    Shawn Quinn (L) with 1%, Ian Schlakman (G) with 0%
Hypothetical polling

with Rushern Baker

More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin
of error		 Larry
Hogan (R)		 Rushern
Baker (D)		 Undecided
Gonzales Research[110] June 4–10, 2018 800 ± 3.5% 48% 37% 15%
University of Maryland[112] May 29 – June 3, 2018 968 ± 4.5% 51% 39% 9%
Goucher College[140] April 14–19, 2018 617 ± 3.9% 44% 31% 22%
Burton Research & Strategies (R)[143] March 4–11, 2018 600 ± 4.0% 54% 29% 15%
Mason-Dixon[141] February 20–22, 2018 625 ± 4.0% 51% 36% 13%
Gonzales Research[142] December 27, 2017 – January 5, 2018 823 ± 3.5% 47% 37% 16%
Mason-Dixon[117] September 27–30, 2017 625 ± 4.0% 46% 39% 15%
Close

with Richard Madaleno

More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin
of error		 Larry
Hogan (R)		 Richard
Madaleno (D)		 Undecided
Gonzales Research[110] June 4–10, 2018 800 ± 3.5% 50% 36% 14%
University of Maryland[112] May 29 – June 3, 2018 465–497 ± 6.0–6.5% 50% 40% 10%
Goucher College[140] April 14–19, 2018 617 ± 3.9% 45% 27% 26%
Mason-Dixon[117] September 27–30, 2017 625 ± 4.0% 49% 30% 21%
Close

with Alec Ross

More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin
of error		 Larry
Hogan (R)		 Alec
Ross (D)		 Undecided
University of Maryland[112] May 29 – June 3, 2018 465–497 ± 6.0–6.5% 55% 31% 13%
Goucher College[140] April 14–19, 2018 617 ± 3.9% 46% 26% 26%
Close

with Jim Shea

More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin
of error		 Larry
Hogan (R)		 Jim
Shea (D)		 Undecided
University of Maryland[112] May 29 – June 3, 2018 465–497 ± 6.0–6.5% 53% 35% 13%
Goucher College[140] April 14–19, 2018 617 ± 3.9% 47% 27% 25%
Close

with Krish Vignarajah

More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin
of error		 Larry
Hogan (R)		 Krish
Vignarajah (D)		 Undecided
University of Maryland[112] May 29 – June 3, 2018 465–497 ± 6.0–6.5% 54% 35% 11%
Goucher College[140] April 14–19, 2018 617 ± 3.9% 45% 25% 27%
Close
More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin
of error		 Larry
Hogan (R)		 Generic
Democrat		 Other Undecided
Goucher College[144] February 12–17, 2018 658 ± 3.8% 47% 43% – 10%
GBA Strategies (D)[145] November 14–18, 2017 600 ± 4.0% 45% 35% – –
OpinionWorks[146] October 25 – November 7, 2017 850 ± 3.3% 43% 28% 4% 24%
Washington Post/University of Maryland[147] March 19–22, 2017 914 ± 4.0% 39% 36% 3% 22%
Washington Post/University of Maryland[148] March 16–19, 2017 914 ± 4.0% 41% 37% 2% 20%
Close

with Valerie Ervin

More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin
of error		 Larry
Hogan (R)		 Valerie
Ervin (D)		 Undecided
University of Maryland[112] May 29 – June 3, 2018 465–497 ± 6.0–6.5% 51% 38% 11%
Close

with Kevin Kamenetz

More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin
of error		 Larry
Hogan (R)		 Kevin
Kamenetz (D)		 Undecided
Goucher College[140] April 14–19, 2018 617 ± 3.9% 45% 28% 23%
Burton Research & Strategies (R)[143] March 4–11, 2018 600 ± 4.0% 57% 26% 15%
Mason-Dixon[141] February 20–22, 2018 625 ± 4.0% 49% 34% 17%
Gonzales Research[142] December 27, 2017 – January 5, 2018 823 ± 3.5% 48% 34% 18%
Mason-Dixon[117] September 27–30, 2017 625 ± 4.0% 48% 35% 17%
Close

with John Delaney

More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin
of error		 Larry
Hogan (R)		 John
Delaney (D)		 Undecided
Public Policy Polling[149] April 15–17, 2016 879 ± 3.3% 48% 29% 24%
Close

with Tom Perez

More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin
of error		 Larry
Hogan (R)		 Tom
Perez (D)		 Undecided
Public Policy Polling[149] April 15–17, 2016 879 ± 3.3% 48% 24% 28%
Close

Results

More information Party, Candidate ...
Maryland gubernatorial election, 2018[150]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Larry Hogan (incumbent) 1,275,644 55.35% +4.32%
Democratic Ben Jealous 1,002,639 43.51% −3.74%
Libertarian Shawn Quinn 13,241 0.57% −0.89%
Green Ian Schlakman 11,175 0.48% N/A
Write-in 1,813 0.08% -0.18%
Total votes 2,304,512 100.00% N/A
Republican hold
Close

By county

More information By county, County ...
Close

By congressional district

Hogan carried six of eight congressional districts, including five held by Democrats. This included the district of then-House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, whom Hogan was defeated by in 1992.[151]

More information District, Larry Hogan ...
District Larry
Hogan		 Ben
Jealous		 Elected
Representative
1st 79% 20% Andy Harris
2nd 56% 43% Dutch Ruppersberger
3rd 56% 43% John Sarbanes
4th 40% 59% Anthony Brown
5th 52% 47% Steny Hoyer
6th 59% 39% David Trone
7th 44% 55% Elijah Cummings
8th 53% 46% Jamie Raskin
Close

See also

References

External links

Related Articles

Wikiwand AI