2022 More of Nightmare for Maryland Republicans Than 2018

So much for the Red Wave.

Although the 2022 Election has not be finalized, it looks like every close race is going to the Democrats. The Mail-in ballots have been bad news for the Republicans.

Two vacant state senate seats have flipped from Republican to Democrat.

Del. Sid Saab was trying to hold on retiring Sen. Ed Reilly’s old seat, but he got crushed by mail-ins and provisional ballots. He wand up losing by 6,000 votes.

It was the same situation in Harford County District 34. Republican Sen. Ed Cassilly ran and successfully became Harford County Executive. Former Del. Christian Miele was trying to retain that seat, but mail-ins and provisional ballots have both him down in that race. I am not sure how many ballots are left in that race, as Miele is only down by less than 600 votes, but it is hard to imagine any mail-ins and provisional breaking for Republicans.

In the House of Delegates, Republicans actually picked up two seats with redistricting before any votes were counted , but lost five races for a net loss of three seats.

Del. Trent Kittleman in Howard County’s District 9A was cling to a small lead, but then found herself down by 10 votes after all mail-ins and provisional ballots were counted. There was hope maybe Kittleman could have been declared the winner in a recount, but more votes came in and now she is down by 114 votes.

Republicans Jessica Haire (Anne Arundel County) and Michael Hough (Frederick County) were expected to win but lost their county executive races.

It appears that Republican Stuart Michael Schmidt, Jr. is on the verge of winning a vacant seat in District 33B. He was up a couple thousand votes and is now only up 297 votes. If there aren’t anymore mail-ins and provisional ballots, Schmidt might pull this race out.

It is easy to say that 2022 was worse for Republicans than in 2022. At least in 2018, you can see a blue waving coming as the Democrats were expect to do well nationally as they took the House of Representatives during the mid-terms that year.

This year, the Republicans were expected to have a successful year and they did nationally as the GOP took back the House of Representatives in Washington.

So what happened in Maryland? And don’t blame it all on Dan Cox? Yes. he might have been a drain as the top of the ticket, but Republicans lost eight seats in 2018 with Larry Hogan. Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley defeated former Republican Gov. Bob Ehrlich by a wider margin in 2010 than 2006, but the GOP actually picked up seats in the House of Delegates in 2010.