As you can see, the vote remains too close to call with only 134 votes currently separating the two men, and the total number of mail-in ballots that will have to be counted before a final tally is still unknown. There will also be provisional ballots to be examined, and you can bet those are going to be scrutinized even more closely with the tightness of this race.
Please note, there will be no counting of votes today. It is a scheduled day off for volunteers, according to the Board of Elections calendar. Canvassing will resume at the Germantown campus of Montgomery College on Wednesday. So another day of suspense, and this time, it is Blair supporters who are feeling a boost of optimism.
Perez has led the race decisively in Montgomery County since vote-counting began Tuesday night, at times hold double the number of votes Moore had in the jurisdiction. A resident and former county councilmember in Montgomery, Perez is now clearly counting on a hometown mail-in vote bonanza to even up the statewide race.
Moore has led statewide in the early voting and Election Day counts. In addition to the over 200,000 mail-in ballots, there are also 15,630 provisional ballots to be reviewed and counted. The winner will face off against Green Party candidate Nancy Wallace, Libertarian candidate David Lashar, and Republican nominee Dan Cox in November.
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| David Blair |
Despite the counting of all early voting and election day ballots, a winner cannot yet be declared in the Democratic race for Montgomery County Executive. David Blair has led the contest by a thin margin for most of the hours since the polls closed Tuesday night. As of right now, Blair leads incumbent Marc Elrich 39.63% to 38%. But more than 20,000 mail-in ballots remain to be counted, and that tabulation will begin this morning.
Third-place finisher Montgomery County Councilmember Hans Riemer conceded the race in an interview with Bethesda Beat yesterday, and later on Twitter. "Earlier today I conceded," Riemer tweeted. "I did so full of gratitude and optimism. Gratitude to our incredible supporters. Optimism because of what we accomplished together - Ushering in a new era of progressivism in our County. Our work continues — to say YES to progress!"
The full impact of Riemer's campaign won't be known until a winner is declared. His respectable current 20.40% showing bests any of Elrich and Blair's 2018 competitors in the executive race. Businessman Peter James is at 1.98% in last place as of this morning, and Republican Reardon Sullivan has decisively won his primary for County Executive.
Leaders in the Democratic County Council races as of this morning are as follows:
At-Large: Evan Glass (18.26%), Will Jawando (17.27%), Gabe Albornoz (15.50%), Laurie-Anne Sayles (13.39%)
District 1: Andrew Friedson (100%) [unopposed]
District 2: Marilyn Balcombe (46.98%)
District 3: Sidney Katz (57.98%)
District 4: Takoma Park Mayor Kate Stewart (44.52%)
District 5: Kristin Mink (40%)
District 6: Natali Fani Gonzalez (53.55%)
District 7: Dawn Luedtke (31.47%)
All Democratic Council primary winners except Friedson will face Republican opponents in the November election:
Christopher Fiotes, Lenard Lieber and Dwight Patel (At-Large); Dan Cuda (District 2); George Hernandez (District 3); Cheryl Riley (District 4); Kate Woody (District 5); Viet H. Doan (District 6); and Harold C. Maldonado (District 7).
Cox's win was authoritative, currently standing at 56.23% over Schulz's 40.26%, with mail-in ballots still pending. He even won 52.23% support among Montgomery County Republicans, in current voting results here.
The numbers indicate that Trump is, if anything, even more popular among Maryland Republicans than when he first ran in 2016. In Montgomery County, an increasing trend of moderate GOP voters switching parties to vote in the Democratic primary for County offices may have also benefitted Cox to the detriment of Schulz - the impact can be seen in Cox's decisive win, and in former Republican David Blair's slight lead in the Democratic race for County Executive.
Hogan's increasingly-caustic attacks on Trump over the last six years, which helped him earn bipartisan support and reelection in a blue state, have finally caught up to him. The results so far are a rebuke of Hogan by the Maryland GOP base, who also opposed his school closure lockdown policies during the pandemic. Some are also asking why Hogan spent the final days before the election campaigning for president outside of Maryland, instead of barnstorming the state with Schulz. If Hogan can't carry Republicans in his own state, his 2024 GOP primary prospects elsewhere in the country look bleak indeed at the moment.
Cox helped himself in the final weeks by pressing kitchen table issues like inflation, schools, and gas prices alongside his other popular talking points, and by giving one of his strongest speeches of the year during a tele-rally with Trump, which had a huge audience of voters and media listening. Experts are currently predicting another surge in the price of oil in October, in the closing weeks of the general election campaign. That could help Cox with independents, as could the questionable ability of President Joe Biden to give any boost to the Democratic nominee among independents by campaigning here in the fall. But Cox will face tropical-force winds from the national and local press, whose headlines are already dominated by the attacks Hogan and Schulz deployed in the primary against him.
In the Democratic race, Moore's outsider resume, energetic campaign and Oprah endorsement have boosted him statewide so far. He is currently in first place with 36.75%. Unlike the jurisdictional harmony in the GOP race, Montgomery County Democrats supported county resident Tom Perez over Moore 2 to 1, in results so far. Moore is currently is 2nd place in Montgomery County results.
Peter Franchot has had a day almost as miserable as Hogan. Franchot was cast as the shoo-in favorite in the Democratic race years before the first vote was cast, and before Moore was even on anyone's radar. On paper, Franchot's slightly more moderate views and teamwork with Hogan made him seem to be a solid choice in a state where Republicans have a real chance to take the governor's seat every time. In the actual election, however, Franchot is a distant third currently in both county and state results.
Photo via Dan Cox for Governor
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| David Blair |
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| Marc Elrich |
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| Reardon Sullivan |
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| Tom Perez |
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| Toys R Us photo of new concept store inside Macy's nationwide |
Between now and 10:00 PM, severe thunderstorms are possible. These storms may spawn tornadoes, isolated ping-pong-size hail, and scattered wind gusts up to 70 MPH. The first storms appear to be impacting northern Montgomery County - including Potomac, Germantown and Damascus, and parts of Northern Virginia and Frederick County, including Mount Airy and Urbana. Specifc severe thunderstorm warnings have been issued for those areas.
Be prepared by ensuring flashlights and radios have fresh batteries, and that your phone is fully-charged. Bring any objects that could become airborne inside from yards and balconies. Move to a lower level or interior room if a thunderstorm warning is issued for your area.
Map courtesy National Weather Service
Raskin and Elrich have a long history together. Both are from the highly-politically-active Takoma Park community, where Elrich served on the City Council, before being elected to the Montgomery County Council (At-Large) in 2006. “I have known Marc for most of my life," Raskin said yesterday. "He's always the same Marc. You know what you're going to get with Marc Elrich. We can count on him, and we counted on him through COVID-19, where Montgomery County became one of the leading counties in America to get people vaccinated and promote public health, And for that reason alone, we owe you a debt of gratitude."
COVID-19 has been a hot topic in this year's election, as some parents and businesspeople have organized behind Elrich's opponents on the very issue of pandemic policies that were instituted or proposed during his term in office, such as school closures, intervention in private school operations, and lockdowns of businesses. Others felt Elrich's policies were on-target, and have praised him for limiting the impact of the virus on the community before vaccines were widely available.
Raskin also saluted Elrich's successful efforts to raise the minimum wage, and his support of abortion rights. “There are two kinds of politicians out there," Raskin said. "There are power politicians, and there are justice politicians. Marc Elrich has always been the quintessential justice politician."
The endorsement comes at a key moment in a contentious race at the top of the County ballot. Elrich is facing three opponents in the July 19 primary: businessman David Blair, County Councilmember Hans Riemer and businessman Peter James. Blair has poured millions into his two campaigns, and Riemer has a campaign chest of grassroots donations and public matching funds that top $1 million.
Raskin has never had more name recognition among the public than today, thanks to his high-profile TV role in the impeachments of President Donald Trump, and on the January 6 Select Committee in Congress. The voters who support his work on those committees are very much in play in this Tuesday's election, giving Elrich a needed last-minute boost from another progressive who has the ear of his target voter.
“I am honored to have Congressman Raskin’s support in our campaign for re-election; he has been a fearless defender of democracy at the national level, and tireless in helping his constituents back home,” Elrich said in a statement this afternoon. “I thank Congressman Raskin for his relentless defense of democracy. I am grateful for his vote and support. I look forward to continuing our work together on behalf of Montgomery County residents.”
Photo courtesy Zurena
President Donald Trump bashed nemesis - and potential 2024 rival - Gov. Larry Hogan (R), and cast doubt on election integrity in the state of Maryland, in a wide-ranging stump speech on a tele-rally for Republican gubernatorial hopeful Dan Cox last night. Settling political scores from coast-to-coast, Trump had just finished campaigning against another never-Trump GOP critic, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, in Alaska. Turning his attention back to Hogan in Maryland, Trump zeroed in for the first time on one of the most-controversial issues in Hogan's term, the governor's purchase of South Korean COVID-19 testing kits. The kits arrived with much fanfare, as Hogan suggested he was providing what Trump would or could not, but were later deemed an $11.9 million bust by state health officials who found them unusable.
36,735 voters joined the tele-rally by phone last night, the Cox campaign reports. At the conclusion of the call, a poll was taken in the Maryland governor race. Perhaps not surprisingly on a Cox phone event, Cox won the poll with 85.2% of the vote. More surprisingly, Trump drilled down with more-specific criticism of Hogan's tenure, and for the first time challenged Maryland election integrity.
Cox opened the call by challenging the narrative that he will not have bipartisan appeal in the general election. He argued that his support stretches "across party lines. [E]ven the Democrats, thirty percent of them are saying that this is exactly what they want. Because, why? Because their issues are children, careers, and community safety. That is what is driving us right now. That's what our economy is showing everyone. They go to the pump, and they see that their careers are in jeopardy, they're paying a third of their income for gasoline right now. They're looking at rising taxation, and they're looking at the inflation that's eating up their grocery budget.
"And then they look at their children going to school here in Maryland, and what do you have? You have really egregious things being taught behind the parents' backs. They have women's sports being degraded. They have really a problem with divisive anti-Americanism."
"Our great police officers are under attack. I've been defending them in the [Maryland House] Judiciary Committee. I passed, I helped pass, the bill for $10 million dollars for more police in Baltimore City with Hopkins University."
"That's why I am so honored, and just privileged beyond belief, that President Donald J. Trump would join us tonight. [H]e's stood for us. He's a patriot. He's a gentleman who has graciousness to everyone, and unbelievable fortitude. He stands for our values, our liberties, and our freedom."
Cox then turned the call over to Trump, who began by speaking warmly of the Old Line State. "Hello, Maryland. It's a great state. I have so many friends there. I love the place. We're going to work really hard to do something special with Dan."
Trump exhorted voters to turn out at the polls Tuesday, in what is expected to be a low turnout primary amidst summer vacations. "I'd like each of you to get out and vote, bring your friends and bring everybody you can." As expected, Trump lashed current Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R), who has hammered Trump and is exploring a potential run against him in the 2024 presidential race.
"You'll get rid of a lousy governor," Trump said of Hogan, who was in New Hampshire this week to lay the groundwork for a 2024 campaign. "You're gonna get rid of somebody that was just, I think he was absolutely terrible, the job he did. He's just absolutely terrible, and a terrible representative of the state."
Trump again lauded Cox as a "respected and tough lawyer, a smart businessman." And he again denounced Hogan-endorsed Republican candidate Kelly Schulz as a "RINO. Her boss, Larry Hogan, locked down your state, destroyed your freedoms and turned his back on the great people of Maryland. He did it as bad as the Democrats. He locked the place up."
"You don't want his annointed successor," Trump warned. "He's working hard to get her in. And anybody he wants, frankly, I'd be against just on that basis alone."
Trump touted new poll results favorable to Cox, which he said he had just seen before the call. "Dan, I'm happy to tell you the poll is very good," Trump said. "But we can't rely on that. You have to get out and vote. He's the only candidate who has my complete and total endorsement. I've gotten to know him. He's a winner and he's a great guy. He loves the state, and he loves the country."
"Dan will work hard to stop inflation, bring back lower gas prices - can you believe what's happened?" Trump asked, reflecting on how low gas prices were during his term. "We were at $1.87. Now it's going to be well over $5.00, I understand, over the next couple of weeks...But we had it down to the right number, and everybody was happy. Everybody was happy about everything."
Trump then segued into further reminiscing about his time in the Oval Office versus the current state of affairs. "Even if you talk about Russia going into Ukraine, that would have never happened if I was in office...So many things have happened, so bad." He bashed President Joe Biden's botched withdrawal from Afghanistan. "We left Americans behind, thirteen soldiers were killed, many, many horribly injured. And, of course, leaving $85 billion dollars' worth of the best military equipment in the world [in the hands of the Taliban]."
"We were independent, everybody was happy," Trump recalled of America's energy output during his term. "Right now, as we speak, [Biden is] going to Saudi Arabia begging - a country that is unthinkable that he would go to - begging for oil."
Trump promised that, as governor, Cox would "stand up to the radical left-wing mayors and local officials who are destroying your Democratic-run cities, and restore law and order to Maryland. He'll cut taxes - very big. I gave you the largest tax cut in the history of our country, larger than even the Reagan tax cuts." Trump then further touted his own record of cutting regulations, record job growth, and reaching reciprocal trade agreements with foreign partners.
While dicussing foreign trade, Trump reflected on his relationship with former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated last week. Trump called Abe "a wonderful gentleman...a great, great gentleman. He was a fantastic man, I'm so sad to see that happen."
Turning back to Maryland, Trump assured callers that Cox would "stop the radical left's war on the American family. He'll ban critical race theory. He'll champion school choice, and he'll keep men out of women's sports. A lot of people - and it's not politically correct to say that, but we'll say it - he'll keep men out of women's sports."
Cox would call for a "full, forensic audit" of the 2020 presidential election, Trump said, before casting doubt on election integrity in Maryland. "I know the state so well, I know so many people. I don't believe the elections are straight in the state...Dan's looking into it very strongly."
"I know him. I like him. He loves that state, and he loves our country, and he'll work harder than anybody you've seen, and he's going to do a fantastic job," Trump said in making a closing argument for Cox, before turning his ire back to Hogan. "You're losing somebody who is not a good representative of your state, and certainly not a good Republican," he said of Hogan. "I can tell you that from personal experience."
Trump said his administration had provided much to Hogan during the pandemic, "and we got nothing but negative statements [in return]." He noted Hogan's controversial purchase of COVID-19 tests from a South Korean firm that turned out to be virtually useless. "What he did with the testing, how bad it was, and where the tests came from, from South Korea - there's a whole lot of things that Hogan did that are terrible, and he was just not a good representative. Dan Cox will be fantastic."
"I'll see you soon, we love your state. Bye, everybody," Trump said before leaving the call.
Photo courtesy WhiteHouse.gov
If Trump's last call into a big Cox rally in Hampstead is any indication, expect him to again lower the boom on Hogan, with whom he has feuded for several years. Hogan is expected by many to challenge Trump for the GOP nomination for president in 2024. Trump sees the Maryland race as an opportunity to add another notch to his endorsement victory belt with Cox, while dealing Hogan a blow ahead of the presidential contest.
