Maryland is generally considered to be one of the bluest states in the United States, consistently supporting Democrats statewide by wide margins for the past three decades.[2][3][4][5] In the 2022 election cycle, Democrats expanded their supermajorities in both chambers of the state legislature and flipped the governorship.[6][7] The state has not voted for a Republican for President since 1988, when George H.W. Bush swept most of the nation.[8] Democrats have controlled both of Maryland's United States Senate seats since 1986.[9] Maryland gave Kamala Harris her third strongest margin of victory across the country in 2024, behind Vermont and the District of Columbia.[10]
Following the 2024 elections, 7 seats are held by Democrats, and one seat is held by a Republican, Andy Harris.[12] State legislators are considering redrawing the state's congressional maps for the 2026 election cycle, which would likely eliminate the only Republican leaning seat in the state, MD-01.[13][14][15][16]
Incumbent Democratic governor Wes Moore was first elected in 2022 with 64.5% of the vote. He is running for re-election.[17]
Firearms business owner Carl Brunner, Baltimore Blast owner Ed Hale, U.S. Senate candidate John Myrick, and farmer Kurt Wedekind are running for the Republican nomination.[18][19][20][21] State delegate Christopher Bouchat is expected to announce a bid for the Republican nomination, and minority leader of the Maryland SenateSteve Hershey has formed an exploratory committee.[22][23]
Following the 2022 elections, Democrats expanded their supermajority in the State Senate to 34 seats and in the House of Delegates to 102 seats. Republicans hold 13 seats in the State Senate and 39 seats in the House of Delegates.[6][7]
One ballot measure is scheduled to be on the November 2026 ballot in Maryland. HB0788 would allow the chair of the Commission on Judicial Disabilities to request the governor to appoint a temporary member to the commission or extend the term of a member in the event of a vacancy.[28]
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Government 