1994 Maryland Senate election
The 1994 Maryland Senate election were held on November 8, 1994, to elect senators in all 47 districts of the Maryland Senate. Members were elected in single-member constituencies to four-year terms. These elections were held concurrently with various federal and state elections, including for Governor of Maryland.
Republicans picked up six seats from the Democrats by tying themselves to the tax-cutting debate surrounding the gubernatorial election between Parris Glendening and Ellen Sauerbrey. This strategy was especially effective in Montgomery County, where Republicans campaigned on the county only getting 52 cents for every dollar in tax revenue it contributed to the state. The elections were marked by the legislature's highest turnover rate since 1974, which gave Republicans their largest legislative gains since the 1950s.
Summary
Closest races
Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:Retiring incumbents
Democrats
- District 4: Charles H. Smelser retired.
- District 17: Mary H. Boergers retired to run for governor of Maryland.
- District 19: Idamae Garrott retired.
- District 25: Beatrice P. Tignor retired to run for Prince George's County Executive.
- District 28: James C. Simpson retired to run for lieutenant governor of Maryland alongside Lieutenant Governor Melvin Steinberg.
- District 29: Bernie Fowler retired to run for run for lieutenant governor of Maryland alongside state senator American Joe Miedusiewski.
- District 30: Gerald W. Winegrad retired.
- District 37: Frederick Malkus retired.
- District 44: Julian L. Lapides retired.
- District 45: Nathan Irby retired to run for president of the Baltimore City Council.
- District 46: American Joe Miedusiewski retired to run for governor of Maryland.
Republicans
- District 16: Howard A. Denis retired to run for lieutenant governor of Maryland alongside U.S. Representative Helen Delich Bentley.
Incumbents defeated
In primary elections
Democrats
- District 11: Janice Piccinini lost a redistricting race to Paula Hollinger.
- District 12: Nancy L. Murphy lost renomination to Edward J. Kasemeyer.
- District 13: Thomas M. Yeager lost renomination to Virginia M. Thomas.
- District 18: Patricia R. Sher lost renomination to Chris Van Hollen.
In general elections
Democrats
- District 15: Laurence Levitan lost to Jean Roesser.
- District 32: Michael J. Wagner lost to C. Edward Middlebrooks.
- District 34: Habern W. Freeman lost to David R. Craig.