2014 Maryland gubernatorial election


The 2014 Maryland gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 2014, to elect the governor and [Lieutenant Governor of Maryland|lieutenant Governor of Maryland|governor of Maryland]. Incumbent Democratic governor Martin O'Malley was term-limited and could not run for a third consecutive term.
Gubernatorial candidates pick their running mates, with the two then running together on the same ticket. Primary elections were held on June 24, 2014. The Democrats nominated incumbent lieutenant governor Anthony Brown and Howard County Executive Kenneth Ulman, while the Republicans nominated former State Secretary of Appointments Larry Hogan and former State Secretary of General Services and former Assistant U.S. Secretary of Agriculture for Administration Boyd Rutherford.
Brown predicted that winning the general election would be just "a little bit of a molehill", but he lost to Hogan by a margin of 65,510 votes in the Democratic-leaning state. The Washington Post called the result "a stunning upset" and Republican Governors Association Chair Chris Christie called it "the biggest upset in the entire country."

Background

Maryland is considered one of the most Democratic states in the country, and Bob Ehrlich, elected in 2002, had been the only Republican elected governor of Maryland since Spiro Agnew in 1966. Ehrlich was defeated for reelection in 2006 by Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley and lost a rematch with O'Malley by a wider margin in 2010.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

Declined

Polling

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Disqualified

  • Brian Vaeth, businessman, retired firefighter and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2012

Withdrew

Declined

General election

Candidates

Campaign

Hogan heavily criticized Brown for his handling of Maryland's health care exchange as a part of the Affordable Care Act, labeling him as "the most incompetent man in Maryland." The Maryland Health Benefit Exchange enrolled fewer than 4,000 people.
Hogan avoided social issues by promising not to touch the state's abortion or gun control laws. Campaign ads were a significant part of the first debate, culminating in Hogan's call for Brown to "apologize to the women of Maryland for trying to scare them."
Brown pledged no new taxes, no increased taxes, and a look at state spending if elected. Hogan responded by citing O'Malley/Brown's same claim in the 2010 election and how that claim was followed by "40 consecutive tax hikes." Brown said there have been times he has disagreed with O'Malley, like on mortgage reduction. "Brown did not stay to take questions from reporters", and both candidates accused the other of not telling the truth.

Debates

Polling

  • * Internal poll for the Larry Hogan campaign

Results

By county

Source:
CountyBrownVotesHoganVotesOthersVotesTotals
Allegany22.60%4,62975.25%15,4102.14%43920,478
Anne Arundel32.16%58,00166.10%119,1951.74%3,142180,338
Baltimore38.89%102,73459.03%155,9362.07%5,473264,143
Baltimore City75.50%106,21321.92%30,8452.58%3,628140,686
Calvert29.11%9,57969.11%22,7391.78%58632,904
Caroline20.97%1,93177.58%7,1441.44%1339,208
Carroll16.07%10,34982.20%52,9511.74%1,11964,419
Cecil20.43%5,46777.33%20,6992.24%60026,766
Charles51.83%24,60146.91%22,2681.26%60047,469
Dorchester30.51%3,25268.26%7,2761.24%13210,660
Frederick34.57%27,68263.34%50,7152.09%1,67580,072
Garrett17.80%1,63479.71%7,3192.49%2299,182
Harford21.66%19,81476.52%69,9861.82%1,66091,460
Howard46.68%49,22751.54%54,3531.78%1,873105,453
Kent33.56%2,60364.58%5,0091.86%1447,756
Montgomery61.81%163,69436.75%97,3121.44%3,813264,819
Prince George's84.23%184,95014.86%32,6190.91%2,003219,572
Queen Anne's19.34%3,75779.46%15,4361.20%23319,426
St. Mary's25.20%8,20372.72%23,6752.09%67932,557
Somerset31.86%2,13566.38%4,4481.16%786,701
Talbot29.03%4,42069.72%10,6161.25%19015,226
Washington24.89%9,66173.33%28,4691.78%69138,821
Wicomico34.07%8,83364.30%16,6691.63%42225,924
Worcester28.85%5,52169.35%13,2711.80%34519,137

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

By congressional district

Hogan won five of eight congressional districts, including four that elected Democrats.
DistrictBrownHoganRepresentative
20%78%Andy Harris
41%57%Dutch Ruppersberger
43%55%John Sarbanes
65%34%Donna Edwards
51%47%Steny Hoyer
40%58%John Delaney
60%38%Elijah Cummings
49%50%Chris Van Hollen
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