Adrian Boafo won the Democratic race to succeed Rep. Steny Hoyer, and Rep. April McClain Delaney fended off a multimillion-dollar challenge from predecessor David Trone in her reelection bid during Maryland’s Democratic primary elections.
Gov. Wes Moore cruised through his own primary race, setting up a rematch with his 2022 general election opponent, former Republican state Delegate Dan Cox, while Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson defeated his first primary challenger in 12 years after he upset his party by initially refusing to jump into the nationwide redistricting fight.
The day also saw a tight primary race for the Montgomery County executive that remains undecided, plus incumbents besting their competition in Prince George’s County.
The Democratic primaries are weathervanes for how candidates will fare in the deep blue state’s general election this fall.
Mr. Boafo, a 32-year-old state delegate from Prince George’s County, had one of the most competitive primary elections in the 5th District that includes all of Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s counties, as well as parts of Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties.
He had a fundraising disadvantage against healthcare business executive Quincy Bareebe and former U.S. Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn, but the former campaign manager for Rep. Hoyer won out with 32% of the vote versus Mr. Bareebe’s 18% and Mr. Dunn’s 14%.
Mr. Hoyer, a former House majority leader, is retiring after serving his district since 1981.
“No one has had the kind of impact on Maryland’s 5th Congressional District as Steny Hoyer has and, frankly, maybe never will,” Mr. Boafo told supporters on election night. “Steny and I both believe in the power of the Congress to deliver for people and help communities everywhere make it in Maryland and make it in America.”
In November, Mr. Boafo will face Republican Chris Chaffee, a business owner who also ran against Sen. Chris Van Hollen in 2022.
On the other side of the state, Ms. McClain Delaney staved off former Congressman David Trone in the 6th District primary race that saw candidates spend millions of their own cash on the campaign trail.
Ms. McClain Delaney earned 44% of the vote versus Mr. Trone’s 37% in the district that includes the northern portion of Montgomery County, as well as all of Allegany, Frederick, Garrett and Washington counties.
Mr. Trone, the co-owner of Total Wine & More, who held the seat for five years before giving it up for a failed Senate run in 2024, loaned himself more than $25 million to compete against Ms. McClain Delaney.
The former congressman said he was inspired to vie for his old seat after Ms. McClain Delaney was one of a handful of Democrats who supported the Laken Riley Act, which requires Homeland Security officials to take custody of illegal immigrants accused of shoplifting, burglary, assault and other crimes.
Ms. McClain Delaney said she regretted voting for the law in light of how aggressive the Trump administration’s deportation efforts have been, with the contrition seemingly resonating with voters.
“All of the issues, both the unbelievable challenges and the unbelievable blessings, are in this district,” the congresswoman told supporters late Tuesday. “I have to say it has been an honor to represent it for the past year and a half, and I look forward to the years ahead.”
Ms. McClain Delaney’s Republican opponent will be former Maryland state delegate Robin Ficker, who won a close race against Chris Burnett.
Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson, Baltimore Democrat, sailed past his primary challenger, social media personality Bobby LaPin. Mr. Ferguson won 57% of the vote to Mr. LaPin’s 43%.
Mr. Ferguson came under fire this year because he rejected calls to enter the congressional arms race, including from Mr. Moore, that erupted across the country ahead of the midterms.
The Senate president was concerned that legal challenges to a proposed redistricting map could wind up costing Maryland a congressional seat.
But after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned parts of the Voting Rights Act last month, Mr. Ferguson called the decision “beyond troubling” and came to support the redistricting effort.
Locally, the Democratic primary for Montgomery County executive is still too close to call. At-large County Council member Will Jawando leads with roughly 41% of the vote, ahead of District 1 Council member Andrew Friedson’s 34%.
About 70% of the vote has been counted. The seat became available because the current Montgomery County Executive, Marc Elrich, is term-limited.
The winner of the race will face Republican Esther Wells, president of the Montgomery County Taxpayers League, in the general election.
Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy won her primary race Tuesday, clearing her path to secure a full term as the county’s top politician, as no Republicans entered the race.
Ms. Braveboy won a special election last year after former County Executive Angela Alsobrooks was elected to the U.S. Senate.
And interim State’s Attorney Tara Jackson is poised to win a full term as well after defeating Prince George’s County Council member Wanika Fisher and Charles County Deputy State’s Attorney Karen Piper Mitchell at the ballot box Tuesday.
Ms. Jackson took home 55% of the vote versus Ms. Fisher’s 39% and Ms. Piper Mitchell’s 7%.
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