Maryland congressional elections, 2006
Encyclopedia
The Maryland
Congressional elections of 2006 were held on Tuesday, November 7, 2006. The terms of all eight Representatives to the United States House of Representatives
will expire on January 3, 2007, and therefore all were put up for contest. The winning candidates will serve a two-year term from January 3, 2007, to January 3, 2009.
Incumbent Republican Congressman Wayne Gilchrest
, seeking his ninth term in Congress, faced Jim Corwin, the Democratic nominee and a family physician. Gilchrest's reputation as a moderate Republican built up his popularity and he was overwhelmingly re-elected in this conservative, Eastern Shore
-based district.
In this heavily-gerrymandered and relatively liberal district, incumbent Democratic Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger
faced no serious threat from Republican candidate Jimmy Mathis. Ruppersberger won a third term in this district that includes small parts of Baltimore and some of the Baltimore metropolitan area
in a landslide.
Incumbent Democratic Congressman Ben Cardin
declined to seek an eleventh term so that he could run for Senate. John Sarbanes
, the son of retiring Senator Paul Sarbanes
and an attorney, won a crowded Democratic primary and became the Democratic nominee. Annapolis
marketing executive John White
was Sarbanes's Republican nominee, and, true to the liberal nature of this district based in the Baltimore metropolitan area
, Sarbanes beat White.
In this district, which has a majority African-American population and is based in Prince George's County
and Montgomery County
, is heavily liberal. Incumbent Democratic Congressman Al Wynn survived a tough primary challenge from lawyer Donna Edwards
, and since the Democratic primary is tantamount to election
, Wynn was the heavy favorite to win the general election, which he ultimately did.
House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer
, who has served in Congress since he was elected in a 1981 special election to fill the seat previously held by Gladys Spellman
, did not face a Republican opponent in this election. Hoyer's election to his fourteenth term was never in doubt, however, seeing as this district, based in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and southern Maryland, is heavily liberal. Hoyer beat out Green Party candidate Steve Warner and Constitution Party candidate Peter Kuhnert to win another term in Congress.
This district, based in the heavily conservative Maryland panhandle and the moderately conservative northern suburbs of Baltimore, has sent incumbent Republican Congressman Roscoe Bartlett
back to Washington with solid margins of re-election, and this year proved no different. Congressman Bartlett faced United States Army
veteran Andrew J. Duck
in the general election, and though he ultimately beat Duck out, it was by a thinner margin than usual.
Incumbent Democratic Congressman Elijah Cummings
, who has represented this heavily liberal district based in Baltimore, Baltimore County
and Howard County
since previous Congressman Kweisi Mfume
resigned in 1996. This year, the popular Cummings did not face any opponent of any kind in the general election and he coasted to a seventh term.
Democratic Congressman Chris Van Hollen
, considered by many to be a rising star in the Democratic Party, has represented this staunchly liberal district based in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area since his initial election in 2002. Van Hollen faced no serious threat to his bid for a third term from Republican Jeffrey Stein or Green Party candidate Gerard Giblin, and he crushed both of them in the general election.
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
Congressional elections of 2006 were held on Tuesday, November 7, 2006. The terms of all eight Representatives to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
will expire on January 3, 2007, and therefore all were put up for contest. The winning candidates will serve a two-year term from January 3, 2007, to January 3, 2009.
Overview
| United States House of Representatives elections in Maryland, 2006 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Votes | Percentage | Seats | +/– | |
| Democratic | 1,099,441 | 64.63% | 6 | — | |
| Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
546,862 | 32.15% | 2 | — | |
| Independents | 54,899 | 3.23% | 0 | — | |
| Totals | 1,701,202 | 100.00% | 8 | — | |
District 1
Incumbent Republican Congressman Wayne Gilchrest
Wayne Gilchrest
Wayne Thomas Gilchrest is a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives who represented . In 2008, the moderate Gilchrest was defeated in the Republican primary by State Senator Andy Harris....
, seeking his ninth term in Congress, faced Jim Corwin, the Democratic nominee and a family physician. Gilchrest's reputation as a moderate Republican built up his popularity and he was overwhelmingly re-elected in this conservative, Eastern Shore
Eastern Shore
Eastern Shore refers to many places, including:* Eastern Shore of Maryland* Eastern Shore of Virginia* Eastern Shore * Eastern Shore , of Mobile BayOther uses, a United States Navy cargo ship in commission from 1918 to 1919...
-based district.
District 2
In this heavily-gerrymandered and relatively liberal district, incumbent Democratic Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger
Dutch Ruppersberger
Charles Albert "Dutch" Ruppersberger III is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
faced no serious threat from Republican candidate Jimmy Mathis. Ruppersberger won a third term in this district that includes small parts of Baltimore and some of the Baltimore metropolitan area
Baltimore Metropolitan Area
The Baltimore-Towson Metropolitan Statistical Area, also known as Central Maryland, is a Metropolitan Statistical Area in Maryland as defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget...
in a landslide.
District 3
Incumbent Democratic Congressman Ben Cardin
Ben Cardin
Benjamin Louis "Ben" Cardin is the junior United States Senator from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party. Before his election to the Senate, Cardin was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing from 1987 to 2007.Cardin was elected to succeed Paul Sarbanes in...
declined to seek an eleventh term so that he could run for Senate. John Sarbanes
John Sarbanes
John Peter Spyros Sarbanes is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes the state capital of Annapolis, central portions of the city of Baltimore, and parts of Anne Arundel, Howard and Baltimore counties.-Early life, education...
, the son of retiring Senator Paul Sarbanes
Paul Sarbanes
Paul Spyros Sarbanes , a Democrat, is a former United States Senator who represented the state of Maryland. Sarbanes was the longest-serving senator in Maryland history, having served from 1977 until 2007. He did not seek re-election in 2006, when he was succeeded by fellow Democrat Ben Cardin...
and an attorney, won a crowded Democratic primary and became the Democratic nominee. Annapolis
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
marketing executive John White
John White (Maryland politician)
John White is currently the Chairman and CEO of Compass Marketing, Inc., and was the Republican nominee for U.S. Congress in 2006 in Maryland's 3rd congressional district to replace incumbent Democrat Ben Cardin, who successfully ran for the U.S. Senate. His opponents were Democrat John Sarbanes...
was Sarbanes's Republican nominee, and, true to the liberal nature of this district based in the Baltimore metropolitan area
Baltimore Metropolitan Area
The Baltimore-Towson Metropolitan Statistical Area, also known as Central Maryland, is a Metropolitan Statistical Area in Maryland as defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget...
, Sarbanes beat White.
District 4
In this district, which has a majority African-American population and is based in Prince George's County
Prince George's County, Maryland
Prince George's County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland, immediately north, east, and south of Washington, DC. As of 2010, it has a population of 863,420 and is the wealthiest African-American majority county in the nation....
and Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland, situated just to the north of Washington, D.C., and southwest of the city of Baltimore. It is one of the most affluent counties in the United States, and has the highest percentage of residents over 25 years of age who hold post-graduate...
, is heavily liberal. Incumbent Democratic Congressman Al Wynn survived a tough primary challenge from lawyer Donna Edwards
Donna Edwards
Donna F. Edwards is the U.S. Representative for , serving since a special election in 2008. She is a member of the Democratic Party...
, and since the Democratic primary is tantamount to election
Tantamount to election
"Tantamount to election" is a phrase to describe a situation in which one political party so dominates the demographics of a voting district, that the person winning the party nomination for a race will virtually be assured of winning the general election...
, Wynn was the heavy favorite to win the general election, which he ultimately did.
District 5
House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer
Steny Hoyer
Steny Hamilton Hoyer is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1981. The district includes a large swath of rural and suburban territory southeast of Washington, D.C.. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
, who has served in Congress since he was elected in a 1981 special election to fill the seat previously held by Gladys Spellman
Gladys Spellman
Gladys Noon Spellman , a Democrat, was a U.S. Congresswoman who represented the 5th congressional district of Maryland from January 3, 1975 to January 3, 1981....
, did not face a Republican opponent in this election. Hoyer's election to his fourteenth term was never in doubt, however, seeing as this district, based in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and southern Maryland, is heavily liberal. Hoyer beat out Green Party candidate Steve Warner and Constitution Party candidate Peter Kuhnert to win another term in Congress.
District 6
This district, based in the heavily conservative Maryland panhandle and the moderately conservative northern suburbs of Baltimore, has sent incumbent Republican Congressman Roscoe Bartlett
Roscoe Bartlett
Roscoe Gardner Bartlett, Ph.D. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Republican Party, and a member of the Tea Party Caucus...
back to Washington with solid margins of re-election, and this year proved no different. Congressman Bartlett faced United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
veteran Andrew J. Duck
Andrew J. Duck
Andrew J. Duck was a Democratic candidate for the United States House of Representatives for Maryland's 6th congressional district in the 2010 general election. He was a candidate for the same seat in 2006 and 2008, winning the Democratic nomination in 2006 but losing in the 2008 Democratic primary...
in the general election, and though he ultimately beat Duck out, it was by a thinner margin than usual.
District 7
Incumbent Democratic Congressman Elijah Cummings
Elijah Cummings
Elijah Eugene Cummings is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1996. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes just over half of Baltimore City, as well as most of Howard County...
, who has represented this heavily liberal district based in Baltimore, Baltimore County
Baltimore County, Maryland
Baltimore County is a county located in the northern part of the US state of Maryland. In 2010, its population was 805,029. It is part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Towson. The name of the county was derived from the barony of the Proprietor of the Maryland...
and Howard County
Howard County, Maryland
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*62.2% White*17.5% Black*0.3% Native American*14.4% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.6% Two or more races*2.0% Other races*5.8% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
since previous Congressman Kweisi Mfume
Kweisi Mfume
Kweisi Mfume is the former President/CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People , as well as a five-term Democratic Congressman from Maryland's 7th congressional district, serving in the 100th through 104th Congress...
resigned in 1996. This year, the popular Cummings did not face any opponent of any kind in the general election and he coasted to a seventh term.
District 8
Democratic Congressman Chris Van Hollen
Chris Van Hollen
Christopher "Chris" Van Hollen, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
, considered by many to be a rising star in the Democratic Party, has represented this staunchly liberal district based in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area since his initial election in 2002. Van Hollen faced no serious threat to his bid for a third term from Republican Jeffrey Stein or Green Party candidate Gerard Giblin, and he crushed both of them in the general election.