Maryland Senate Primary Results: Chris Van Hollen Projected Winner

Rep. Chris Van Hollen has won the Democratic Senate primary, according to projections from the Associated Press and NBC.

In a victory speech, Van Hollen thanked his opponent Rep. Donna Edwards for being a "strong advocate for Democratic values and priorities," noting she had called him and conceded before he spoke.

"Tonight I also want to salute another great Marylander...Sen. Barbara Mikulski," Van Hollen said, giving a hat-tip to the incumbent Mikulski, who is vacating her seat after five terms.

Just as Mikulski understood that "you never forget the people back home" while serving in Washington, "I will fight hard for you every day in the United States Senate," Van Hollen said.

"I know Chris Van Hollen will be a great senator because he listens and feels our fights and issues," Natina Newsome, a Baltimore City resident and environmental care worker at Johns Hopkins Hospital, said in a statement on behalf of the United Healthcare Workers East. "We marched with him at a Freddie Gray memorial event and he was chanting right along with us. He was taking note of everything he was going to do once he's in office. I know he's going to be the people's senator."

Van Hollen will now face off against Delegate Kathy Szeliga, who secured the Republican nomination for Senate.

After 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Edwards conceded to Van Hollen following what she called a "very hard fought campaign."

As he accepted the concession, Van Hollen said: "I know we will go forth in unity to win the general election."

Polls closed at 8 p.m. in most of the state, except for a handful in Baltimore City where voting continued until 9 p.m.

Baltimore lawyer Billy Murphy petitioned a Baltimore City judge to keep polls open late since several locations allegedly opened behind schedule, according to The Baltimore Sun, which reported he filed on Edwards' behalf.

In early voting, Van Hollen was up 54 to 39 percent over Edwards, according to WBAL. He also had more than 50 percent of the Democratic votes in Baltimore County in exit polls on primary day, which the TV station said was a good indicator for the rest of the state.

Exit polls statewide showed Van Hollen leading by 8 percent, The New York Times reports.

Polls before primary day were in line with how voters actually turned out. Van Hollen had a 52 percent to 36 percent lead over Edwards, according to the Monmouth University Poll released in the past week. The poll said 11 percent of voters were undecided.

Real Clear Politics, which took into account three polls including Monmouth between April 5 and 20, found that the race was closer, with Van Hollen showing a 46 percent lead over Edwards, who was polling at 35.7 percent.

While the rival Democrats have been described as similar in ideology, a few issues separate them.

See how both Van Hollen and Edwards have voted on various issues, courtesy of BallotPedia.

Van Hollen, D-Kensington, has been a member of Congress since 2002, representing the 8th congressional district, which includes Carroll, Frederick and parts of Montgomery counties. He is the top Democrat on the House Budget Committee.

Edwards, D-Fort Washington, has been a member of the U.S. House of Representatives since 2008, representing Maryland’s 4th district, comprising portions of Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties.

If elected, she would be the first African-American Senator from Maryland and the second female African-American Senator in U.S. history.

Edwards is a graduate of Wake Forest University and the University of New Hampshire School of Law. She cofounded the National Network to End Domestic Violence in 1994.

Before his election to the U.S. House of Representatives, Van Hollen served four years in the Maryland House of Delegates and eight years in the Maryland Senate. He also worked as an attorney in private practice for 10 years. He is a graduate of Swarthmore College, the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and Georgetown University Law Center.

When it comes to foreign policy, Van Hollen has "mainstream" views on the Middle East, according to The Guardian, which reports that Edwards is described as "not pro-Israel"—she was one of a small percentage of lawmakers who voted against a bill to strengthen sanctions in Iran.

Professor Darlene Antezana, Ph.D.—the chair of the History, Political Science, Geography and Anthropology Department at Prince George’s Community College—tells Patch that Van Hollen has the better legislative record and is able to work across the aisle. He has received many prominent African-American political endorsements.

Select Endorsements for Van Hollen

• Former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley
• Montgomery County Executive Isiah “Ike” Leggett
• Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker

Select Endorsements for Edwards

• Emily's List
• Democracy for America
• NAACP President Ben Jealous

Antezana says the Baltimore area is where Edwards is appealing to African-American female voters. The Black Congressional Caucus isn’t supporting Edwards, Antezana said, and unions who supported her in the past are backing Van Hollen in the primary.

Edwards is faulted for not responding to constituents’ calls and has reportedly cast votes that have hurt unions, according to Antezana, who said the Service Employees International Union PAC is giving money to Van Hollen’s campaign.

Emily’s List has supported Edwards, and Antezana says it may be the only thing that’s keeping Edwards afloat.

Personally, Antezana says she doesn’t like that Edwards is “wrapping herself in the I’m a single female mother” label, stating Edwards is “pulling the race card,” and running a negative campaign that prompted the White House to take down one ad.

Even so, the closeness of the race shows that Van Hollen is still vulnerable, says Towson University Political Science Professor Antonio Campbell, who said it was initially believed that the Montgomery County congressman would win by a landslide.

See Also:

• Van Hollen, Edwards Tied In Maryland Senate Race: Polls
• Rep. Chris Van Hollen to Seek Mikulski's Senate Post
• Rep. Donna Edwards Launches U.S. Senate Campaign
• Senator Barbara Mikulski Announces Retirement

The state’s primary will be held on Tuesday, April 26; polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Races from presidential contests to the state legislature will be on ballots across Maryland.

The general election will be Nov. 8, 2016.

Patch Editor Deb Belt contributed to this article.

Photo Credit: Montgomery Community Media.