almost votin' time
What to watch for in Tuesday's Maryland primaries
Maryland voters will head to the polls in July's only statewide primaries on Tuesday, deciding, among other things, who to nominate in a contentious race to replace outgoing Republican Gov. Larry Hogan.
For the GOP nod, Hogan has thrown his support behind his former Labor Secretary Kelly Schulz. Former President Donald Trump, on the other hand, has endorsed state legislator Dan Cox, who previously sued Hogan in an ultimately-dismissed lawsuit arguing the governor's early pandemic restrictions to be unconstitutional, per The Associated Press. Meanwhile, former U.S. Labor Secretary Tom Perez, author Wes Moore, and state Comptroller Peter Franchot are locked in a tight race for the Democratic nomination.
In the U.S. Senate, incumbent Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat, is seeking re-election against primary challenger Michelle Smith, "a Freedom of Information Act policy analyst with the U.S. Agency for International Development," AP writes. Van Hollen is not only expected to win his primary, but would be a "strong favorite" in the general election. Ten Republicans are angling for the GOP bid on the other side of the ticket.
Over in the House, 65 candidates have filed to run for Maryland's eight districts, including 31 Democrats and 34 Republicans, per Ballotpedia. Rep. Andrew Harris, a Republican representing the 1st District, is "the only incumbent without a primary this year."
Polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, though official results are expected to be delayed due to an unprecedented number of mail-in votes.