Maryland 2022 midterm election results

The 2022 Maryland midterm elections brought both new political faces and historic wins, leaving many optimistic and others apprehensive about the future of politics. 

Democrat Wes Moore made history in Maryland as the first black governor elected in the state and the third elected in the country. Running mate for lieutenant governor, Aruna Miller, also made history as an Indian American woman and the first immigrant to hold statewide office in Maryland. The race was called by the Associated Press, with Moore winning 64.7% of the vote. 

Moore ran on a platform to protect reproductive rights, end childhood poverty, and support marginalized groups in Maryland. Despite the democratic party being dominant in Maryland politics, the state had a republican governor, Larry Hogan, for the past eight years. Many supporters see Moore’s win as a promise for a new direction in Maryland, as he pledged to lead the state towards a more equitable future. “The phrase “leave nobody behind” is not just a slogan. It is the value that will guide me as your next governor,” Moore said in his acceptance speech.

In the U.S. Senate, incumbent Democrat Chris Van Hollen won 65.9% of the vote. Van Hollen promised to use his second term to combat the climate crisis, protect abortion rights, and support early education, K-12 apprenticeships, and workforce training programs. “I promise to continue to work every day to uphold your trust,” Van Hollen said in a tweet, thanking constituents for their support.

In the eight U.S. House races for Maryland, democrats won in every district except for the first, where incumbent Republican Andy Harris won. Democratic Representative David Trone won reelection in Maryland’s 6th district despite the redistricting that caused the seat to become more competitive.

“I volunteered for congressman Jamie Raskin and other local politicians because this midterm election was so important in deciding our future regarding issues like women’s rights and gun reform,” Thomas S. Wootton junior Emily Liu said. 

Democrat Anthony Brown won the Attorney General race, making him the first black attorney general in Maryland. Brown pledged to uphold the state’s laws, protect access to abortions and implement a “local crime-fighting strategy.” 

Democrat Brooke Lierman won the Maryland Comptroller race, making her the first woman independently elected to state office in Maryland. Lierman has said that as comptroller, she will advance policy priorities, upgrade technology to help make paying taxes easier for small-business owners, and reach out to people eligible for tax credits but not yet receiving them. 

Lierman expressed her gratitude to voters and volunteers who cared about the election. “Caring about the office responsible for funding all public projects, at its core, is saying that you believe that we are stronger building something together than tearing institutions down,” Lierman said in her acceptance speech on election night. 

Additionally, 67.2% of Marylanders voted for a ballot measure that authorizes individuals 21 years or older to use or possess cannabis starting July 1, 2023, legalizing recreational marijuana use. A companion bill passed in the spring included a provision that would automatically strike all cases in which cannabis was the only charge and allow incarcerated individuals to petition for resentencing. 

“I am so glad that Wes Moore is elected as our governor and that we have local legislators who will continue making positive change,” Thomas S. Wootton High School junior Nico Dorazio,, said. The 2022 midterm results broke gender and racial barriers, expressing the public’s desire to move towards a more progressive and diverse political future for Maryland.   

Written by Elizabeth Mehler of Thomas S. Wootton High School

Graphic courtesy of Dhruv Narang of Landon School