Dems keep edge as incumbents win
Bevins survives Nawrocki’s challenge in 6th District, most competitive race
Democrats will hold on to their slim majority on the Baltimore County Council after all of the incumbents retained their seats in Tuesday’s general election.
In the most competitive council race, Democrat Cathy Bevins survived a challenge from Republican Ryan Nawrocki to hang on to her seat representing residents in the northeastern part of the county.
“It means four more years of serving my consistency and getting things done and advocating for dollars that are important to my district,” Bevins said late Tuesday. “The work paid off. I had Republicans vote for me. I had Democrats vote for me. I had unaffiliated people vote for me.”
According to the unofficial Election Day returns, Democrats retained their 4-3 advantage on the seven-member council. Republicans had mounted challenges in three districts with the hope of flipping at least one — and creating a GOP majority in the state’s third-largest jurisdiction.
Bevins promoted an emphasis on constituent service, saying she and her staff have handled more than 6,000 issues since she took office. She also pledged to expand Police Athletic League Centers for children in her district.
In her third term, Bevins will be the sole woman on the council. West-side Councilwoman Vicki Almond, also a Democrat, ran for county executive but finished third in the primary.
The 6th District has been a Democratic stronghold for decades, but Republicans targeted Bevins this year in hopes of capitalizing on what they saw as growing conservatism on the east side. Although the district is home to more than twice as many registered Democrats as Republicans, it overwhelmingly supported Republican Larry Hogan for governor in 2014, and went by a narrower margin for Donald Trump for president in 2016.
Al Mendelsohn, chairman of the county’s Republican Party, said last month that a win over Bevins would be a victory for the party.
Bevins’ challenger, Nawrocki, campaigned on a platform of improving schools and lowering crime. He said Bevins has been dismissive of concerns raised by constituents.
Nawrocki is a self-employed marketing professional who previously worked for the Maryland Transit Administration. He was dogged by questions about an incident in 2007 when his girlfriend, now his wife, told police that he had choked and pushed her before she fought him off. In a police report, officers documented injuries to both of them. No charges were filed, but both obtained protective orders. Nawrocki told The Baltimore Sun that his now-wife was not truthful with police, and she also has said there was “absolutely no abuse.”
Tuesday’s election is the second time that Nawrocki lost to Bevins, who defeated him in 2010 by about 500 votes.
With all but a few precincts reporting, five other incumbents were headed to re-election to the council: Republicans Todd Crandell of Dundalk, David Marks of Perry Hall and Wade Kach of Cockeysville and Democrats Tom Quirk of Oella and Julian Jones of Woodstock.
Quirk, a two-term veteran, fended off Republican Al Nalley in the 1st District, which includes Catonsville, Arbutus and Lansdowne. That race was a rematch as well: Nalley ran unsuccessfully against Quirk in 2014.
The sole newcomer to the council will be Democrat Izzy Patoka of Pikesville, representing the 2nd District, which includes Reisterstown, Pikesville and other northwest communities. Patoka bested Republican Michael Lee for the seat Almomnd left open.
Kach faced Democrat Colleen Ebacher in the 3rd District. That district includes Timonium, Hunt Valley and north county.
In the 4th District, which includes Woodlawn and Randallstown, Jones, council chairman, was unopposed.
Marks fended off Democrat Alex Foley to represent Towson and Perry Hall in the 5th District.
Crandell took down several challengers to retain his 7th District seat representing Dundalk, Sparrows Point and Essex. He faced Democrat Brian Weir, Libertarian Doug Stanley and write-in Republicans Tim Fazenbaker and Dave Rader.