The 2022 Maryland Senate election were held on November 8, 2022, to elect senators in all 47 districts of the Maryland Senate. Members were elected in single-member constituencies to four-year terms. These elections were held concurrently with various federal and state elections, including for governor of Maryland. The Democratic and Republican primaries were held on July 19, 2022.
Democrats gained two seats, increasing their supermajority to 34 out of 47 seats. Simultaneously with gains in the state house and Wes Moore's win in the gubernatorial race, Democrats won a trifecta in the state for the first time since 2010.
Background
The Democratic Party had held majority control of the Senate since the beginning of the 20th century. The closest that the Republican Party had come to gaining control since then was in 1918, when Democrats held a thin 14 to 13 majority. Although Republicans had controlled the governorship since 2015, Democrats maintained a veto-proof supermajority of three-fifths in the 2014 and 2018 elections.
In the 2022 elections, Governor Larry Hogan was term-limited and Democrats assembled a large field of candidates to reclaim the office. The party retained its majority in the General Assembly, successfully retook the governor's office, and re-established a government trifecta.
Predictions SourceRankingAs of Sabato's Crystal Ball May 19, 2022
Overview Party Candidates Votes Seats % Before After +/– Democratic 61 1,120,385 60.54% 32 34 2 Republican 51 692,099 37.40% 15 13 2 Libertarian 2 15,657 0.85% 0 0 Green 2 4,305 0.23% 0 0 Total 1,850,511 100.00 47 47
Summary by district District Incumbent Party Elected Senator Party 1st George C. Edwards Rep Mike McKay Rep 2nd Paul D. Corderman Rep Paul D. Corderman Rep 3rd Ronald N. Young Dem Karen Lewis Young Dem 4th Michael Hough Rep William Folden Rep 5th Justin Ready Rep Justin Ready Rep 6th Johnny Ray Salling Rep Johnny Ray Salling Rep 7th J. B. Jennings Rep J. B. Jennings Rep 8th Kathy Klausmeier Dem Kathy Klausmeier Dem 9th Katie Fry Hester Dem Katie Fry Hester Dem 10th Delores G. Kelley Dem Benjamin Brooks Dem 11th Shelly L. Hettleman Dem Shelly L. Hettleman Dem 12th Clarence Lam Dem Clarence Lam Dem 13th Guy Guzzone Dem Guy Guzzone Dem 14th Craig Zucker Dem Craig Zucker Dem 15th Brian Feldman Dem Brian Feldman Dem 16th Susan C. Lee Dem Susan C. Lee Dem 17th Cheryl Kagan Dem Cheryl Kagan Dem 18th Jeff Waldstreicher Dem Jeff Waldstreicher Dem 19th Benjamin F. Kramer Dem Benjamin F. Kramer Dem 20th William C. Smith Jr. Dem William C. Smith Jr. Dem 21st James Rosapepe Dem James Rosapepe Dem 22nd Paul G. Pinsky Dem Paul G. Pinsky Dem 23rd Ron Watson Dem Ron Watson Dem 24th Joanne C. Benson Dem Joanne C. Benson Dem 25th Melony G. Griffith Dem Melony G. Griffith Dem 26th Obie Patterson Dem C. Anthony Muse Dem 27th Michael A. Jackson Dem Michael A. Jackson Dem 28th Arthur Ellis Dem Arthur Ellis Dem 29th Jack Bailey Rep Jack Bailey Rep 30th Sarah Elfreth Dem Sarah Elfreth Dem 31st Bryan Simonaire Rep Bryan Simonaire Rep 32nd Pamela Beidle Dem Pamela Beidle Dem 33rd Edward R. Reilly Rep Dawn Gile Dem 34th Robert Cassilly Rep Mary-Dulany James Dem 35th Jason C. Gallion Rep Jason C. Gallion Rep 36th Steve Hershey Rep Steve Hershey Rep 37th Adelaide C. Eckardt Rep Johnny Mautz Rep 38th Mary Beth Carozza Rep Mary Beth Carozza Rep 39th Nancy J. King Dem Nancy J. King Dem 40th Antonio Hayes Dem Antonio Hayes Dem 41st Jill P. Carter Dem Jill P. Carter Dem 42nd Chris West Rep Chris West Rep 43rd Mary L. Washington Dem Mary L. Washington Dem 44th Charles E. Sydnor III Dem Charles E. Sydnor III Dem 45th Cory V. McCray Dem Cory V. McCray Dem 46th Bill Ferguson Dem Bill Ferguson Dem 47th Malcolm Augustine Dem Malcolm Augustine Dem
Closest races Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:
Retiring incumbents
Democrats District 3: Ronald N. Young retired. District 10: Delores G. Kelley retired. District 26: Obie Patterson retired.
Republicans District 1: George C. Edwards retired. District 4: Michael Hough retired to run for Frederick County executive. District 33: Edward R. Reilly retired. District 34: Robert Cassilly retired to run for Harford County executive.
Incumbents defeated
In primary elections
Republicans District 37: Adelaide Eckardt lost renomination to Johnny Mautz.
Detailed results District 1 • District 2 • District 3 • District 4 • District 5 • District 6 • District 7 • District 8 • District 9 • District 10 • District 11 • District 12 • District 13 • District 14 • District 15 • District 16 • District 17 • District 18 • District 19 • District 20 • District 21 • District 22 • District 23 • District 24 • District 25 • District 26 • District 27 • District 28 • District 29 • District 30 • District 31 • District 32 • District 33 • District 34 • District 35 • District 36 • District 37 • District 38 • District 39 • District 40 • District 41 • District 42 • District 43 • District 44 • District 45 • District 46 • District 47__NOTOC__
District 1
The new 1st district encompasses all of Garrett and Allegany counties and west Washington County. Four-term Republican incumbent George C. Edwards, who was re-elected in 2018 with 98.3% of the vote, announced on July 14, 2021, that he would not run for re-election to a fifth term.
Republican primary Maryland Matters identified the Republican primary election in District 1 as a "race to watch".
General election
District 2
The new 2nd district encompasses east Washington County, including Hagerstown, and north Frederick County. Republican incumbent Paul D. Corderman ran for a full term after being appointed to the seat on September 1, 2020, following the resignation of Andrew A. Serafini, who was re-elected in 2018 with 71.7% of the vote.
District 3
The new 3rd district encompasses the city of Frederick. Three-term Democratic incumbent Ronald N. Young, who was re-elected in 2018 with 58.5% of the vote, announced on November 8, 2021, that he would not run for re-election to a fourth term.
Democratic primary Maryland Matters identified the Democratic primary election in District 3 as a "race to watch".
General election
District 4
The new 4th district encompasses most of Frederick County. Two-term Republican incumbent Michael Hough, who was re-elected in 2018 with 59.1% of the vote, announced on May 17, 2021, that he would run for Frederick County executive instead of seeking a third term.
Republican primary
General election
District 5
The new 5th district encompasses most of Carroll County, including Eldersburg and Westminster. Two-term Republican incumbent Justin Ready, who was re-elected in 2018 with 71.5% of the vote, ran for a third term, unopposed.
District 6
The new 6th district encompasses southeast Baltimore County, including Dundalk, Essex, and Edgemere. Two-term Republican incumbent Johnny Ray Salling, who was re-elected in 2018 with 55.3% of the vote, ran for a third term.
Republican primary
Democratic primary
General election
District 7
The new 7th district runs along the border of Baltimore and Harford counties. Three-term Republican incumbent J. B. Jennings, who was re-elected in 2018 with 66.9% of the vote, ran for a fourth term, unopposed.
District 8
The new 8th district consists of part of Baltimore County, including Perry Hall and Parkville. Five-term Democratic incumbent Kathy Klausmeier, who was re-elected in 2018 with 51.1% of the vote, ran for a sixth term.
Democratic primary
General election
District 9
The new 9th district encompasses north Howard county, including Ellicott City and Clarksville, and Damascus in Montgomery County. First-term Democratic incumbent Katie Fry Hester, who was elected in 2018 with 50.8% of the vote, ran for a second term.
District 10
The new 10th district encompasses east Baltimore County, including Randallstown and Reisterstown. Seven-term Democratic incumbent Delores G. Kelley, who was re-elected in 2018 with 80.3% of the vote, announced on December 13, 2021, that she would not run for re-election to an eighth term.
Democratic primary Maryland Matters identified the Democratic primary election in District 10 as a "race to watch".
General election
District 11
The new 11th district encompasses central Baltimore County, including Owings Mills, Pikesville, and Mays Chapel. Democratic incumbent Shelly L. Hettleman ran for a full term after being appointed to the seat on February 3, 2020, following the resignation of Robert Zirkin, who was re-elected in 2018 with 96.9% of the vote.
District 12
The new 12th district encompasses parts of Howard and Anne Arundel counties, including Columbia, Brooklyn Park, and part of Glen Burnie. First-term Democratic incumbent Clarence Lam, who was elected in 2018 with 66.1% of the vote, ran for a second term.
Republican primary
General election
District 13
The new 13th district encompasses south Howard County. Two-term Democratic incumbent Guy Guzzone, who was re-elected in 2018 with 97.4% of the vote, ran for a third term, unopposed.
District 14
The new 14th district runs along the border of Howard and Montgomery counties, including Olney. First-term Democratic incumbent Craig Zucker, who was elected in 2018 with 72.6% of the vote, ran for a second term.
Democratic primary
General election
District 15
The new 15th district encompasses east Montgomery County, including North Potomac and parts of Germantown. Two-term Democratic incumbent Brian Feldman, who was re-elected in 2018 with 72.0% of the vote, ran for a third term.
District 16
The new 16th district consists of south Montgomery County, including Potomac and parts of Bethesda. Two-term Democratic incumbent Susan C. Lee, who was re-elected in 2018 with 80.1% of the vote, ran for a third term, unopposed.
District 17
The new 17th district consists of Rockville and Gaithersburg. Two-term Democratic incumbent Cheryl Kagan, who was re-elected in 2018 with 79.0% of the vote, ran for a third term.
District 18
The new 18th district consists of Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Wheaton, and Kensington. First-term Democratic incumbent Jeff Waldstreicher, who was elected in 2018 with 97.6% of the vote, ran for a second term.
Democratic primary Maryland Matters identified the Democratic primary election in District 18 as a "race to watch". During the Democratic primary, Waldstreicher faced a primary challenge from progressive activist Max Socol, who accused Waldstreicher of weakening the Maryland Police Accountability Act during the 2021 legislative session and of dodging candidate events during the primary. Waldstreicher responded to these accusations by saying he held two town halls during the Democratic primary and freely shares his personal cell phone number with constituents. Waldstreicher outraised Socol 4-to-1, was endorsed by the Montgomery County Education Association, the Maryland Sierra Club, and Service Employees International Union Local 500, and received support from the Maryland Democratic Senate Caucus Committee. He won the Democratic primary on July 19, 2022, defeating Socol with 63.8 percent of the vote to Socol's 36.2 percent.
General election
District 19
The new 19th district includes Aspen Hill, Leisure World, and Redland. First-term Democratic incumbent Benjamin F. Kramer, who was elected in 2018 with 88.0% of the vote, ran for a second term.
Raul Ayala won the Republican primary, but declined the nomination. The Montgomery County Republican Central Committee consequently nominated Anita Cox to run against Kramer in the general election.
Republican primary
General election
District 20
The new 20th district includes Silver Spring, White Oak, and Takoma Park. First-term Democratic incumbent William C. Smith Jr., who was elected in 2018 with 90.8% of the vote, ran for a second term.
Democratic primary
General election
District 21