Senate Judicial Proceedings Chair Brian Frosh (District 16, Montgomery) defeated his two legislator rivals to secure the democratic primary for Attorney General with 49.68% of the vote. Delegate Jon Cardin (District 11, Baltimore County) came in second with 30.28% and Delegate Aisha Braveboy (District 25, Prince George’s) was third with 20.04%.* Frosh will face unopposed Republican primary winner Jeffery Pritzker and Libertarian Leo Dymowski in the November 2 general election.
The tenor between Frosh and Cardin turned increasingly acrimonious as the primary progressed, with each launching attacks against the other’s legislative record and job performance. Braveboy largely stayed out of the in-fighting.
A June 25 Washington Post article recounted how Frosh had been trailing Cardin in polls during the last several months, but surged in the last few weeks of the campaign.
Frosh, 67, was down double digits in the polls behind Del. Jon S. Cardin (Baltimore County), a race that tightened considerably in recent weeks and turned contentious. The Bethesda lawyer and longtime lawmaker rallied late, with weighty endorsements and a broad network of supporters working to elevate his profile statewide. …
A 17-percentage point gap between Frosh and Cardin in February narrowed to just six points in June, within the seven-point margin of error, according to two Washington Post polls.
A June 25 Baltimore Sun article summarized Frosh’s and Cardin’s reaction to the primary results:
After a concession call from Cardin, Frosh addressed supporters at the quaint Women’s Club of Chevy Chase. “I will do everything I can to make sure that people in Maryland are safe in their neighborhoods, in their schools, at home, online, that people have clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, they are free from frauds and cheats and I will fight like hell for justice,” he said.
Frosh said in a later interview that former attorneys general Stephen Sachs and J. Joseph Curran Jr. “are great role models and I will consult with them. I hope to be the people’s lawyer.”
Cardin, 44, whose well-known last name had appeared to give him an advantage early in the low-profile race, stood at his election party at a Baltimore restaurant and thanked volunteers and staffers for their support.
“This is a very humbling evening and a very humbling experience,” he said. He also thanked his wife, Megan, adding, “I am thrilled that I will have plenty of time to spend with her and our new baby coming in August.”
State Board of Elections Results for All State and Local Primary Races
*Vote totals based on unofficial results from the State Board of Elections as of 7:10 AM EST on June 25, 2014
