Van Hollen, Delaney, Raskin Win In Md.

Schaefer, Kerr, Bunitsky win Frederick County School Board Race.

Fredeick, Md (KM)  Democratic Representative Chris Van Hollen has won election to the US Senate. He took 61-percent of the vote, defeating Republican Delegate Kathy Szeliga who won 36-percent of the vote. Van Hollen succeeds Senator Barbara Mikulski whose retiring.

“If you look at change in America, it always comes from the grassroots up, ” Van Hollen said to his supporters. “All major social and political movements have been driven by the people in this room, and the people who went before you. People who worked to build a more perfect union. People who worked to move and bend the arc toward justice.”

He said he wants to make sure every child in every neighborhood has a good education, and that we protect the Chesapeake Bay, and address climate change.

In other races, Democratic 6th District Congressman John Delaney won a third term in office, beating back a challenge from Republican Amie Hober. He won 55% of the vote, while Hober took in 41%.

“Our campaign was simple,” Delaney said to his supporters on Tuesday night. “We have to put our country first, leave the divisive rhetoric behind and work together to bring good jobs, expand opportunity, and leave a better world for the next generation.”

He also commended  his opponent for her hard work, noting that caring enough to run for office is “never an easy decision.”

In the 8th Congressional District, Democratic State Senator Jamie Raskin was elected to the post. He defeated Republican Dan Cox of Emmitsburg 59% to 36%. “It was a long race. I’ve been campaigning for months now. So it’s a little surreal believing it’s finally coming to an end,” he said.

“I have fallen in love with our entire Congressional District from Carroll County to Frederick all the way through to Montgomery to Rockville and Bethesda all the way down to Silver Spring. It’s an amazing place with amazing people,” he said.

Raskin says one of his goals in Congress will be to pass legislation to fix the nation’s aging  infrastructure, such as highways, ports and railways.

Even though he won in the 8th District, he didn’t carry Frederick County. But he hopes he can reach out to those citizens who didn’t vote for him . “I’ve spent a lot of time in Frederick. It’s a beautiful place to campaign. It just has infinite charm,” Raskin says.

In the Board of Education race, incumbent Joy Schaefer receive 61,838 votes, the highest number among all four candidates. Newcomer  Kenneth Kerr came in second with 57,652 votes, and Mike Bunitsky received 56,053, coming in third. They will be sworn into office in December. Cindy Rose came in fourth with 47,313 votes.

By Kevin McManus