Jeff Gahler won the Republican nomination for Harford County Sheriff and will face incumbent Democrat Jesse Bane in November’s general election, claiming a margin of just three-tenths of a percent over rival Steven Bodway.
Gahler’s lead Bodway was reduced to a mere 64 votes after 508 final ballots, including 242 provisional and 266 absentee ballots, were counted at the Elections Office on Thursday. Gahler finished with 7,265 votes to Bodway’s 7,201. The results are not yet official until certified by the State Board of Elections.
The margin of victory in the District 34A delegation Democratic race was even closer, as Marla Posey-Moss edged out incumbent Del. Dan Riley by 53 votes in the unofficial final count. Posey-Moss garnered 2,604 votes to Riley’s 2,551.
The complete, but unofficial, primary election results are below:
General Election Ballot Set
County Executive
Incumbent Republican David Craig (Havre de Grace), who faced tough Democratic opposition when first elected four years ago, has no Democratic challenger in his bid for re-election this year. Standing in his path, however, is Constitution Party candidate Mark Fisher (Bel Air).
County Council
Most of the Harford County Council races were sewed up in the Primary Election, if not earlier.
Council President Billy Boniface (Darlington), District B (Fallston/Abingdon) Councilman Joe Woods (Fallston), District D (North Harford) Councilman Chad R. Shrodes (White Hall), and District E (Aberdeen/Churchville) Councilman Richard C. Slutzky (Aberdeen), all Republican incumbents, are unopposed. For them, 4/7 of the county council, the General Election is a mere formality.
In District A (Edgewood/Joppa), incumbent Democratic Councilman Dion F. Guthrie (Joppatowne) faces Republican Yvonne Baldwin (Joppa).
In District C (Bel Air), incumbent Republican Councilman James V. “Jim” McMahan (Bel Air) faces Democrat Jack T. Feldman (Bel Air).
In District F (Havre de Grace/Perryman), incumbent Democrat Mary Ann Lisanti (Havre de Grace) faces Republican former delegate Sheryl David Kohl (Abingdon).
County Races
Incumbent Sheriff Bane (Fallston) will face Republican Gahler (Bel Air) in the race for Harford County’s top law enforcement official.
Democrat Tom Hopkins (Bel Air) will face Republican Derek K. Hopkins (Pylesville) in the race to replace outgoing Register of Wills Harry Hopkins. None of the Hopkinses are related.
Republican incumbent State’s Attorney Joseph I. Cassilly (Bel Air) and Clerk of the Circuit Court James Reilly (Whiteford) are both unopposed and will be re-elected without any challenge.
State Senate
In the District 7 (eastern Baltimore, western Harford) state senate race, Republican Del. J.B. Jennings (Joppa) will face Democrat Rebecca Weir Nelson (Abingdon).
In a rematch of their 2002 race, Republican incumbent Sen. Nancy Jacobs (Abingdon) will face Democratic former state senator Art Helton (Joppa) for the District 34 (Route 40 corridor and western Cecil) seat. In 2002, Jacobs defeated Helton by nearly 3,000 votes – 57 percent to 43 percent.
As long as he receives at least one vote in November, the unopposed incumbent Republican Sen. Barry Glassman will return to office representing District 35 (North Harford).
Delegation
In the District 7 delegation race, in which three delegates will be elected, the incumbent Republican duo of Dels. Rick Impallaria (Joppa) and Pat McDonough (Baltimore) look to defend their seats, but with the departure of Jennings, who is seeking the District 7 senate seat, at least one new face will join the delegation. Republican Kathy Szeliga (Perry Hall) and Democrats Jeff Beard (Middle River), James Ward Morrow (Essex), and Kristina A. Sargent (Abingdon) join the incumbents in vying for the three seats.
Two delegation seats are up for grabs in District 34A (Route 40 corridor and western Cecil), where incumbent Democratic Del. Mary-Dulany James (Havre de Grace) is running for re-election. Riley’s re-election bid was cut short when he suffered a surprising loss to Posey-Moss (Aberdeen) in the Democratic Primary Election. Republicans Glen Glass (Aberdeen) and Patrick McGrady (Aberdeen) are also in the hunt for the two District 34 seats.
District 35A (North Harford) Republican incumbents Dels. Wayne Norman (Bel Air) and Donna Stifler (Forest Hill) are hoping to hold off a pair of Democratic challengers, Joseph J. Gutierrez (Jarrettsville) and John W. Jones (Bel Air), in their bids for re-election to the two seats in the district.
Incumbent Republican Del. Susan K. McComas (Bel Air) and Democrat John Janowich (Bel Air), neither of which had any Primary Election opposition, will face off in the General Election for the District 35B (Bel Air) delegation seat.
Board of Education
In the District A (Edgewood/Joppa) race, Bob Frisch (Joppa) faces Jansen M. Robinson (Edgewood).
In District B (Fallston/Abingdon), Cassandra R. Beverley (Bel Air) faces Ron Eaton (Fallston).
In District D (North Harford), Rick Grambo (Pylesville) faces Lorrie A. Warfield (Pylesville).
The full 2010 Harford County Gubernatorial Election Match-ups can be found in the chart below:
How in the HELL did Posey-Moss edge out Dan Riley? Unreal. If only he had knocked on a few more doors. 53 votes?!?
I really have to agree that it had to come down to the black turnout that Rovall Washington and she were pushing. The sad thing is that Dan Riley is a better friend to the African American community than Mary Dulaney James was.
Riley never campaigned!
And James did? The only point I was trying to make is that there was much higher African American turnout and for a Progressive African American that supported Marla Posey Moss, Dan Riley would have been a better person than Mary Dulany James.
James is an untouchable right now! she didn’t need to campaign then and in reality she doesn’t need to campaign for the general she will win and win until she decides to run for Senate..and then win if Jacobs is not running against her…
It seems mighty clear that having a very simple name is a huge help when it comes to local politics… Mary Dulaney James (a one syllable last name) has an advantage simply because of that! Combine that with her father’s history and you have a nearly unbeatable candidate, campaigning or not.