Primary Roundup (DC/MD edition)

SEPTEMBER 12 WAS a big day for a number of local politicians in DC and Maryland. Here's a quick look at the winners in the key races. To compare the results with my predictions on this site, read my post from last Monday.

District of Columbia Mayor: Adrian Fenty (photo right)
Maryland US Senate: Ben Cardin
Maryland House (8th District): Chris Van Hollen
Maryland House (4th District): Al Wynn
Maryland Governor: Martin O'Malley
Maryland Comptroller: Peter Franchot
Maryland Attorney General: Doug Gansler
Maryland State Senate (20th District): Jamie Raskin
Maryland House (20th District): Sheila Hixon, Tom Hucker, Heather Mizeur
Montgomery County Executive: Ike Leggett
Montgomery County Council (5th District): Valerie Ervin

While all the races will have an impact on local (and perhaps national) races, the stories that are of most interest seem to be the following:

• Adrian Fenty will be DC's youngest mayor. He's 35! Good luck Mr. Fenty. [read WaPo story].
• the end of an era for William Donald Schaefer, the former Baltimore mayor and Maryland governor lost for the first time in 51 years. [read WaPo story].
• DC suburbs showing some muscle in state-wide races. For the first time since 1919, a Montgomery County candidate has won a state-wide election. And this year two candidates did it: Doug Gansler (Rockville) for Attorney General and Peter Franchot (Takoma Park) for Comptroller. [read WaPo story]
• And Marc Fisher argues that voters shattered stereotypes and voted for candidates based on...gasp...qualifications and ability. An excerpt:

In one contest after another, blacks and whites alike convincingly trashed politicians' cynical belief that voters can be counted on to cast ballots along racial lines. In majority-black Washington, the exceedingly white at-large council member Phil Mendelson trounced vigorous opponent Scott Bolden, who told me on several occasions that it was time for blacks to take back a majority on the D.C. Council. Mendelson -- a charisma-free campaigner who makes Mayor Williams seem like Denzel Washington -- won in every ward of the city, and he won big, mainly because people of every stripe saw through Bolden's divisive rhetoric and arrogant manner.

On to the generals in November!