Howard County Democrats celebrated quietly last night - cheering their maintaining control of the County Council - but were distressed over Kathleen Kennedy Townsend's loss in the governor's race.
Democratic County Executive James N. Robey claimed a widely anticipated victory, and three Democrats were elected to the council, keeping the party's hold on the majority.
"There's no question we're going to retain control [of the County Council]," said incumbent Guy J. Guzzone, a Democrat, who beat Republican Diane B. Wilson.
But the results of the race between Democrat Kathleen Kennedy Townsend and Republican Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. brought the reality of a Republican in the Maryland governor's seat for the first time in more than three decades.
Del. Shane Pendergrass, who won her race in District 13, said she knew the gubernatorial race would be close after talking to some apparent Democrats who were still undecided Sunday at the Wilde Lake Village Center in Columbia.
"I don't understand how people who are probably Democrats in the most liberal part of Howard County don't know who they're voting for," she said.
At the Ten Oaks Ballroom in Clarksville - decorated with red, white and blue balloons - Republicans gathered around cheese plates and vegetable platters while watching the results on television. Ehrlich's win soothed the disappointment of some who had been hoping for more local victories.
As Wayne Young, a party volunteer, lit a victory cigar, he said: "I was hoping we'd do better, but [Ehrlich's victory] takes the sting out of it."
Republican county executive candidate Steven H. Adler conceded early in the evening, congratulating Republican candidates on running "great races."
At a Democratic gathering in the Veterans of Foreign Wars hall in Ellicott City, party workers were keeping track of the precinct-by-precinct vote with huge tally sheets showing cumulative totals for Robey and "Other Guy."
Robey arrived at the party about 8:45 p.m., sparking waves of cheers and applause. The crowd continued to build after his arrival, and the cheering grew with his reported margin.
The Democrats celebrated a few miles away at the main county Democratic Party site, Kahler Hall in Columbia's Harper's Choice village, crowding around televisions to watch the results.
Kenneth S. Ulman - who narrowly won the District 4 Democratic County Council primary against Mary Kay Sigaty - received hugs from supporters for his win in the pivotal race against Republican Joan C. Lancos.
"We won big," said Ulman, who ran over to his baby daughter, Madeline, and scooped her up in the air as soon as she entered the hall with his wife, Jaki. "I was telling people all day we would win by 2,500 votes."
"I really believed my years of experience would be enough to overcome the nasty 'R' after my name," Lancos said.
In the only other council race where an incumbent was not seeking re-election, Democrat David Rakes beat Republican Brian Harlin to replace Democrat C. Vernon Gray, who lost his bid for a state Senate seat.