politics and government

If you were an outsider looking at voting results from the last five federal elections, you'd probably conclude that we are a fickle nation, unsure of what we want. And, with all the super-partisanship in Washington you'd think the country was almost completely dysfunctional. Well, we might be unhappy with Congress and disappointed in Obama, but we know what we want. I made a list of 10 things, for starters. It wasn't that hard.

Tough climate, GOP power surge add to challenges in enrolling consumers in health insurance

Although residents of Washington voted overwhelmingly in favor of legalizing marijuana this week — a move that could put penalty-free pot within an hour's drive of Baltimore — the ballot initiative faces an uncertain future.

Dems lost because they ran against their core principles

Republicans scored many victories in Tuesday's election – including winning the race for governor – but Democrat Kevin Kamenetz easily won re-election as Baltimore County executive.

Republican Dan Bongino conceded in Maryland's westernmost House district on Friday, handing incumbent Democratic Rep. John Delaney a victory in the unexpectedly close contest.

Anthony Brown carried solidly Democratic Baltimore over Republican Larry Hogan, but with 18,000 fewer votes than Kathleen Kennedy Townsend received in 2002 after her woeful campaign.

Advocates for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community in Maryland say they see Tuesday's elections as a mixed bag -- some good, some bad and some ugly.

Raising the minimum wage proved to be a winner at the ballot box so why not make it part of the GOP Congressional agenda?

Robert Ehrlich offers a suggestion for what President Obama should have said after another midterm shellacking.

Fitz has been calling Olivia every night, trying to figure out just what "hope" means when it comes to their relationship.

Given the widespread coverage Peroutka's candidacy commanded, much of which reported not only his white-supremacist ties, but his long history of antipathy to the Republican Party, one can only imagine his victory on Tuesday over young Democrat Patrick Armstrong, who lost with 13,638 votes, was a case of many voters making their choices out of blind, uninformed partisanship.

Aside from trying unsuccessfully to repeal the ACA again, what are Republicans going to do now?

Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown's loss to Larry Hogan for Maryland governor has put the spotlight on Brown's boss -- current Democratic governor Martin O'Malley and his presidential aspirations.

Hogan's win shows the political winds are changing in Md.

Larry Hogan's win over Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown for Maryland governor was considered a surprise by many, part of a Republican sweep across the country during the midterm election.

Harford County Sheriff-elect Jeff Gahler plans to not only conduct a "bottom-to-the-top" assessment of the Harford County Sheriff's Office when he takes office Dec. 1, but also work with allies on the state level to repeal strict gun control legislation passed by the Maryland General Assembly and signed by Gov. Martin O'Malley in 2013.

After his historic midterm defeat, President Clinton had to insist he was relevant. What about Obama?

Barry Glassman, Steve Schuh and Alan Kittelman won elections for county executive roles Tuesday.

WASHINGTON — Anthony G. Brown's loss in Maryland's gubernatorial election was an unexpected setback for the party — but it also represented a problem for the party's patriarch, Gov. Martin O'Malley, as he eyes a campaign for president in 2016.

Rep. John Delaney, whose race for Maryland's westernmost House seat was among the closest in the nation, declared victory Wednesday, though his Republican challenger was not ready to concede.

Larry Hogan won his race for governor not just because Marylanders of both parties turned out to support his call for lower taxes and smaller government, but because tens of thousands of Democrats in key jurisdictions stayed home.

State Sen. Allan Kittleman said Wednesday that he has chosen Michael Davis, a senior partner at the law firm Davis, Agnor, Rapaport and Skalny, to lead his transition team. Kittleman said Davis has been a friend "for many, many, many years."

Republican Kittleman's win over Watson for Howard County executive follows state, national voting trend

GOP's Mooney makes comeback in West Virginia

In the most contentious race, the District 1 seat vacated by county executive candidate Courtney Watson, Democrat Jon Weinstein emerged victorious receiving 51.1 percent of the vote, 10,075 votes, while Republican Kevin Forrest Schmidt received 48.8 percent, or 9,631 votes.

And in the newly created House District 9B, where the race had been labeled a dead heat by both sides, former Republican delegate Bob Flanagan defeated attorney, blogger and former CA board member Tom Coale, the Democratic candidate.

Republican Allan Kittleman defeats Democrat Courtney Watson in a down-to-the-wire race for Howard County executive

Does Larry Hogan's victory presage the dawn of a Red Maryland? Don't bet on it.

Capitalizing on a GOP surge nationally, Maryland Republicans picked up several seats in the General Assembly where they have been the minority party for years.

Having won control of Congress, the GOP must now put forward a clear program to create jobs and govern reasonably, lest it give Democrats the upper hand for the 2016 presidential election.

Baltimore City voters¿ participation in yesterday¿s election that ushered Republican Larry Hogan in as the next governor of Maryland was pretty high, at about 35 percent, and a bit more than 22 percent of the city¿s votes went to Hogan, which is impressive in a city where only about eight percent of voters register as Republicans. With only 62 percent of the vote in Montgomery County and 75 percent in Baltimore City, Democrat Anthony Brown¿s 84-percent showing in his native Prince George¿s County couldn¿t help him.

Republican Barry Glassman took a quick and commanding lead in his bid to become Harford County's next county executive as early general election returns began to trickle in Tuesday. By 9:30 p.m., he declared victory.

A friend of Dan Rodricks says he's 'Never been so ambivalent about an election'

There is more media than ever covering American political life. And with each major election, the coverage seems to get worse ¿ or, at least, more confused and misguided.

Laurel voters had few contested local races in Tuesday's general election, but joined voters across the state in deciding the next governor. The 2014 midterms didn't draw the same volume of voters as a presidential election, but residents showed up to polling stations in a steady, but slow, stream throughout the day.

Two Democrats chosen by county voters

Republicans and some Democrats were united by a common theme: the need for change in Annapolis.

Maryland's new governor is Republican Larry Hogan, after his upset of Democratic Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown

Buoyed by favorable districts and the power of incumbency, most Maryland's heavily Democratic congressional delegation was expected to cruise to reelection on Tuesday despite a strong national current that favored the GOP.