2006 Maryland county executive elections


The election to choose county executives in Maryland occurred on Tuesday, November 7, 2006. The U.S. House election, 2006, U.S. Senate election, 2006, Maryland gubernatorial election, 2006, and Maryland General Assembly Election, 2006 took place on the same day. Seven charter counties elected a county executive: Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Prince George's County, and Wicomico County. This race coincided with the election for Maryland County Offices Election, 2006.

Anne Arundel County

The 2006 race was highly competitive, with the county continuing as a new partisan battleground.
The Democratic primary to replace outgoing County Exec. Janet S. Owens was won by 12-year County Sheriff George F. Johnson, IV, who defeated County Recreation & Parks Director Dennis Callahan. Johnson garnered the vast majority of the Democratic Party endorsements, including the Police Department and Fire Department Unions. On March 1, 2006, potential Democratic candidate Barbara Samorajczyk announced that she was joining Johnson's campaign for County Executive as his environmental advisor.
Delegate John Leopold won the Republican nomination with 36% of the vote, defeating Phil Bissett, Delegate David Boschert, Tom Angelis, and Gregory V. Nourse.

Candidates

Democrats

Campaign websites

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Baltimore County

County Executive Jim Smith won election in 2002, and Republicans sought a strong candidate to take on this moderate executive in Governor Ehrlich's home county.

Candidates

Democrats

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The complexion of this race changed when term-limited incumbent County Executive James M. Harkins announced his resignation effective July 1, 2005, in order to take a job in the Ehrlich Administration. John O'Neil, Jr., Harford County Administrator under Jim Harkins served as interim County Executive until a successor took office. David R. Craig was chosen by the County Council as Harkins' successor on July 5 and took office on July 7.

Candidates

Republicans

Outgoing County Exec. James N. Robey could not run for re-election due to term limits.

Candidates

Republicans

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This race was open after incumbent Doug Duncan stepped down, yet the Democrats expected to hold the seat due to their overwhelming numerical advantage. Former County Councilman "Ike" Leggett won the Democratic nomination with 61% of the vote in the September 12 primary.

Candidates on November ballot

Democrat

Democrats

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County Executive Jack B. Johnson narrowly won the Democratic nomination against Rushern L. Baker, III, a vocal critic of Johnson's administration. Johnson was unopposed in the general election. The race broke the record for amount of money ever spent in a primary in the county, with both Baker and Johnson raising and spending over $1 million each.

Declared candidates

Democrats

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In 2004, Wicomico County voters approved a charter amendment establishing an elected county executive, beginning in 2006.

Declared candidates

Democrats

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