The 2014 Maryland gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 2014, to elect the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Maryland. Incumbent Democratic Governor Martin O'Malley was term-limited and could not run for re-election to a third consecutive term.
Gubernatorial candidates pick their running mates, with the two then running together on the same ticket. Primary elections were held on June 24, 2014. The Democrats nominated incumbent Lieutenant Governor Anthony G. Brown and Howard County Executive Kenneth Ulman, while the Republicans nominated former State Secretary of Appointments Larry Hogan and former State Secretary of General Services and former Assistant U.S. Secretary of Agriculture for Administration Boyd Rutherford.
Brown predicted that winning the general election would be just "a little bit of a molehill", but he lost to Hogan by a margin of 65,510 votes in the heavily Democratic state. The Washington Post called the result "a stunning upset" and Republican Governors Association Chairman Chris Christie called it "the biggest upset in the entire country."
Only one Republican had been elected Governor of Maryland in the last forty-eight years: Bob Ehrlich, in 2002. He was defeated for re-election in 2006 by Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley and lost a re-match with O'Malley in 2010.
Anthony G. Brown, Lieutenant Governor of Maryland
Running mate: Kenneth Ulman, Howard County Executive
Doug Gansler, Attorney General of Maryland
Running mate: Jolene Ivey, State Delegate
Ralph Jaffe, teacher and perennial candidate
Running mate: Freda Jaffe, sister of Ralph Jaffe
Heather Mizeur, State Delegate
Running mate: Delman Coates, Senior Pastor of the Mt. Ennon Baptist Church
Charles U. Smith, perennial candidate
Running mate: Clarence Tucker
Cindy Walsh, blogger
Running mate: Mary Elizabeth Wingate-Pennacchia
John Delaney, U.S. Representative (ran for re-election)
Peter Franchot, Comptroller of Maryland (ran for re-election)
Dutch Ruppersberger, U.S. Representative (ran for re-election)
Kenneth Ulman, Howard County Executive (ran for Lieutenant Governor on Anthony Brown's ticket)
** Internal poll for the Larry Hogan campaign
* Internal poll for the Anthony G. Brown campaign
^ Internal poll for the Peter Franchot campaign
David R. Craig, Harford County Executive
Running mate: Jeannie Haddaway, State Delegate
Ron George, State Delegate
Running mate: Shelley Aloi, banking analyst and former Frederick Alderman
Larry Hogan, former State Secretary of Appointments
Running mate: Boyd Rutherford, former State Secretary of General Services and former Assistant U.S. Secretary of Agriculture for Administration
Charles Lollar, former Chairman of the Charles County Republican Central Committee and nominee for Maryland's 5th congressional district in 2010
Running mate: Kenneth R. Timmerman, investigative reporter, conservative activist and nominee for Maryland's 8th congressional district in 2012
Brian Vaeth, businessman, retired firefighter and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2012
Running mate: Duane "Shorty" Davis, activist
Blaine Young, President of the Frederick County Board of Commissioners
Dan Bongino, former United States Secret Service agent and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2012 (ran for Congress)
Nancy Jacobs, State Senator
John R. Leopold, former Anne Arundel County Executive
Marty Madden, former State Senator
Meyer Marks, political activist
E. J. Pipkin, Minority Leader of the Maryland Senate and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2004
Michael Steele, former Lieutenant Governor, nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2006 and former Chairman of the Republican National Committee
Candidates
Larry Hogan (Republican Party), former State Secretary of Appointments
Running mate: Boyd Rutherford, former State Secretary of General Services and former Assistant U.S. Secretary of Agriculture for Administration
Anthony G. Brown (Democratic Party), Lieutenant Governor of Maryland
Running mate: Kenneth Ulman, Howard County Executive
Shawn Quinn (Libertarian Party), candidate for the House of Delegates in 2010
Running mate: Lorenzo Gaztanaga, perennial candidate
Hogan heavily criticized Brown for his handling of Maryland's health care exchange as a part of the Affordable Care Act, labeling him as "the most incompetent man in Maryland." The Maryland Health Benefit Exchange enrolled less than 4,000 people.
Hogan avoided social issues by promising not to touch the state's abortion or gun control laws. Campaign ads were a significant part of the first debate, culminating in Hogan's call for Brown to "apologize to the women of Maryland for trying to scare them."
Brown pledged no new taxes, no increased taxes, and a look at state spending if elected. Hogan responded by citing Brown/O'Malley's same claim in the 2010 election and how that claim was followed by "40 consecutive tax hikes." Brown said there have been times he's disagreed with O'Malley, like on mortgage reduction. "Brown did not stay to take questions from reporters" and both candidates accused the other of not telling the truth.
Three debates were scheduled and occurred during the Maryland Governor's Race.
Tuesday Oct 7, 2014: aired 7pm–8pm broadcast on MPT and WJZ CBS 13; replay recap
Tuesday Oct 14, 2014: aired 7pm–8pm broadcast on MPT and WBFF Fox 45;
Saturday Oct 18, 2014: aired 7pm–8pm broadcast on MPT and WBAL NBC 11 replay recap
* Internal poll for the Larry Hogan campaign
