Baltimore mayoral election, 2007
Encyclopedia
The 2007 Baltimore
mayoral election was held on November 6, 2007. Because Baltimore's electorate is overwhelmingly Democratic
, Sheila Dixon
's victory in the Democratic primary
on September 11 all but assured her of victory in the general election, and she defeated Republican candidate Elbert Henderson in the general election by an overwhelming majority. Dixon, who as president of the Baltimore City Council became mayor in January 2007 when Martin O'Malley
resigned to become Governor of Maryland
, was the first woman to be elected to the office.
, the winner of the previous mayoral election, was elected governor of Maryland
in 2006. Therefore, city council president Sheila Dixon
became mayor for the final year of what had been O'Malley's term, and subsequently ran for reelection to a full term. Other candidates for the Democratic nomination included city councilman Keiffer J. Mitchell, Jr.
; Andrey Bundley, a former school administrator who was O'Malley's only major opponent for the Democratic nomination in 2003; Frank M. Conaway, Sr., the only person, other than Dixon, in the race to have won a city-wide election, who withdrew before the primary, Maryland state delegate
Jill P. Carter
; and perennial Baltimore-area candidate and social activist A. Robert Kaufman. Elbert Henderson was the sole candidate for the Republican
nomination; he was the Republican nominee in the previous election, losing by a wide margin to O'Malley. Kweisi Mfume
, former Congressman and president of the NAACP, was at one point rumored to be considering a run, but ultimately chose not to join the race. The Green Party
did not nominate a mayoral candidate .
Dixon had the advantage of incumbency, but Mitchell, who was seen as the mayor's most prominent opponent, hoped to overcome that advantage with a grassroots campaign . The beginning of Dixon's term and campaign was dogged by an ethics investigation, although the city's Board of Ethics ultimately found no reason to prosecute her. An upsurge of violent crime in Baltimore during the first half of 2007 had an impact on early campaigning. Dixon launched a number of anti-crime initiatives, focusing on illegal guns. Mitchell's initial campaign moves focused on crime; Carter, criticizing Dixon's administration for what she called overzealous policing, promised a total revamp of the police department, stating that "if we had leadership in this city, we would have already changed police commissioners." The Baltimore police commissioner later resigned his post on July 19, in an act that some observers felt would affect the course of the race.
and the Greater Baltimore Committee.
Elbert Henderson ran unopposed in the Republican primary.
(elected from single-member districts) and the City Council President and City Comptroller (both elected citywide). Incumbent comptroller Joan Pratt ran unopposed in both the Democratic primary and the general election, and none of the twelve council members seeking re-election faced serious competition in either election; one ran unopposed in the primary and seven ran unopposed in the general election. All fourteen council members returned in the general election were Democrats, as has been the case in every election since 1939.
The race for the Democratic nomination for City Council President was perhaps the closest of the election cycle. The two major candidates were incumbent Stephanie Rawlings Blake
, a former council member who had been appointed to fill the position with Dixon became mayor, and Michael Sarbanes, a community activist and the son of former United States Senator Paul Sarbanes
and brother of U.S. Congressman John Sarbanes
. A July poll had the two virtually tied, with 27 percent of respondents favoring Sarbanes and 26 percent favoring Rawlings Blake, with Councilman Kenneth N. Harris, Sr.
a distant third at 8 percent. Rawlings Blake subsequently overtook Sarbanes, however, and won the primary election with 49 percent of the vote to Sarbanes' 38 percent. In the general election, the incumbent handily defeated her only opponent, Green candidate Maria Allwine, garnering 82 percent of the vote.
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
mayoral election was held on November 6, 2007. Because Baltimore's electorate is overwhelmingly Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, Sheila Dixon
Sheila Dixon
Sheila Ann Dixon served as the forty-eighth Mayor of Baltimore, Maryland. When former Mayor Martin O'Malley was sworn in as Governor on January 17, 2007, Dixon, a Democrat, became mayor and served out the remaining year of O'Malley's term. In November 2007, she was elected mayor...
's victory in the Democratic primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
on September 11 all but assured her of victory in the general election, and she defeated Republican candidate Elbert Henderson in the general election by an overwhelming majority. Dixon, who as president of the Baltimore City Council became mayor in January 2007 when Martin O'Malley
Martin O'Malley
Martin Joseph O'Malley is an American Democratic politician who is currently serving as the 61st Governor of Maryland. Previously, he served as the mayor of Baltimore from 1999 to 2007. He is currently the chairman of the Democratic Governors Association.-Early life, education and career:O'Malley...
resigned to become Governor of Maryland
Governor of Maryland
The Governor of Maryland heads the executive branch of the government of Maryland, and he is the commander-in-chief of the state's National Guard units. The Governor is the highest-ranking official in the state, and he has a broad range of appointive powers in both the State and local governments,...
, was the first woman to be elected to the office.
Background and candidates
Martin O'MalleyMartin O'Malley
Martin Joseph O'Malley is an American Democratic politician who is currently serving as the 61st Governor of Maryland. Previously, he served as the mayor of Baltimore from 1999 to 2007. He is currently the chairman of the Democratic Governors Association.-Early life, education and career:O'Malley...
, the winner of the previous mayoral election, was elected governor of Maryland
Maryland gubernatorial election, 2006
The Maryland gubernatorial election of 2006 was held on November 7, 2006. It was a race for the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Maryland. The winning candidates -- Martin O'Malley and Anthony G. Brown, who defeated the incumbent Gov...
in 2006. Therefore, city council president Sheila Dixon
Sheila Dixon
Sheila Ann Dixon served as the forty-eighth Mayor of Baltimore, Maryland. When former Mayor Martin O'Malley was sworn in as Governor on January 17, 2007, Dixon, a Democrat, became mayor and served out the remaining year of O'Malley's term. In November 2007, she was elected mayor...
became mayor for the final year of what had been O'Malley's term, and subsequently ran for reelection to a full term. Other candidates for the Democratic nomination included city councilman Keiffer J. Mitchell, Jr.
Keiffer J. Mitchell, Jr.
Keiffer Jackson Mitchell, Jr. is an American politician from Baltimore, Maryland who serves in the Maryland House of Delegates. He was a member of the Baltimore City Council and a candidate in the 2007 mayoral election.-Background:...
; Andrey Bundley, a former school administrator who was O'Malley's only major opponent for the Democratic nomination in 2003; Frank M. Conaway, Sr., the only person, other than Dixon, in the race to have won a city-wide election, who withdrew before the primary, Maryland state delegate
Maryland House of Delegates
The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland, and is composed of 141 Delegates elected from 47 districts. The House chamber is located in the state capitol building on State Circle in Annapolis...
Jill P. Carter
Jill P. Carter
Jill P. Carter is an American politician who represents Maryland's 41st legislative district of Baltimore City in the Maryland House of Delegates. She was elected to the Maryland legislature after defeating four incumbents in the Democratic primary that September...
; and perennial Baltimore-area candidate and social activist A. Robert Kaufman. Elbert Henderson was the sole candidate for the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nomination; he was the Republican nominee in the previous election, losing by a wide margin to O'Malley. Kweisi Mfume
Kweisi Mfume
Kweisi Mfume is the former President/CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People , as well as a five-term Democratic Congressman from Maryland's 7th congressional district, serving in the 100th through 104th Congress...
, former Congressman and president of the NAACP, was at one point rumored to be considering a run, but ultimately chose not to join the race. The Green Party
Green Party (United States)
The Green Party of the United States is a nationally recognized political party which officially formed in 1991. It is a voluntary association of state green parties. Prior to national formation, many state affiliates had already formed and were recognized by other state parties...
did not nominate a mayoral candidate .
Dixon had the advantage of incumbency, but Mitchell, who was seen as the mayor's most prominent opponent, hoped to overcome that advantage with a grassroots campaign . The beginning of Dixon's term and campaign was dogged by an ethics investigation, although the city's Board of Ethics ultimately found no reason to prosecute her. An upsurge of violent crime in Baltimore during the first half of 2007 had an impact on early campaigning. Dixon launched a number of anti-crime initiatives, focusing on illegal guns. Mitchell's initial campaign moves focused on crime; Carter, criticizing Dixon's administration for what she called overzealous policing, promised a total revamp of the police department, stating that "if we had leadership in this city, we would have already changed police commissioners." The Baltimore police commissioner later resigned his post on July 19, in an act that some observers felt would affect the course of the race.
July 2007
With less than two months remaining before the Democratic primary, Carter officially announced her candidacy, and poll of likely Democratic voters commissioned by the Baltimore Sun showed Mayor Dixon holding a comfortable lead over her nearest challenger. The poll, released on July 16, 2007, had Dixon leading Councilman Mitchell with 47 percent of the likely primary voters to Mitchell's 15 percent. The rest of the field was in single digits, below the poll's margin of error, with 28 percent undecided. Although candidates would not be required to release fundraising numbers until August, Dixon was reported to have sizeable lead in this area as well.August 2007
With little more than a month left until the primary election, Dixon further distanced herself from her primary opponents. On August 3, 2007, Mitchell's father resigned as treasurer of his son's mayoral campaign after it was discovered that he spent more than $40,000 in campaign funds for personal expenses. Despite this incident, Mitchell said that his campaign remained focused on the problems facing Baltimore City. Meanwhile, Carter focused her campaign on the impending 50% BGE rate hike calling for re-regulation, reforming public education, and effective policing, and restoring integrity to City Hall while continuing her attack on Dixon by charging her with not showing at local political forums and for sending city employees in her stead. At a press conference outside City Hall, Carter and a campaign worker dressed in a yellow chicken suit handed out copies of a letter she sent to the State Ethics commission complaining about the practice.Televised debate
On Monday night, August 27, 2007, all eight democratic candidates for Mayor appeared in a debate televised by Maryland Public Television and WBAL-TV. During his introduction, candidate Conaway announced that he was withdrawing from the race and throwing "his money and support" behind candidate Mitchell. The debate lasted fifty-five minutes with each candidate giving an opening and closing statement and answering questions posed by reporters in between. The debate was sponsored by the League of Women VotersLeague of Women Voters
The League of Women Voters is an American political organization founded in 1920 by Carrie Chapman Catt during the last meeting of the National American Woman Suffrage Association approximately six months before the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution gave women the right to vote...
and the Greater Baltimore Committee.
Fundraising
Baltimore's WJZ-TV reported that the Dixon campaign said that as of August 30, it had more than $480,000 left to spend in the final two weeks before the September 11th Democratic primary. Carter's campaign reported having just over $8,000 on hand , and Bundley's campaign reported having $15,000 left as of the mid August 2007 campaign reporting date. Mitchell had just over $115,000 in cash on hand as of August 26.September 2007
Just over a week before election day, a September 2 Baltimore Sun poll had Dixon maintaining her strong lead. According to the Sun, "Dixon leads City Councilman Keiffer J. Mitchell Jr. by 46 percent to 19 percent - a 27 percentage-point spread - according to the poll conducted by OpinionWorks, an independent Annapolis-based firm." According to a number of experts, the race never really became competitive. Lenneal J. Henderson, a professor at the University of Baltimore's School of Public Affairs, said, "I think it is over. It would take a huge misstep on the part of Sheila Dixon for her not to win this one." Bundley (4%) and Carter (2%) showed no improvement over the previously released July poll.Primary election: Dixon victory
On the night of the primary, less than three hours after the polls closed, Mitchell conceded defeat and Dixon claimed victory in the primary election.Primary election results
These are the final, official results for the Democratic primary, as reported on the city of Baltimore's election board Web site.| Candidate | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| Sheila Dixon | 54,381 | 63.1% |
| Keiffer J. Mitchell, Jr. | 20,376 | 23.7% |
| Andrey Bundley | 6,543 | 7.6% |
| Jill P. Carter | 2,372 | 2.8% |
| A. Robert Kaufman | 885 | 1.0% |
| Mike Schaefer | 762 | 0.9% |
| Frank Conaway | 533 | 0.6% |
| Phillip Brown | 273 | 0.3% |
Elbert Henderson ran unopposed in the Republican primary.
General election campaign
Because of the city's overwhelmingly Democratic tilt, campaigning largely ceased after the primary, with Dixon and other city-wide candidates maintaining "bare-bones" campaign staffs. On a low-turnout general election day, Dixon defeated her Republican challenger with more than 87 percent of the vote.General election results
These are the unofficial results for the general election, as reported on the city of Baltimore's election board Web site.| Candidate | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| Sheila Dixon | 34,457 | 87.7% |
| Elbert Henderson | 4,806 | 12.2% |
Other city elections
All other Baltimore city officers were also up for election simultaneously with the mayor, including the fourteen members of the Baltimore City CouncilBaltimore City Council
The Baltimore City Council is the legislative branch that governs the City of Baltimore and its nearly 700,000 citizens. Baltimore has fourteen single-member City Council districts and representatives are elected for a four-year term. To qualify for a position on the Council, a person must be...
(elected from single-member districts) and the City Council President and City Comptroller (both elected citywide). Incumbent comptroller Joan Pratt ran unopposed in both the Democratic primary and the general election, and none of the twelve council members seeking re-election faced serious competition in either election; one ran unopposed in the primary and seven ran unopposed in the general election. All fourteen council members returned in the general election were Democrats, as has been the case in every election since 1939.
The race for the Democratic nomination for City Council President was perhaps the closest of the election cycle. The two major candidates were incumbent Stephanie Rawlings Blake
Stephanie Rawlings Blake
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is an American politician and 57th Mayor of the City of Baltimore. She is Baltimore's second female mayor. Rawlings-Blake succeeded Sheila Dixon as mayor of Baltimore when Dixon resigned due to a conviction for embezzlement.-Background:Rawlings-Blake was born in Baltimore,...
, a former council member who had been appointed to fill the position with Dixon became mayor, and Michael Sarbanes, a community activist and the son of former United States Senator Paul Sarbanes
Paul Sarbanes
Paul Spyros Sarbanes , a Democrat, is a former United States Senator who represented the state of Maryland. Sarbanes was the longest-serving senator in Maryland history, having served from 1977 until 2007. He did not seek re-election in 2006, when he was succeeded by fellow Democrat Ben Cardin...
and brother of U.S. Congressman John Sarbanes
John Sarbanes
John Peter Spyros Sarbanes is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes the state capital of Annapolis, central portions of the city of Baltimore, and parts of Anne Arundel, Howard and Baltimore counties.-Early life, education...
. A July poll had the two virtually tied, with 27 percent of respondents favoring Sarbanes and 26 percent favoring Rawlings Blake, with Councilman Kenneth N. Harris, Sr.
Ken Harris (politician)
Kenneth N. Harris, Sr. a member of the Democratic Party, was a candidate for Baltimore City Council President. He served on the city council since 1999, representing Baltimore's 4th Council District, until 2007...
a distant third at 8 percent. Rawlings Blake subsequently overtook Sarbanes, however, and won the primary election with 49 percent of the vote to Sarbanes' 38 percent. In the general election, the incumbent handily defeated her only opponent, Green candidate Maria Allwine, garnering 82 percent of the vote.
Mayoral endorsements
A number of city groups offered endorsements of the various candidates over the course of the campaign:| Democratic Party Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
| Republican Party Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
| Candidate | Endorser | Date of Endorsement | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andrey Bundley | none listed yet | no endorsements listed on campaign web-site | |
| Phillip Brown | none listed yet | no campaign web-site yet | |
| Jill P. Carter | ACORN Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now was a collection of community-based organizations in the United States that advocated for low- and moderate-income families by working on neighborhood safety, voter registration, health care, affordable housing, and other social issues... |
July 31, 2007 | Community organization that spearheaded campaign for Question P Question P Question P was a 2002 local referendum issue which modified the Baltimore City Council.-Description:Question P was approved by the voters of Baltimore, Maryland, United States, in November 2002... in 2002 |
| |
Withdrew 8/27/07 | ||
| Sheila Dixon | SEIU | June 12, 2007 | national union of service workers, with local in Baltimore |
| United Auto Workers | June 20, 2007 | ||
| Laborers Baltimore Washington Council | July 12, 2007 | national union of construction laborers and public employees representing 5,000 laborers in Baltimore | |
| Md & DC State Council of Machinists | July 2, 2007 | all machinists locals in Baltimore | |
| UNITE HERE | July 12, 2007 | represents 20,000 hospitality, food service, laundry, retail and apparel workers in Baltimore and the surrounding region. | |
| Mid-Atlantic Regional Council of Carpenters | July 14, 2007 | represents 12,000 members | |
| Baltimore Retired Police Benevolent Union | July 14, 2007 | represents retired Baltimore police officers. | |
| Baltimore AFL-CIO AFL-CIO The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, commonly AFL–CIO, is a national trade union center, the largest federation of unions in the United States, made up of 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 11 million workers... |
July 19, 2007 | all AFL-CIO affiliated unions in Baltimore | |
| Peter Franchot Peter Franchot Peter V. R. Franchot assumed office as the Comptroller of Maryland in January 2007. He was formerly a member of the Maryland House of Delegates, representing the 20th legislative district in Montgomery County, Maryland from 1987 to 2007.-Education and family:Franchot was born in New Haven,... |
July 24, 2007 | Maryland state comptroller, polled well in Baltimore City | |
| Elijah Cummings Elijah Cummings Elijah Eugene Cummings is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1996. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes just over half of Baltimore City, as well as most of Howard County... |
August 12, 2007 | Maryland congressman, polled well in Baltimore City | |
| Martin O'Malley Martin O'Malley Martin Joseph O'Malley is an American Democratic politician who is currently serving as the 61st Governor of Maryland. Previously, he served as the mayor of Baltimore from 1999 to 2007. He is currently the chairman of the Democratic Governors Association.-Early life, education and career:O'Malley... |
August 13, 2007 | Maryland governor, polled well in Baltimore City | |
| Kweisi Mfume Kweisi Mfume Kweisi Mfume is the former President/CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People , as well as a five-term Democratic Congressman from Maryland's 7th congressional district, serving in the 100th through 104th Congress... |
August 13, 2007 | former Maryland congressman, former head of the NAACP | |
| Progressive Maryland | August 22, 2007 | statewide progressive organization with over 1,000 Baltimore members | |
| The Baltimore Sun | September 2, 2007 | Baltimore's major daily newspaper | |
| The Baltimore Afro-American | August 25, 2007 | published weekly | |
| |
Withdrew - 19 March 2007 http://www.elections.state.md.us/elections/baltimore/documents/2007_candidates_000.pdf | ||
| A. Robert Kaufman | none listed yet | no endorsements listed on campaign web-site | |
| Keiffer J. Mitchell, Jr. | Douglas Gansler | January, 2007 | Maryland Attorney General |
| Baltimore FOP | July 24, 2007 | organization of police officers | |
| Baltimore City Sheriff's Office Lodge | July 31, 2007 | organization of deputy sheriffs | |
| Baltimore City Firefighters Local 734 | August 9, 2007 | organization of active and retired firefighters | |
| Baltimore City Fire Officers Local 964 | August 9, 2007 | organization of active and retired fire officers | |
| Frank Conaway | August 27, 2007 | Baltimore City Clerk of the Courts, former 2007 mayoral candidate. | |
| City Paper | September 5, 2007 | Baltimore City alternative newspaper, published weekly | |
| Mike Schaefer | none listed yet | no endorsements listed on campaign web-site | |
| Elbert Henderson | none listed | no web-site yet |
External links
- City mayoral race begins to take shape, Baltimore Sun, November 9, 2006
- Mfume for … Baltimore City mayor, Baltimore Examiner, October 19, 2006
- Dixon's campaign leads in funding Baltimore Sun, November 14, 2006