# 2020 Maryland's 7th congressional district special election

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Ballot measures
Question P :
Government :
vte :
A special election was held on April 28, 2020, after a February 4, 2020 primary, to fill the remainder of the term in the United States House of Representatives for Maryland's 7th congressional district in the 116th U.S. Congress. Elijah Cummings, the incumbent representative, died in office on October 17, 2019.
On October 28, 2019, Governor Larry Hogan announced the dates for the special primary on February 4, 2020, and the special general election on April 28, 2020, to coincide with the primary voting for the November 2020 general election.
Due to COVID-19 concerns, Hogan announced on March 17, 2020, that the 7th district special general election would be conducted by mail-in ballot only on April 28, while the regular primary election would be postponed to June 2.
On April 13, 2020, the Maryland State Board of Elections decided that three in-person voting centers would be open for the April 28 special general election, one in each local jurisdiction; Baltimore City, Baltimore County and Howard County.

## Democratic primary
### Candidates
#### Nominee

* Kweisi Mfume, former president and CEO of NAACP and former U.S. Representative for Maryland's 7th congressional district (1987–1996)

#### Defeated in primary

* T. Dan Baker, Public Health and Community Development Professional
* Talmadge Branch, state delegate
* Alicia D. Brown
* Anthony Carter Sr., Democratic candidate for Maryland's 7th congressional district in 2018
* Jill P. Carter, state senator
* Matko Lee Chullin III
* Jay Fred Cohen, Howard County Judge of Orphans Court (2006–2010), 2014 candidate for Maryland House of Delegates, District 12
* Nathaniel M. Costley Sr., 2018 Democratic candidate for the Maryland House of Delegates, District 10
* Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, former chairwoman of the Maryland Democratic Party and widow of U.S. Representative Elijah Cummings
* Jermyn Davidson
* Darryl Gonzalez, author
* Mark Gosnell, pulmonologist
* Leslie Grant, former president of the National Dental Association
* Dan L. Hiegel, Democratic candidate for Maryland's 3rd congressional district in 1994 and 1996
* F. Michael Higginbotham, professor, University of Baltimore School of Law
* Terri Hill, state delegate
* Jay Jalisi, state delegate
* Paul V. Konka, teacher, 2018 candidate for Baltimore County school board
* Adrian Petrus, 2018 Democratic candidate for the Maryland State Senate, District 47, Democratic candidate for Maryland's 7th congressional district in 2016
* Saafir Rabb, community activist
* Charles U. Smith, Democratic candidate for Maryland's 7th congressional district in 2018
* Harry Spikes, former Cummings staffer, 2014 Democratic candidate for the Maryland House of Delegates, District 45
* Charles Stokes, Democratic candidate for Maryland's 7th congressional district in 2018

#### Withdrew

* Brian Britcher, firefighter (withdrew candidacy on 11/7/19)

#### Declined

* Vanessa Atterbeary, state delegate
* Calvin Ball III, Howard County executive
* Antonio Hayes, state senator
* Keith E. Haynes, state delegate
* Ben Jealous, former president and CEO of the NAACP and nominee for Governor of Maryland in 2018 (endorsed Jill Carter)
* Cory V. McCray, state senator
* Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, former mayor of Baltimore and former secretary of the Democratic National Committee
* Charles E. Sydnor III, state delegate

### Endorsements

Individuals
* Keith Ellison, politician and lawyer; 30th Attorney General of Minnesota
* Hasim Rahman, professional boxer, two-time world heavyweight champion
Organizations
* Demand Universal Healthcare
* Our Revolution Maryland
Publications
* The Baltimore Sun
* A Miner Detail
Individuals
* Sanjeev K. Sriram, a.k.a. "Dr. America", physician and Medicare for All activist
Organizations
* EMILY's List
Individuals
* Jennifer and Aida Cummings, daughters of late U.S. Representative Elijah Cummings

### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Kweisi Mfume | 31,415 | 43.0 |
| | Democratic | Maya Rockeymoore Cummings | 12,524 | 17.1 |
| | Democratic | Jill P. Carter | 11,708 | 16.0 |
| | Democratic | Terri Hill | 5,439 | 7.4 |
| | Democratic | F. Michael Higginbotham | 3,245 | 4.4 |
| | Democratic | Harry Spikes | 2,572 | 3.5 |
| | Democratic | Saafir Rabb | 1,327 | 1.8 |
| | Democratic | Jay Jalisi | 1,257 | 1.7 |
| | Democratic | Talmadge Branch | 810 | 1.1 |
| | Democratic | Mark Gosnell | 579 | 0.8 |
| | Democratic | T. Dan Baker | 377 | 0.5 |
| | Democratic | Charles Stokes | 297 | 0.4 |
| | Democratic | Paul V. Konka | 251 | 0.3 |
| | Democratic | Darryl Gonzalez | 245 | 0.3 |
| | Democratic | Alicia D. Brown | 180 | 0.2 |
| | Democratic | Leslie Grant | 176 | 0.2 |
| | Democratic | Anthony Carter | 155 | 0.2 |
| | Democratic | Jay Fred Cohen | 150 | 0.2 |
| | Democratic | Matko Lee Chullin | 79 | 0.1 |
| | Democratic | Charles U. Smith | 75 | 0.1 |
| | Democratic | Adrian Petrus | 60 | 0.1 |
| | Democratic | Nathaniel M. Costley Sr. | 49 | 0.1 |
| | Democratic | Jermyn Davidson | 31 | 0.0 |
| | Democratic | Dan L. Hiegel | 31 | 0.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 73,032 | 100.0 |

## Republican primary
### Candidates
#### Nominee

* Kimberly Klacik, community activist, Baltimore County Republican Committeewoman, and non-profit founder

#### Defeated in primary

* Christopher M. Anderson, activist
* James C. Arnold
* Ray Bly, Republican candidate for Maryland's 7th congressional district in 2016 and 2018, Republican candidate for Maryland's 2nd congressional district in 2012
* Brian L. Brown
* Reba A. Hawkins, community activist
* Liz Matory, nominee for Maryland's 2nd congressional district in 2018
* William T. Newton, election integrity and community activist, Republican candidate for Maryland's 7th congressional district in 2016 and 2018, and Baltimore County Republican Committeeman

### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Kimberly Klacik | 4,525 | 40.2 |
| | Republican | Liz Matory | 2,740 | 24.3 |
| | Republican | James C. Arnold | 1,401 | 12.4 |
| | Republican | Reba A. Hawkins | 913 | 8.1 |
| | Republican | Christopher M. Anderson | 852 | 7.6 |
| | Republican | William T. Newton | 414 | 3.7 |
| | Republican | Ray Bly | 236 | 2.1 |
| | Republican | Brian L. Brown | 185 | 1.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 11,266 | 100.0 |

## General election
### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| The Cook Political Report | Safe D | April 24, 2020 |
| Inside Elections | Safe D | April 23, 2020 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Safe D | April 23, 2020 |
| Politico | Safe D | April 19, 2020 |

### Results

Maryland's 7th congressional district special election, 2020 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Kweisi Mfume | 111,955 | 73.8% |
| | Republican | Kimberly Klacik | 38,102 | 25.1% |
| | Independent | Peter James (write-in) | 1 | 0.0% |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 1,660 | 1.1% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 151,718 | 100.0% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |
By county :
| County | Kweisi Mfume Democratic | Kweisi Mfume Democratic | Kimberly Klacik Republican | Kimberly Klacik Republican | Write-ins | Write-ins | Margin | Margin | Total votes |
| County | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | Total votes |
| Baltimore City | 51,960 | 92.99% | 3,122 | 5.59% | 793 | 1.42% | 48,838 | 87.40% | 55,875 |
| Baltimore | 32,390 | 64.11% | 17,702 | 35.03% | 434 | 0.86% | 14,688 | 29.07% | 50,526 |
| Howard | 27,605 | 60.91% | 17,278 | 38.13% | 434 | 0.96% | 10,327 | 22.79% | 45,317 |
| Totals | 111,955 | 73.79% | 38,102 | 25.11% | 1,661 | 1.09% | 73,853 | 48.68% | 151,718 |