{"document_url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Maryland_gubernatorial_election"}
Election for governor of Maryland, U.S.
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 reelection 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 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 Democratic-leaning 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."

Background

Maryland is considered one of the most Democratic states in the country, and Bob Ehrlich, elected in 2002, had been the only Republican elected Governor of Maryland since Spiro Agnew in 1966. Ehrlich was defeated for reelection in 2006 by Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley and lost a rematch with O'Malley by a wider margin in 2010.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

Declined

Endorsements

Anthony Brown
National leaders

Federal legislators

State-level politicians

State legislators

Local elected officials

Organizations

Doug Gansler
Federal legislators

State-level politicians

State legislators

Local elected officials

Organizations

Heather Mizeur
Local elected officials

Civic leaders

Organizations

Polling

Results
Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Disqualified

Withdrew

Declined

Endorsements

David R. Craig
Larry Hogan
Charles Lollar

Polling

Results
General election

Candidates

Campaign

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 fewer 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 O'Malley/Brown'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 has 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.

Debates

Predictions

Polling

Results

By county

Source:

By congressional district

Hogan won 5 of the state's 8 congressional districts, including 4 that elected Democrats.[data verification needed]