St. Mary’s County Primary Election voters in June will have only a few choices within their party affiliation. Of course the big draw at the top of every ballot will be the gubernatorial races, with Democrats Anthony Brown, Doug Gansler and Heather Mizeur and Republicans David Craig, Ron George, Larry Hogan, and Charles Lollar and a host of lesser known candidates.
There are three Republican candidates for the Fifth District U.S. House of Representatives seat: Mark Arness of Port Republic, Chris Chaffee of Prince Frederick and Tom Potter of Faulkner. The winner will face long-time incumbent Democrat Steny Hoyer.
In St. Mary’s there will be hotly contested Republican primary races for two legislative seats. Bryan “Puff’ Barthelme, Thomas “Tommy” McKay and Matt Morgan will be vying for their party’s place on the November ballot for the House of Delegates District 29A seat. Democrat Dan Slade has no primary opposition. Whoever wins in November will take over the seat now occupied by John Wood, who is not seeking re-election.
Republicans will have a choice in the District 29 Senate race between current St. Mary’s County Commissioners Lawrence Jarboe and Cynthia Jones and Calvert County resident Steve Waugh. Whoever wins the primary will face long-time Democratic Senator Roy Dyson, who is un-opposed in the primary.
Republican Deb Rey will face incumbent John Bohanan for the House District 29 seat. Neither has primary opposition. And Incumbent District 29C Delegate Tony O’Donnell will face newcomer Len Zuza of Lusby. Neither has primary opposition. District 29C is partially in St. Mary’s with the bulk in Calvert County.
Other than central committee races, none of the other local positions are contested in the primary although several late-minute filings did add candidates where there were none.
Republican Randy Guy of Clements filed for county commissioner president and will face incumbent Democrat Francis “Jack” Russell. Guy lost the Republican primary for the same position in 2010 against McKay. Guy is a member of the St. Mary’s County Board of Zoning Appeals.
Commissioner Todd Morgan has no Republican or Democratic challengers for re-election to his District 4 seat. Other candidates are Democrat Merl Evans and Republican Tom Jarboe for District 1, Democrat Bob Schaller and Republican Mike Hewitt for District 2 and Democrat Joseph “Tony” St. Clair and Republican John O’Connor in District 3.
There were last minute filers for the
