Governor-elect Larry Hogan drew a crowd so large it spilled out of the doors and parking lots of the Boulevard Diner in Dundalk when he made a stop at the eatery as part of his state-wide victory tour. Hogan's victory was just one part of the Republican wave that swept legislative districts 6 and 7, giving the GOP dominance on the east side of Baltimore County.
"I knew we were gonna win the election on July 4th at the Dundalk parade," Hogan told a supporter at the event. "I knew we were gonna need that kind of enthusiasm, and we got it. I felt the energy."
Well-wishers came from as far away as the eastern shore to shake hands with the governor-elect, get his autograph or snap a photo. Hogan spent the entirety of his hour-long visit last Thursday, Nov. 13, circulating through the rooms, meeting with and thanking voters.
"Governor[-elect] Hogan's visit shortly after his victory shows his commitment to southeastern Baltimore County," stated John Fiastro Jr., outgoing chair of the Baltimore County Republican Central Committee. "His goals of lower taxes, lower spending and lower regulation resonates with folks down here. For the first time in eight years, Dundalk and Essex have a partner in the governor's office."
The other Republican victors were also in attendance, notably the three delegates-elect Bob Long, Ric Metzgar and Robin Grammer and state senator-elect John Salling, who formed a ticket with Hogan during the final months of the campaign.
"We won because people believed in us and believed in our word. But having the governor at the top of the ticket helped as well," Salling said. "Mr. Hogan impressed a lot of people at the debates and we worked well with him and his team."
Robin Grammer declared, "Governor-elect Hogan is on the same page as we are in making eastern Baltimore County the economic engine of the state again. I think this district has nothing but opportunity ahead."
But all the candidates stressed that Hogan's name on the ballot was far from the only factor in the sweep.
"This has been building for years. People had just had enough and they wanted change," noted Del. Pat McDonough, who easily won his re-election bid in District 7.
"This election has shown that the voters were dissatisfied with the status quo and that they wanted real action, communication and transparency," declared Todd Crandell, who will become the first Republican to hold the County Council seat in District 7 since the Council was chartered in 1956. "I think we ran a very solid campaign and had the necessary bipartisan support to win the seat."
Hogan himself also emphasized the importance of bipartisan support in his victory.
Delegate-elect Metzgar attributed his success on his third run for the seat to "persistence, perseverance and pushing through" to bring his message across.
The Merritt Boulevard stop was Hogan's only one in eastern Baltimore County to date. He had planned to visit Perry Hall Square Shopping Center earlier that afternoon, but decided to cancel that appearance due to the search for a missing 12-year-old girl (who has since been found safe).
"I think it was appropriate to cancel the Perry Hall event," said Councilman David Marks at the time. "It's not a celebratory time in Perry Hall and we're all focused on finding the missing girl."
After the celebrations are over, each of these leaders will have to turn to the task of governing, which each man seemed ready to tackle.
"I am humbled and honored to serve the constituents and this community," said Metzgar. "I promise we'll hit the ground running; we've been working nonstop since we heard."
Salling said, "I am honored and overwhelmed with joy that I have the opportunity to represent the people. I see it not as a challenge, which of course it is, but as a great opportunity to make a difference.
McDonough was also optimistic about his new colleagues' performance. "I think that the people of Dundalk and Essex are getting energetic representatives who are going to be at almost every event in the community and will tell them the truth," he declared.
"It's still very, very surreal," Robin Grammer admitted. "Nobody expected this [complete sweep]. But we put in effort and it paid off."
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