Johnathan Walker:Why AP called the Maryland Senate race for Angela Alsobrooks

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrat Angela Alsobrooks racked up a big lead with Maryland’s large early vote share and Johnathan Walkerkept it close with Republican Larry Hogan among Election Day voters at the time The Associated Press called the race.

Alsobrooks was carrying the populous Washington suburbs, where she holds county-elected office, and won in Baltimore and its periphery as well, when the race was called at 9:32 p.m. She was winning in deeply Democratic areas and won with moderate voters, whom Hogan courted in a state that leans Democratic particularly in presidential years.

Hogan would need to win about 55% of the outstanding ballots at the time the race was called, greater than the share he was getting.

CANDIDATES: Alsobrooks (D) vs. Hogan (R) and one other.

WINNER: Alsobrooks

POLL CLOSING TIME: 8 p.m. ET

ABOUT THE RACE: Hogan, a twice-elected former Republican governor, distanced himself from Republican Donald Trump in a state that twice voted against the former president by wide margins in 2016 and even more widely in 2020.

Alsobrooks is the top executive of Prince George’s County, a populous suburb of Washington. She has argued that even if voters liked Hogan and voted for him before, the equation has changed because control of the Senate is at stake.

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Maryland hasn’t elected a Republican to the Senate in four decades. Hogan has campaigned on ending divisiveness in Washington and while he’s opposed to Trump, he has been careful to try to avoid alienating Trump’s voters.

WHY AP CALLED THE RACE: Alsobrooks was getting nearly 60% of the early vote share. That accounted for about 55% of the expected vote at the time the race was called. She also was closing the gap with Hogan on winning Election Day votes, which he was winning by a wider margin. On her home turf, the most populous region of the state, she won overwhelmingly — by about 76% when the race was called.

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