Democrats flipped council seats in two of Baltimore County’s conservative strongholds, marking a dramatic shift toward a bluer and more diverse county government.
Shawn McIntosh ousted incumbent Nino Mangione in a north county district that stretches from Lutherville-Timonium and Cockeysville to the Pennsylvania border. Arkia Wade defeated Tim Fazenbaker by 193 votes in a southeastern district that includes Dundalk, Edgemere and part of Rosedale.
The results, which were certified by the county’s election board on Friday evening, reflected a blue wave that has rippled across the country since the Nov. 3 election, bringing stunning political changes to Baltimore County. Republicans had won every council election in north county since 1994 and in Dundalk since 2014.
A room of a few dozen Democratic supporters and elected officials erupted in applause as elections officials read the results Friday. Wade wiped tears from her eyes before exchanging a hug with McIntosh.
“I’m not the kind of candidate you would think would come from Dundalk,” Wade said after her victory became official. “That just, to me, says a lot about our community and how it’s changing and that there’s room at the table for maybe not the standard person that people might think of.”
Democrats will go from a 4-3 majority on the council to a 7-2 supermajority on the expanded, nine-member council, giving them the votes to pass emergency legislation, approve charter amendments and advance a more liberal agenda without Republican support.
The new council, which will take office Dec. 7, will also be the most diverse in the county’s history. Wade and Makeda Scott will be the first Black women to serve on the council. Wade is the first Muslim member, while Ruben Amaya will be the first Latino member.
McIntosh, Wade and Scott are the first trio of women elected to serve together. The current council is made up of six white men and one Black man.
McIntosh, a mother of five, considered what the moment meant for her three daughters.
“We haven’t had any women for quite a number of years. To have three at one time shows my girls that we’ve broken that ceiling and that we can continue to have more women and have real representation,” she said Friday evening.
Wade turns Dundalk blue
Dundalk was once a reliable base of working-class Democratic support before it turned red in 2014. President Donald Trump has visited the area twice in the last decade, most recently in October to unveil a massive submarine manufacturing facility.
By a handful of votes, Democrats have reclaimed Dundalk. Wade, who runs a nonprofit that provides companionship to older people, cast herself as an alternative to Fazenbaker, a former liquor store owner and MAGA social media personality who faced accusations of threats and harassment from his own party.
Independent Donna Eve Radtke Sekora, a bar owner and former Republican who received nearly 7% of the vote, may have played a role in tilting the outcome in Wade’s favor.
Wade said her victory made her think of her grandfather, renowned Turner Station physician William C. Wade, who provided care to Black families during segregation and has a street named after him in Dundalk.
“I definitely feel like I have his spirit in me,” she said.
There are no automatic recounts in Maryland. The narrow margin makes Fazenbaker eligible to request one, but he has not yet done so, election officials said. Fazenbaker would be responsible for the cost, which could run into tens of thousands of dollars.
The Republican has until Monday to petition for a recount. In a Facebook post Friday evening, he did not concede and said he was weighing his options for challenging the result.
McIntosh wins with public financing
Mangione, a MAGA Republican from a well-known family of developers, raised nearly five times as much money as McIntosh, receiving large donations from family members and businesses.
McIntosh won anyway, running a publicly financed campaign that received matching taxpayer funds for small-dollar donations. Under the program’s rules, candidates must limit campaign contributions to $250 and forgo donations from businesses, political action committees and unions.
Baltimore County introduced public financing for this year’s election to encourage a more diverse pool of candidates to run and reduce the influence of large donors, who can give a maximum of $6,000. McIntosh, Scott, Amaya and Catonsville Democrat Paul Dongarra won as publicly financed candidates.
“I know that a lot of people doubted us because of the name recognition, because of the money, because I was doing public financing,” McIntosh said. “But I knew that the things that I stood for were the things that my constituents cared about, and so I knew we could win.”
Sines delivers a Republican win
Josh Sines helped salvage a dismal election for Baltimore County Republicans, defeating Democrat Sharonda Dillard-Huffman in an eastside district that includes Essex, Middle River and White Marsh.
Sines and David Marks, reelected in a neighboring district that runs from Carney to Kingsville, will be the lone Republicans on the new council. Both are seen as moderates with an interest in environmental protection and land conservation.
“I’ve spent 20 years working on local issues with people from all political backgrounds,” Sines said in a text message. “We’re not always going to agree, but I believe there is a lot we can accomplish by working together.”
This article has been updated.
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