The 2016 United States Senate election in Maryland took place on November 8, 2016, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Maryland, concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

Incumbent Democratic Senator Barbara Mikulski decided to retire after five terms in the Senate. Primary elections were held April 26, 2016, in which Chris Van Hollen and Kathy Szeliga were chosen as the Democratic and Republican party nominees, respectively. In addition, the Green Party chose Margaret Flowers and the Libertarian Party chose Arvin Vohra as their respective nominees.

Van Hollen was heavily favored to win the election. He ultimately won with over 60% of the vote. As typically occurs with the state's elections, most support for the Democratic nominee, Van Hollen, came from the densely populated Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area in central Maryland, while the Republican nominee, Szeliga, did well in the more sparsely populated areas on the Eastern Shore and in Western Maryland, and narrowly won Anne Arundel County, home to the state capital Annapolis, as well as exurban Frederick County.

Background Mikulski first ran for the U.S. Senate in 1974, losing to Republican incumbent Charles Mathias. Mikulski then served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1977 to 1987 and was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986, succeeding the retiring Mathias. She was re-elected by large margins in 1992, 1998, 2004 and 2010. Shortly after being sworn in for her fifth term in 2011, she succeeded Margaret Chase Smith as the longest-serving female senator in U.S. history,Marbella, Jean "Mikulski's milestone: the Senate's longest-serving woman" The Baltimore Sun January 5, 2011 and on March 17, 2012, she became the longest-serving female member of Congress in U.S. history, surpassing Congresswoman Edith Nourse Rogers of Massachusetts, who served from 1925 to 1960.CNN.com: Mikulski makes history while creating 'zone of civility' for Senate women On March 2, 2015, Mikulski announced that she would not run for re-election to a sixth term in office.

In August 2013, Abby Livingston of Roll Call had predicted that a potential retirement by Mikulski would create "chaos" and "blow open Maryland's political bottleneck" because "the state's teeming political Democratic Party talent is backed up in lower offices." Among the ten Democrats who ran in the primary, only two had previously been elected to an office.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared Freddy Donald Dickson Jr. Donna Edwards, U.S. representative Ralph Jaffe, perennial candidate Theresa Scaldaferri Charles U. Smith, perennial candidate Violet Staley Blaine Taylor Ed Tinus, perennial candidate Chris Van Hollen, U.S. representative Lih Young, perennial candidate

Declined Rushern Baker, Prince George's County executive (endorsed Chris Van Hollen) Anthony Brown, former lieutenant governor of Maryland and nominee for governor of Maryland in 2014 (ran for MD-04) Susan L. Burke, attorney Elijah Cummings, U.S. representative (ran for re-election) John Delaney, U.S. representative (ran for re-election) Peter Franchot, comptroller of Maryland Doug Gansler, former attorney general of Maryland and candidate for governor of Maryland in 2014 Steny Hoyer, U.S. representative and House minority whip (ran for re-election) Benjamin Jealous, former president and CEO of the NAACP Kevin Kamenetz, Baltimore County executive Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, former lieutenant governor of Maryland, nominee for governor in 2002 and nominee for Maryland's 2nd congressional district in 1986 Frank Kratovil, former U.S. representative Kweisi Mfume, former U.S. representative, former president and CEO of the NAACP, candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2006 Barbara Mikulski, incumbent senator Heather Mizeur, former state delegate and candidate for governor in 2014 Martin O'Malley, former governor of Maryland (ran for president) Thomas Perez, United States secretary of labor and former secretary of the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation Jamie Raskin, state senator (ran for MD-08) Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, mayor of Baltimore Dutch Ruppersberger, U.S. representative (ran for re-election) John Sarbanes, U.S. representative and son of former U.S. Senator Paul Sarbanes (ran for re-election) Kenneth Ulman, former Howard County executive and nominee for lieutenant governor in 2014

Debates Dates Location Van Hollen Edwards LinkMarch 25, 2016Baltimore, MarylandParticipantParticipantFull debate

Endorsements

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror DonnaEdwards ChrisVan Hollen Other UndecidedMonmouth UniversityMonmouth University April 18–20, 2016 300 ± 5.7% 36% 52% 1% 11%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling April 15–17, 2016 492 ± 4.4% 33% 42% — 25%Marist CollegeMarist College April 5–9, 2016 775 ± 3.5% 38% 44% — 18%Washington Post/University of MarylandWashington Post/University of Maryland March 30 – April 3, 2016 539 ± 4.5% 44% 40% — 16%Garin-Hart-Yang ResearchGarin-Hart-Yang Research March 28–30, 2016 604 ± 4.9% 40% 45% — 15%University of BaltimoreUniversity of Baltimore March 4–9, 2016 400 ± 4.9% 34% 28% — 31%Gonzales ResearchGonzales Research February 29 – March 4, 2016 411 ± 5.0% 41% 42% — 17%Goucher CollegeGoucher College February 13–18, 2016 307 ± 5.6% 39% 37% — 24%Gonzales ResearchGonzales Research January 11–16, 2016 402 ± 5% 36% 38% — 24%University of BaltimoreUniversity of Baltimore November 13–17, 2015 419 ± 4.8% 19% 28% 40% 13% 31% 45% — 24%Washington Post/University of Maryland October 8–11, 2015 1,006 ± 3.5% 20% 20% 33% 27%Global Strategy Group (D-Edwards)Global Strategy Group (D-Edwards) August 3–9, 2015 600 ± 4% 42% 37% — 21%Mellman Group (D-Cummings)Mellman Group (D-Cummings) March 19–22, 2015 700 ± 3.7% 23% 22% 29% 27%

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared Chris Chaffee, candidate for MD-05 in 2010 and nominee for MD-05 in 2014 Sean P. Connor Richard Douglas, attorney, former deputy assistant secretary of defense and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2012 John Graziani, candidate for MD-04 in 2014 Greg Holmes, candidate for MD-04 in 2012 and 2014 and Democratic state senate candidate in 2006 Joseph Hooe, small business owner Chrys Kefalas, vice president of executive communications for the National Association of Manufacturers and deputy legal counsel under Governor Bob Ehrlich Mark McNicholas Lynn Richardson Anthony Seda Richard Shawver, candidate for U.S. Senate in 2006 Kathy Szeliga, state delegate and House minority whip Dave Wallace, businessman and nominee for MD-08 in 2014 Garry Thomas Yarrington

Declined Dan Bongino, former United States Secret Service agent, nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2012 and nominee for Maryland's 6th congressional district in 2014 (moved to Florida) Ben Carson, author and retired director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital (running for President) Kendel Ehrlich, former First Lady of Maryland Robert Ehrlich, former governor of Maryland Barry Glassman, Harford County executive Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio, former state delegate and candidate for lieutenant governor in 2014 Andy Harris, U.S. representative (running for re-election) Larry Hogan, governor of Maryland Mary Kane, former secretary of state of Maryland and nominee for lieutenant governor in 2010 Allan Kittleman, Howard County executive Connie Morella, former U.S. representative and former U.S. ambassador to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Laura Neuman, former Anne Arundel County executive Boyd Rutherford, lieutenant governor of Maryland Steve Schuh, Anne Arundel County executive Michael Steele, former lieutenant governor of Maryland, former chairman of the Republican National Committee and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2006

Endorsements

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror KathySzeliga RichardDouglas BarryGlassman ChrysKefalas AnthonySeda UndecidedMarist College April 5–9, 2016 368 ± 5.1% 20% 13% – 9% – 57%Washington Post/University of Maryland March 30 – April 3, 2016 283 ± 7.5% 15% 9% – 11% – 46%University of BaltimoreUniversity of BaltimoreMarch 4–8, 2016400 ± 4.9% 6% 1% – 2% <1% 79%University of BaltimoreUniversity of Baltimore November 13–17, 2015 307 ± 5.6% 15% 9% 8% 5% 4% 59%

Results

Szeliga won the April 26, 2016, primary in Baltimore City and each of Maryland's counties except Calvert, St. Mary's, Charles, and Prince George's, in which Chris Chaffee received more votes.

Third party and independent candidates

Green Party Margaret Flowers, former pediatrician, healthcare activist and radio host

Results

Independents Greg Dorsey Steve Gladstone Edward Shlikas Kay Young

Libertarian Party Arvin Vohra, nominee for MD-05 in 2012 and for MD-04 in 2014

General election

Candidates Margaret Flowers (G), former pediatrician, healthcare activist and radio host Kathy Szeliga (R), state delegate and House minority whip Chris Van Hollen (D), U.S. representative Arvin Vohra (L), nominee for MD-05 in 2012 and for MD-04 in 2014

Debates Dates Location Van Hollen Szeliga LinkOctober 26, 2016Baltimore, MarylandParticipantParticipantFull debate

Endorsements

Predictions Source Ranking As of The Cook Political Report November 2, 2016 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 7, 2016 Rothenberg Political Report November 3, 2016 Daily Kos November 8, 2016 Real Clear Politics November 7, 2016

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror ChrisVan Hollen (D) KathySzeliga (R) Other UndecidedSurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey November 1–7, 2016 1,216 ± 4.6% 64% 33% — 3%SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey October 31 – November 6, 2016 1,056 ± 4.6% 64% 33% — 3%SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey October 28 – November 3, 2016 851 ± 4.6% 66% 32% — 2%SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey October 27 – November 2, 2016 772 ± 4.6% 67% 31% — 2%SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey October 26 – November 1, 2016 695 ± 4.6% 66% 31% — 3%SurveyMonkeySurveyMonkey October 25–31, 2016 740 ± 4.6% 66% 31% — 3%University of Maryland/Washington PostUniversity of Maryland/Washington Post September 27–30, 2016 706 ± 4.0% 58% 29% 5% 6%Goucher CollegeGoucher College September 17–20, 2016 514 ± 4.3% 54% 24% 2% 19%OpinionWorksOpinionWorks August 18–30, 2016 754 ± 3.6% 55% 26% 1% 19%Public Policy Polling April 15–17, 2016 879 ± 3.3% 53% 25% — 22%

Results

By county

+CountyChris Van Hollen DemocraticKathy Szeliga RepublicanMargaret Flowers GreenWrite-in Write-inMarginTotal votes