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Democratic candidate Chris Van Hollen has won the election for one of Maryland’s U.S. Senate seats, according to the Associated Press.
Van Hollen, who was a strong favorite in the race, beat Republican candidate Chris Chaffee to secure his second term for the class three Senate seat.
The victory comes months after Van Hollen suffered a minor stroke, and ensures that Maryland will not have a Republican senator in Congress. The state has not a Republican in the Senate in more than three decades.
The race was viewed by experts as being vital to the partisan balance of the U.S. Senate. Entering the midterm elections, Democrats had an effective majority, with the chamber split 50-50 and Vice President Kamala Harris (D) having the tie-breaking vote.
Aside from Van Hollen, 14 other Democratic seats were up for election in 2022.
During the race, Van Hollen, raised $2,286,105 in funds, and reported spending $7,045,637. Van Hollen’s opponent did not report any fundraising activity.
According to his website, Van Hollen is committed to fighting every day to ensure that our state and our country live up to their full promise of equal rights, equal justice, and equal opportunity. His top priorities include creating more jobs, strengthening small businesses, increasing educational and job training opportunities, improving immigration reform, address gun laws, protecting reproductive rights.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen first won election to the U.S. Senate in 2016, replacing retiring Sen. Barbara Mikulski, who was then the longest-serving woman in congressional history.
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Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen suffers minor stroke
U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen says he has suffered a minor stroke and is being treated at George Washington University Hospital. The Maryland Democrat says he has been told there are no long-term effects or damage.
Prior to that Van Hollen served seven terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was first elected as Maryland's 8th Congressional District representative in 2002. During his time as representative, Van Hollen served as a member of the Democratic leadership and was elected by his colleagues to be the Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee.
The defeat marks Chris Chaffee’s fourth unsuccessful run for Congress. In 2014, he lost the race for Maryland's 5th congressional district against U.S. Representative Steny Hoyer. He also had two unsuccessful bids to win Republican primaries for Maryland’s Senate seats in 2016 and 2018.