McClain Delaney declares victory in Maryland's 6th Congressional District
McClain Delaney declares victory in Maryland's 6th Congressional District as vote count drags on
Democratic nominee April McClain Delaney released a statement on Friday declaring victory over Republican Neil Parrott, though the Associated Press has not officially called the race. McClain Delaney cited favorable projections in her statement.
The high volume of mail-in and provisional ballots in Maryland is causing potential delays in finalizing election results, particularly in the closely contested 6th Congressional District.
Democratic nominee April McClain Delaney has declared victory over Republican Neil Parrott, though the Associated Press has not officially called the race. The 6th district stretches from Western Maryland to parts of Montgomery County.
In her statement announcing her win, McClain Delaney cited favorable projections.
"I am grateful for every single volunteer, voter, and supporter who has put their faith in our vision," the statement said in part.
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Maryland’s 6th District race narrows as mail-in votes continue to roll in
Maryland’s 6th Congressional District race remained too close to call, as the Montgomery County Board of Elections began its canvass of mail-in ballots.
The latest tally shows McClain Delaney leading by nearly 9,000 votes over Parrott in a race that had the candidates separated by only a few hundred votes on Thursday. As of Friday, local boards of elections in Maryland received 719,349 mail-in ballots with more being received every day, according to the Maryland State Board of Elections. There have also been roughly 120,000 provisional ballots cast.
"This is a massive undertaking for the canvass to accomplish. But accomplish, they will do," state administrator Jared DeMarinis said in a statement Friday. "Within 10 days after the election, the local board of canvassers verifies the vote count and then certifies the results. However, due to the high volume of mail-in ballots and historic number of provisional ballots, certification by the local board of canvassers may not be achieved by November 15. The law has contemplated this exact scenario."
Voters shared mixed reactions to the extended timeline.
"I think it’s taking a long time for the simple fact that one side is trying to gain more power than the other. So, they’re really trying to get their ducks in a row and make sure that one side has the complete power," Maryland voter Donaven Reed said. "To vote for the president and the higher ups, it does start with everything you do with the district and county but for it to take this long and for it to kind of be this prolonged process, it doesn’t inspire hope at all. It kind of makes not me not care anymore, you know what I mean?"
Maryland voter Yvonne MacFarlane said she didn’t mind waiting for the official results.
"Based on the numbers and figures, I think it went the way it is. I think people should accept it and move forward, and both sides can get together and make this country a better place for all of us," MacFarlane said.
April McClain-Delaney locked in tight race for Maryland's 6th
After a hard-fought primary on both sides of the aisle, voters in Maryland's 6th Congressional district will choose a successor to current Democratic Rep. David Trone. April McClain-Delaney, a nonprofit leader and former Commerce Department official, is the Democratic nominee in what's considered the most competitive race in Maryland and one that could determine which party controls the House when the next Congress convenes. She joins Jim Lokay on "The Final 5" to make her case as a Gonzales poll shows her in a virtual dead-heat against Republican nominee, former Del. Neil Parrott.
Breanna Gray, an assistant professor of government and politics at the University of Maryland, noted the impact of a close race on the timing of results.
"You can’t make sweeping claims without making sure you have all of the ballots in," Gray said. "I think that’s a good thing, that we’re ensuring folks’ votes are counting. We’re hesitant to make those claims before we know with due diligence that these are the projected winners."
On X, Parrott responded to McClain Delaney’s victory claim: "Vote counting has continued today in Montgomery and Frederick County’s. WhIle the AP Press indicates that the race is too close to call, Delaney has declared victory this afternoon. I want we’ve to know that I am extremely grateful for the huge amount of work that was put into this campaign by volunteers in all five counties. As a result of this effort and sacrifice, the Parrott Campaign will wait until all the votes are counted before declaring victory or defeat."
Election board members have assured FOX 5 that, even once the race is called, every vote will be counted to determine the final outcome.
Read Delaney's full statement below:
"I am deeply honored and humbled by the trust the people of Maryland’s 6th District have placed in me," said April McClain Delaney. "Since the beginning of this campaign, our message has been clear: it’s time for common sense, common ground leadership that puts people over politics, defends our freedoms and values, and builds a future centered on unity. I am grateful for every single volunteer, voter, and supporter who has put their faith in our vision. Together, we are dedicated to building a 6th District that thrives on opportunity, growth, and shared community values."
Governor Wes Moore released the following statement on McClain Delaney’s victory:
"Marylanders deserve a champion – and they will get that champion in April Delaney, when she is sworn in next year as the next Member of Congress for Maryland’s 6th District. April is ready to work with anyone willing to find common ground – Democrats, Republicans, and Independents – because she recognizes that there is more that unites us than divides us. And she will be a champion for our children in Congress, just as she has been throughout her career, and she will advocate for the interests of all Marylanders, no matter their party or political ideology. I am proud to have April Delaney as a partner in this work, and I look forward to adding her name to our extraordinary congressional delegation."