Republicans gain State’s Attorney positions

Posted: 11:02 am Wed, November 3, 2010
By Steve Lash

Incumbent prosecutors in six contested races had a mixed day at the polls on Tuesday, with two Democrats losing their jobs to Republicans and one race that may not be decided for weeks.

The toss-up is in Worcester County. Republican challenger Beau Oglesby, who lost by a sliver in 2006, is leading by 145 votes in his rematch against incumbent State’s Attorney Joel J. Todd — a margin of 0.7 percent of the 19,000 votes cast on Tuesday.

A spokeswoman for the county’s Board of Elections said it has already received some 1,500 absentee ballots, which it will start to review on Thursday, followed by provisional ballots on Nov. 10 and additional absentee ballots received by Nov. 12 or as late as Nov. 22 for overseas voters.

In another rematch from 2006, Democrat Scott D. Shellenberger fended off Republican Stephen E. Bailey by a margin of 56.8 percent to 43 percent margin.

Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Frank R. Weathersbee, a Democrat, narrowly defeated Republican Eric Grannon. Unofficial results with all precincts reporting show Weathersbee with a lead of 51 percent to 48.9 percent for Grannon.

In Cecil County, Republican Ellis Rollins III knocked out incumbent State’s Attorney Christopher J. Eastridge, 60.7 percent to 39.2 percent, according to unofficial figures posted on the Maryland State Board of Election’s website early Wednesday evening.

In Somerset County, Republican Dan Powell defeated State’s Attorney Kristy M. Hickman, 53 percent to 46.9 percent.

In perhaps the most notorious contest, St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney Richard D. Fritz easily withstood a challenge from John Mattingly, a Democrat who had accused Fritz of abusing his power in bringing charges against him and a real estate partner.

Mattingly was acquitted of all charges except those that were dropped by a special prosecutor; his partner, Daniel J. Brown, was convicted of two misdemeanors and sentenced to 10 years in prison, with all but two years suspended. Fritz, who called Mattingly’s accusation of abuse of power unfounded, won re-election by a 2-1 margin.

In a seventh contested race for an open seat in Wicomico County, Republican Matthew A. Maciarello defeated Democrat W. Seth Mitchell 62.5 percent to 37.3 percent.