Lierman wins Maryland comptroller race, becoming first woman independently elected to state office

Brooke Lierman will become Maryland’s next comptroller, the first women elected to the office, after Harford County Executive Barry Glassman conceded the race early Wednesday morning.

Lierman, who has led in the polls by at least 10 points since September and held a wide lead Wednesday, will also become the first woman independently elected by voters to any state office in Maryland’s history.

Glassman conceded to Lierman late Tuesday night, according to her campaign manager Joe Francaviglia, before releasing a concession statement via email.

”Special thanks to all of the Marylanders who supported my bid for comptroller,” Glassman said in the statement. “Although it was unsuccessful, I am proud of our campaign and the positive message we presented. Congratulations to Delegate Lierman. I wish her much success. Finally, to my beloved Harford County, thank you for allowing me to serve you for 30 years. It has been an honor.”

Lierman, a Baltimore state delegate, will oversee tax collection in the state; hold a voting seat on the Maryland Board of Public Works, which oversees contracts and procurements on state projects; and maintain the state’s financial books.

Lierman in a speech election night at the Marriott Waterfront in Baltimore paid homage to the women who had run for office before her, including Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, who ran for governor in 2002. Addressing girls and women in the crowd she said: “I may be the first, but I am going to make sure that I am not the last.”

“Maryland has shown America what true representation looks like,” Lierman said.

Lierman thanked her supporters for putting in hours of work on her campaign, even though few people understand what the comptroller does. “Caring about the comptroller’s office … at its core is saying you believe we are stronger building things together than tearing them down,” she said.

Glassman spent election night with two dozen supporters, friends and family at an intimate reception at Hopkins Farm Brewery in Havre de Grace. “We ran a good campaign that gave voters a choice … we appealed to a broader cross-section of voters,” he said, thanking all in attendance and personally seeing them off as they left for the evening.

“From where I stand, he’s still the most qualified candidate for the job,” said campaign volunteer Cindy Mumby. “He’s worked across the aisle, kept with his brand … we’ll see how that ends up either tonight or who knows when.”

Prior to beginning her comptroller campaign, Lierman was a civil rights and disability lawyer before winning a seat in the House of Delegates in 2014, representing parts of Baltimore in the 46th district. As a delegate, she championed labor rights and environmental legislation, including the landmark Climate Solutions Now Act. During the primary election, she vowed to continue her green advocacy if elected comptroller, saying that she would ensure that “we are spending in a way that takes climate change and climate resilience into account.”

Glassman also has legislative credentials: Before he became Harford County executive in 2014, he represented the 35th district in the Maryland State Senate. As both a legislator and executive, Glassman developed a reputation for compromise and working across the aisle. He touts being picked by the bipartisan Maryland Association of Counties to lead their organization. Furthermore, he has disavowed some of the more divisive tendencies of the modern GOP, saying he sees himself more in the vein of outgoing Gov. Larry Hogan, who endorsed him, than a “Trump Republican.”

See Maryland election results

Since Lierman clinched her nomination in July (Glassman ran unopposed in the primary), she held a steady lead over Glassman in the polls. A September poll by Goucher College showed Lierman had the support of 48% of respondents to Glassman’s 35%, a margin of 13 points; by late October, an OpinionWorks survey showed that margin had grown to 18 points.

The Lierman campaign also enjoyed a significant financial advantage. Since July, Lierman outspent Glassman by a 4-to-1 ratio. What’s more, Lierman’s campaign had more cash on hand left over, with over $480,000 to Glassman’s $290,000, according to reports filed with the Maryland State Board of Elections.

When inaugurated in January, Lierman would replace Peter Franchot, who has held the office since 2007. Franchot ran in the Democratic primary for governor this year, but finished third behind Wes Moore and Tom Perez.

This election marks the first time since 1919 that all three of Maryland’s top statewide offices — governor, attorney general and comptroller — did not have incumbents running for reelection.

Jon Meltzer is a Washington, D.C.-based freelance writer.

Pamela Wood contributed to this story.

This story was corrected to say that Kathleen Kennedy Townsend ran for governor of Maryland in 2002, and that Brooke Lierman clinched the Democratic nomination in July in the comptroller race. It was also corrected with the proper name of Hopkins Farm Brewery, and to say that Lierman won a seat in the House of Delegates in 2014.

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