The 2006 United States Senate election in Maryland was held Tuesday, November 7, 2006. Incumbent Democrat Paul Sarbanes, Maryland's longest-serving United States senator, decided to retire instead of seeking a sixth term. Democratic nominee Ben Cardin, a U.S. representative, won the open seat, defeating Republican lieutenant governor Michael Steele.

Democratic primary Candidates Declared Benjamin L. Cardin, U.S. representative David Dickerson, engineer George T. English, economist James H. Hutchison, psychiatrist Anthony Jaworski A. Robert Kaufman, social activist and perennial candidate Allan Lichtman, professor at American University Thomas McCaskill, physicist Kweisi Mfume, former U.S. representative and former president of the NAACP Josh Rales, entrepreneur Dennis F. Rasmussen, former Baltimore County Executive Bob Robinson Theresa C. Scaldaferri Mike Schaefer, attorney Charles Ulysses Smith, activist Blaine Taylor, writer Joseph Werner, attorney Lih Young, perennial candidate

Withdrew Lise Van Susteren, psychiatrist and sister of Greta Van Susteren

Declined Chris Van Hollen, U.S. representative

Campaign Kweisi Mfume, a former congressman and NAACP President, was the first to announce for the position, in March 2005. Ben Cardin, then a congressman since 1987, was the only other major candidate until September 2005, when former Baltimore County Executive Dennis F. Rasmussen, American University professor Allan Lichtman, and wealthy Potomac businessman Josh Rales entered the contest. Thirteen other candidates subsequently also entered the primary. As of August 2006, Cardin had raised more than $4.8 million and collected endorsements from a number of Democratic politicians, the AFL–CIO, and The Washington Post; Mfume had raised over $1.2 million and collected endorsements from the Maryland State Teachers Association, Progressive Maryland, former Maryland Governor Parris Glendening, the National Organization for Women, and Maryland Congressmen Elijah Cummings and Al Wynn.

On August 31, 2006, Maryland Public Television (MPT) and the League of Women Voters (LWV) sponsored a debate between the two leading Democratic Primary Candidates. The LWV of Maryland and MPT arbitrarily excluded most of the FEC qualified candidates from the only televised debates in the primary election. There were 18 candidates in this race, only 2, Ben Cardin and Kweisi Mfume, were allowed to debate, despite the strenuous protests of the excluded candidates. Lichtman, Rales, and Rasmussen petitioned MPT and LWV for inclusion in the debate but received no response. On the day of the debate, Lichtman, his wife, and a campaign aide were arrested for trespassing while protesting during the taping of the debate. They were found not guilty on all charges. The judge in the case said it should never have been brought to court and was a gross violation of the parties' constitutional rights.

Debates Complete video of debate, August 31, 2006

Polling Source Date BenCardin A. RobertKaufman AllanLichtman KweisiMfume JoshRales Dennis F.RasmussenThe Washington PostWashington Post June 25, 2006 26% 2% 4% 33% 0% 4%The Baltimore SunBaltimore Sun July 17, 2006 32% 1% 1% 28% 1% 1%Public Opinion Strategies August 1–2, 2006 31% — — 25% 4% 6%Gonzales Research August 30, 2006 43% — — 30% 6% —SurveyUSA August 31, 2006 38% — — 42% 7% —SurveyUSA September 11, 2006 47% — — 38% 7% —

Results

Republican primary Candidates Ray Bly, small businessman Earl S. Gordon Thomas J. Hampton, accountant John B. Kimble, behavioral researcher Edward Raymond Madej Daniel Muffoletto, small businessman Richard Shawver, activist Michael S. Steele, Lieutenant Governor and former chairman of the Maryland Republican Party Corrogan R. Vaughn, perennial candidate Daniel "The Wig Man" Vovak, ghostwriter and owner of Greenwich Creations

Campaign Michael S. Steele was expected to win the Republican primary, and the Baltimore Sun wrote the month before that he faced "only nominal opposition". Among a field of nine other candidates, the only Republican receiving sufficient media coverage was Daniel Vovak.

Results

General election Candidates Michael S. Steele (R) – lieutenant governor Ben Cardin (D) – U.S. congressman Kevin Zeese (G) – (Campaign website). Zeese won the nominations of the Maryland Green Party, the Libertarian Party of Maryland, and the Populist Party of Maryland, the first time all three parties had nominated the same candidate. However, a Maryland law passed in April 2006 prohibited such fusion candidacies, so Zeese, who was a registered Green Party member, was listed on the ballot as only the Green Party candidate.David Nitkin on state politics issues; Editor addresses energy rates, upcoming elections, personnel probe , The Baltimore Sun, May 16, 2006.John Wagner, Zeese Wins the Triple Crown, The Washington Post, June 13, 2006.

Campaign This was Maryland's first open Senate seat since 1986, when junior Senator Barbara Mikulski was first elected.

Michael Steele won the Republican nomination after facing little competition in the contest for the Republican ticket. With mostly unknown secondary candidates, Steele received 87% of the Republican Primary vote.

Third District Congressional Representative Ben Cardin won the Democratic Party nomination after facing tough competition in the contest for the Democratic ticket from former congressman and NAACP President Kweisi Mfume, businessman Josh Rales, former Baltimore County Executive Dennis F. Rasmussen, and several lesser-known candidates. Cardin received 44% of the Democratic Primary vote to 40% for Mfume, his next closest competitor. All other candidates received percentages only in the single digits.

Kevin Zeese, the nominee for the Green, Populist and Libertarian Parties, was also on the ballot.

Though Steele lost the general election by 10% of the vote, a much wider margin than predicted, his was and remains the best showing for a Republican in a Senate race in Maryland since Charles Mathias, Jr. was re-elected in 1980 with 66.17% of the vote.

Controversies

Both Steele and Cardin made controversial statements and advertising throughout the campaign.

Debates The first debate of the race was held Tuesday, October 3, 2006. All three candidates were present and participated. The evening was hosted by the Baltimore Urban League and moderated by Charles Robinson from Maryland Public Television and Doni Glover from BMORENEWS.

The first televised debate of the campaign was broadcast on News Channel 8 on the program "News Talk". All three candidates participated in the debate, and were moderated by Bruce DePuyt, the host of the program. There was no audience. This debate was widely reported because of the constant bickering between the three candidates, who often interrupted and talked over one another.

Another debate took place between Steele and Cardin on Sunday, October 29, 2006, as a part of the Meet The Press Senatorial debate series. Moderated by Tim Russert, the debate focused primarily on the Iraq War and stem-cell research, amongst other issues.

The three candidates all participated in the final debate of the campaign on Friday, November 3, 2006. The event was sponsored by the Collective Banking Group and held at the First Baptist Church of Glenarden.

Cardin primarily attacked Steele over his close relations with President Bush, including pictures of Bush and Steele in Cardin's TV ads. Steele focused on low taxes, less government spending, free markets and national security.

Complete video of debate, October 25, 2006 Complete video of debate, October 29, 2006

Predictions Source Ranking As of The Cook Political Report November 6, 2006 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 6, 2006 Rothenberg Political Report November 6, 2006 Real Clear Politics November 6, 2006

Polling Source Date BenCardin (D) MichaelSteele (R) KevinZeese (G)The Baltimore Sun April 2005 41% 37%The Baltimore SunBaltimore Sun October 25, 2005 47% 38%Potomac Survey Research November 1, 2005 41% 32%RasmussenRasmussen November 21, 2005 49% 41%RasmussenRasmussen January 13, 2006 40% 45%ZogbyZogby January 20, 2006 49% 43%RasmussenRasmussen February 22, 2006 49% 35%Zogby/The Wall Street Journal March 31, 2006 49% 39%Gonzales ResearchGonzales Research April 18, 2006 49% 35%RasmussenRasmussen April 25, 2006 45% 35%Zogby/The Wall Street Journal June 21, 2006 51% 40%The Washington Post June 25, 2006 49% 39%The Baltimore Sun/Potomac Inc.Baltimore Sun/Potomac Inc. July 6–10, 2006 47% 36%RasmussenRasmussen July 17, 2006 47% 41%Zogby/The Wall Street Journal July 24, 2006 50% 42%Public Opinion Strategies (R) August 1–2, 2006 43% 35%RasmussenRasmussen August 18, 2006 47% 42%Zogby/The Wall Street Journal August 28, 2006 50% 41%Gonzales Research August 30, 2006 44% 39%Zogby/The Wall Street Journal September 10, 2006 49% 40%RasmussenRasmussen September 19, 2006 50% 43%SurveyUSA September 20, 2006 47% 48% 4%The Baltimore Sun/Potomac Inc.Baltimore Sun/Potomac Inc. September 25, 2006 51% 40%VC Research (R)VC Research (R) September 27–28, 2006 44% 39%Zogby/The Wall Street Journal September 28, 2006 52% 39%Mason-Dixon/MSNBC October 2, 2006 47% 41% 1%Public Opinion Strategies (R) October 2–4, 2006 47% 43%Reuters/ZogbyReuters/Zogby October 5, 2006 45% 37%USA Today/Gallup October 6, 2006 54% 39%RasmussenRasmussen October 16, 2006 53% 44%SurveyUSASurveyUSA October 18, 2006 46% 46% 3%VC Research (R) October 22–23, 2006 41% 39%Garin Hart Yang (D) October 23–24, 2006 52% 40%RasmussenRasmussen October 26, 2006 49% 42%The Washington Post October 29, 2006 54% 43% 1%Reuters/ZogbyReuters/Zogby November 2, 2006 49% 44%The Baltimore Sun/Potomac Inc.Baltimore Sun/Potomac Inc. November 2, 2006 49% 43% 2%SurveyUSA November 3, 2006 47% 47%Mason-Dixon/MSNBCMason-Dixon/MSNBC November 5, 2006 47% 44% 1%SurveyUSA November 6, 2006 49% 46% 3%

Results

Despite polls days before the election showing the race at a 3% margin, Cardin won by just over 10% with a 178,295-vote margin, although , this is the closest a Republican has come to winning a U.S. Senate election in Maryland since Charles Mathias was reelected in 1980. On the same day, incumbent Republican governor Bob Ehrlich lost reelection to Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley.

Results by county +CountyBen Cardin DemocraticMichael Steele RepublicanKevin Zeese GreenWrite-Ins IndependentMarginTotal Votes