Andy Harris Wins Ninth Term in Maryland’s 1st District

Andy Harris won another term representing Maryland’s 1st Congressional District, preserving the state’s only Republican seat in the U.S. House. The district takes in all nine counties along the Eastern Shore, plus areas of Baltimore and Harford counties. Early results showed Harris ahead by about 10 percentage points, and the final outcome gave him reelection.

Harris, first elected in 2010, has won each of his previous races by double-digit margins. He leads the conservative House Freedom Caucus and holds a role in federal spending leadership. During the campaign, he aligned himself with President Donald Trump’s agenda, including a tax plan that pairs tax breaks with cuts to food and health benefits. Those changes could affect tens of thousands of people in the district.

Schwartz, a former consumer-protection official who left his job in 2025 to campaign full time, had backing from Gov. Wes Moore and members of Maryland’s congressional delegation. On election night, he told supporters the results were not looking favorable, while saying he was not conceding at that point.

A confrontation at a campaign forum drew national attention after Harris criticized audience members and later challenged a student journalist who was recording him. The incident helped Schwartz raise money and gain recognition, but at least one Republican voter who criticized Harris’s conduct still voted for him.

Voters also approved a ballot measure that could make it easier for Maryland Democrats to redraw the district, which they have considered targeting. Harris and Schwartz both opposed the measure and said they preferred competing at the polls. The new Congress is set to be sworn in on January 3, 2027.

Harris Wins Again as Benefit Cuts Loom for Eastern Shore Residents

Andy Harris’s reelection keeps Maryland’s only Republican House seat in GOP hands, even as Democrats posted strong results nationwide. His district stretches across the Eastern Shore and reaches into Baltimore and Harford counties, and early election-night results put him ahead of Democrat Dan Schwartz by about 10 percentage points.

The stakes extend beyond party control. Harris backed Donald Trump’s tax plan, which combines tax breaks with reductions to food and health benefits; tens of thousands of people in the district could see benefits lost or changed. Harris’s return to Congress means a lawmaker who supports that agenda will continue to represent the district.

Schwartz, a former consumer-protection official, left his job in 2025 to challenge Harris and received support from Gov. Wes Moore and Maryland’s federal lawmakers. His campaign gained attention after Harris’s clash with audience members and a student journalist at a forum, but the controversy did not overcome the district’s long-standing Republican tilt.

Maryland voters also approved a measure that could ease the path for Democrats to redraw Harris’s district. Both candidates opposed it, preferring to settle the contest at the ballot box. Harris has repeatedly won by double-digit margins since his first victory in 2010; the new Congress is scheduled to begin on January 3, 2027.

Eastern Shore Voters Keep Republican Andy Harris in Congress

Voters in Maryland’s 1st District returned Andy Harris to Congress, keeping a Republican voice in a state where he is the sole GOP House member. Harris’s district covers the Eastern Shore’s nine counties and portions of Baltimore and Harford counties; early results showed him ahead of Democrat Dan Schwartz by roughly 10 points.

Harris has represented the district since 2010 and has won each election by double-digit margins. He has championed Eastern Shore seafood and farming and secured federal money for local projects, including fire trucks and creek dredging. Republican voters also backed his alignment with President Donald Trump, while one voter cited concerns about taxes and state finances.

Schwartz, who left a consumer-protection job in 2025 to campaign full time, had the support of Gov. Wes Moore and members of Maryland’s congressional delegation. A campaign-forum confrontation brought Harris criticism and gave Schwartz increased attention, but it did not change the result.

The state’s voters approved a measure that may give Democrats a smoother route to redrawing the district. Harris and Schwartz opposed the measure and said they wanted the seat decided by voters. The result leaves Harris positioned to continue his leadership roles in the conservative House Freedom Caucus and federal spending matters when the next Congress convenes January 3, 2027.