BALTIMORE — The race to secure the top prosecutor job in Baltimore County has a progressive candidate edging out a long-time incumbent by a margin of less than 1,000 votes in the Democratic primary.
Robbie Leonard continued to hold a narrow lead Wednesday of 860 votes over 15-year incumbent Scott Shellenberger for the Democratic nomination for Baltimore County State’s Attorney.
The Board of elections results shows that Leonard netted 8,340 votes from the early voting period and 16,783 votes on Maryland’s primary day.
Shellenberger received 8,276 votes from the early voting period and 15,987 votes on Maryland’s primary day.
Leonard spent over a decade practicing law in the Baltimore area. The cornerstones of his platforms are defending victims of domestic violence, helping families heal, and helping those who are returning to the community after being incarcerated.
He is the secretary of the Maryland Democratic Party and a member of the Democratic National Committee.
Shellenberger has been Baltimore County State’s Attorney since 2007. Previously, he was a prosecutor at Baltimore County’s Office of the State’s Attorney and oversaw the child abuse/sexual assault division—a job he held for more than a decade.
Both men hail from Baltimore.
On the Republican side, James Haynes emerged as a likely candidate with a 10-point lead on challenger Deborah Hill.
Haynes received 3,039 votes from the early voting period and 10,070 votes on Maryland’s primary day.
Hill received 2,680 votes from the early voting period and 7,982 votes on Maryland’s primary day.