Addie Eckardt loses primary challenge to Johnny Mautz in District 37

District 37 will have a new Maryland lawmaker come November after longtime incumbent Adelaide “Addie” Eckardt fell behind in early results in the primary.

Johnny Mautz, who has represented District 37B in the Maryland House since 2015, had more than 76% of the vote for Republicans as of Wednesday morning. The unofficial election results places Mautz ahead 8,944-2,701.

Maryland mail-in ballots continue to be counted. At least three canvasing dates are set before results are certified at the end of the month.

MEET THE CANDIDATES 2022:Maryland Senate Districts 37 and 38

Mautz will now face Democratic candidate Naomi Hyman, who is retired, in November’s general election. Both live in Talbot County.

In 2014, Eckardt assumed the Senate seat after handily defeating Democrat Chris Robinson in the general election, but the real challenge had come during that Republican primary. Eckardt, a 20-year delegate, went up against longtime incumbent and fellow Republican Richard Colburn, who had held the seat since the mid-1990s.