Martin O'Malley was successful in his bid to oust incumbent Republican Gov. Robert Ehrlich in 2006, winning election with 52.7 percent of the vote. The contest was the state's most expensive gubernatorial race.

O'Malley lost his first race for Baltimore City Council in 1990 by 44 votes, but won a council race the next year.

He won the Democratic primary for mayor in Baltimore in 1999, getting almost 54 percent of the vote in a race that included two well-known black officials, and was elected in the general election. He faced little opposition when he ran for a second term as mayor.

(Last updated by Brian Witte on March 20, 2009.)

Ben Cardin won election to the U.S. Senate in 2006 with 54 percent of the vote, defeating Republican challenger and former Lt. Gov. Michael Steele.

Cardin served in the Maryland House from 1967 to 1987.

Cardin was first elected to the U.S. House in 1986 with 79 percent of the vote, defeating Republican Ross Z. Pierpont. He was re-elected in 1988 and defeated Republican Harwood Nichols in 1990 with 70 percent of the vote.

He defeated Republican William Bricker in 1992 with 74 percent of the vote and was re-elected in 1994, defeating Republican Robert Tousey with 71 percent of the vote. He was re-elected in 1996 with 67 percent of the vote, defeating Republican Pat McDonough. In 1998, Cardin defeated Republican Colin Harby with 78 percent of the vote. In 2000 he again defeated Harby with 76 percent of the vote.

Cardin defeated Scott Conwell in 2002, getting 66 percent of the vote, and was re-elected in 2004 with 63 percent of the vote, defeating Robert Duckworth.

(Last updated by Brian Witte on March 20, 2009.)

Barbara Mikulski was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986, with 61 percent of the vote, defeating Republican Linda Chavez, a former White House aide and a former staff director of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission for the seat vacated by retiring Republican Sen. Charles Mathias.

She was re-elected to the Senate in 1992 with 71 percent of the vote, defeating Alan Keyes, a conservative black Republican. In 1998, she defeated Republican Ross Pierpont 71 percent to 29 percent to win a third Senate term.

She was re-elected in 2004 with 65 percent of the vote, defeating Republican E.J. Pipkin.

Before winning her Senate seat, Mikulski lost the 1974 race for the U.S. Senate to Mathias. She also served on the Baltimore City Council.

Mikulski was elected to the U.S. House in 1976 with 75 percent of the vote, winning the seat vacated by Democratic Rep. Paul S. Sarbanes, who was elected to the Senate. Mikulski was re-elected to the House in 1978, 1980, 1982 and 1984.

(Last updated by Brian Witte on March 20, 2009.)