Harford County's newest judge - who is also the first woman and first African-American on the Circuit Court bench there - was leading in early returns last night as she sought to be elected to a full term or at least advance to the general election.
Circuit Judge Angela M. Eaves, who was appointed in December, took a commanding early lead in the Democratic primary and held a slim advantage in the Republican race, with about a third of precincts reporting.
Eaves would have to win the Democratic and Republican primaries to win a 15-year term on the bench. If that does not happen, the winners of the two primaries will compete in the November general election.
Among Eaves' challengers was Charles F. Wagner, a 54-year-old Bel Air attorney who had the support of the county Republican Party and was within a dozen votes of the incumbent in the early going in that party's race.
The race in Harford County was one of three contested ones in local elections last night.
In Carroll County, six candidates were seeking to advance to the general election, when two seats on the county school board will be filled.
In the school board race in Howard County, six of the seven candidates will move on to the general election in November, when voters will select three candidates to four-year terms.
The other two candidates in the Harford County judicial race - Bel Air lawyer H. Edward Andrews III, 60, and Aberdeen lawyer Steven J. Scheinin, 61 - trailed in early returns in both party primaries.
Gov. Martin O'Malley appointed Eaves, 48, of Havre de Grace after the county's Judicial Nominating Commission deemed her one of the three lawyers who were "highly qualified."
Before her appointment, Eaves was a Harford County District Court judge for seven years.
Campaign literature sent by Wagner's campaign showed a photo of Eaves between former Gov. Parris N. Glendening and Gov. Martin O'Malley and read: "Do you trust their judgment?" It accused Eaves of being "hand-picked by Governor O'Malley, the man who increased your taxes."
Eaves said last night, "I felt there were candidates who tried to make it political. But voters don't expect judges to engage in partisan politics. It's not something judges should think about."
Wagner opened a law practice in Bel Air in 1992 after working for years in the boilermakers union while attending evening college and law school.
