CENTREVILLE — CENTREVILLE - Democrat Frank M. Kratovil Jr. celebrated victory in the 1st Congressional District a week after Election Day yesterday, closing a rancorous campaign that has colored Maryland a deeper shade of blue.
The end came when Republican Baltimore County state Sen. Andy Harris called to concede in a district that was drawn to favor Republicans but went Democratic in a national wave that broke against the GOP last week.
In Maryland's most competitive race this year, Kratovil, the state's attorney for Queen Anne's County, leads Harris by 2,154 votes of the nearly 353,000 counted. About 8,000 ballots are still to be tallied.
The victory in a district that has been represented since 1991 by Republican Wayne T. Gilchrest gives Democrats seven of the state's eight House seats - for the time being, at least.
Though voter registration in the 1st District is divided almost evenly between the two parties, the district typically favors GOP candidates in statewide and national elections. And with difficult votes ahead on the financial crisis, health care, the Iraq war and other Democratic priorities, Kratovil can expect potential challengers to watch his every move.
Kratovil is mindful of the challenge ahead.
"I take it one day at a time," the 40-year-old prosecutor said yesterday. "I'm hopeful that when I get out and meet with the various leaders across the district, Republicans and Democrats, that I will be able to demonstrate to them that I will fight for them, regardless of who they are, regardless of where they're from."
Harris, 51, said last night that his candidacy ran into a national movement.
"The American people pretty clearly spoke last week with a fairly unified voice across the country, and I think they spoke with a voice in this district," he said. "I believe the pendulum will swing back in two years."
Asked whether he plans to run again for Congress, he said, "Never say never."
Matthew A. Crenson, a professor emeritus of political science at the Johns Hopkins University, credited Kratovil's success to an "extraordinary year" for Democrats and the emergence of Libertarian candidate Richard J. Davis as a spoiler. Running to the right of Harris, Davis received 8,632 votes, nearly four times the difference between the two front-runners.
Crenson said Kratovil won't be able to count on the same help in 2010.
