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Maryland governor calls special election to fill Cummings' seat

Elijah Cummings.
Photo: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) has called a special election for next year to fill the late Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings' 7th Congressional District seat.

The big picture: Cummings died earlier this month following long-standing health complications. He had been one of the most influential House Democrats. As chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, he was a leading figure in the impeachment inquiry against President Trump.

  • Candidates for the seat must file by Oct. 30. A primary will be held on Feb. 4, 2020, followed by a special general election on Apr. 28, 2020.
  • The general special election will be on the same day as the state's spring primary, "thereby avoiding the cost and confusion of multiple and additional Election Days," per a press release.

Between the lines: The district votes heavily Democratic, having gone for Cummings by over 76% in 2018.

What they're saying:

"It is imperative for the 7th Congressional District to have a strong voice in the House of Representatives, and today we are ensuring the process to fill this historic Maryland seat moves forward in a fair and timely manner."
— Larry Hogan

Go deeper: Elijah Cummings: Son of sharecropper eulogized by presidents

Elijah Cummings