Election Guide: Howard County 2012

Need a breakdown of which politicians are running for seats in Howard County?

Congressional District 2

Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger: The incumbent Democrat was first elected to Congress in 2002 and has previously served two terms as the Baltimore county executive and two more on the Baltimore County Council. If re-elected, Ruppersberger would serve parts of Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Harford and Howard counties, as well as Baltimore City.

Nancy Jacobs: The four-term Maryland Republican from Harford County currently represents Harford and Cecil counties and would not have to give up her seat on the state Senate unless she defeated Ruppersberger.

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Congressional District 7

Rep. Elijah Cummings: The incumbent Democrat has served in the House since 1996 and before that, he served in the House of Delegates for 14 years, according to his website. If re-elected, he would serve parts of Baltimore City as well parts of Baltimore and Howard counties.

Frank Mirabile Jr.: The Republican from Catonsville describes himself as a small business owner and married father of four. He has also ran against Cummings in 2010 for a U.S. House seat.

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Congressional District 3

Rep. John Sarbanes, a Democrat, is seeking a fourth term in Maryland’s 3rd congressional district. If re-elected, the Towson resident will represent parts of Baltimore, Howard, Anne Arundel and Montgomery Counties as well as parts of Baltimore City in the newly reconfigured district. Sarbanes made headlines in May when he announced that the majority of his campaign funds would come from small donors. In 2010, he was re-elected with 61 percent of the district’s vote.

Eric Knowles: No one is predicting a close race in Maryland's Congressional 3rd District, but if someone is going to upset Democratic incumbent Rep. John Sarbanes, it's the Republican Knowles. The son of a former Green Beret and police officer, Knowles calls himself a strict constitutionalist who says the nation's economic problems can be solved if the government prints less money.

Paul Drgos: A computer programmer by trade, Drgos is the Libertarian candidate that has been working in Beltsville, MD for the last 8 years. Raised in Pasadena, MD, he still lives there. He's a single father of four children. Drgos said he believes the federal government has grown too large and must be cut, supports legalization of marijuana and ending the income tax, opposes the indefinite detention provisions of the NDA and the Patriot Act and wants to bring the troops home from the more than 150 nations in which they are stationed.

See a breakdown of ballot questions here: Election Guide: Prince George's County County 2012