Lara Westdorp unseats state Sen. Bill Folden in Frederick County
The upset expands the Democratic Senate majority to 35 of 47 seats while Folden attributes his loss to national political frustrations.
By Nia Foster ·
Lara Westdorp defeated Republican state Sen. Bill Folden in Frederick County on Saturday. The result increases the number of Democrats in the Maryland Senate to 35 out of 47 seats. Westdorp expressed confidence in her victory in a statement on Saturday morning, despite remaining ballots to count.
Westdorp serves as the owner of a Frederick reflexology business. She previously worked as chief of staff to former state Sen. Ron Young and has held positions on various county government boards. The Senate Democratic Caucus provided financial and resource backing for her campaign. A new slate organized by Democratic women senators also supported her. Sen. Cheryl Kagan, a Montgomery Democrat and organizer of that group, stated the majority of the $175,000 raised by the slate went to Westdorp. Kagan noted that the group recognized a strong candidate in a district others might have overlooked.
Folden, a retired police officer and sheriff’s deputy, first entered the state Senate in 2022 after serving in the House of Delegates. He represented a conservative law-and-order perspective on the Judicial Proceedings Committee. He often clashed with more liberal members regarding criminal justice issues. Folden said he planned to call Westdorp to concede the race. He stated he had no regrets about his service or his campaign strategy.
Folden attributed his defeat to voter frustration with President Donald Trump. He described the vote as a repudiation of the president and his policies. He characterized the political shift as a blue tsunami rather than a blue wave. He said there was nothing he or his team could have done differently to change the outcome.
Folden recalled the final hours of his legislative session as miserable. He engaged in a heated discussion with the Senate chief of staff over legislation concerning the Frederick sheriff’s salary. Senate President Bill Ferguson sent a state trooper to intervene in the dispute. Folden said Ferguson had broken his word regarding the bill. He expressed disappointment that Republican voices in Annapolis may become further diminished.
Folden said he is ready to move on from the office. He described his time in the Senate as an opportunity to improve conditions for his home community and for Maryland. He said the team fell short in this effort. He added that he was never defined by the title of senator.
Counting continues in several House of Delegates races. Democrats are likely to expand their majority in the lower chamber as well. Westdorp’s win adds one more seat to the Democratic control in the Senate.
