In the annals of Maryland politics, few names carry the quiet weight of Professor Len Foxwell. A former Deputy Comptroller, longtime Johns Hopkins professor, and the strategic mind behind Peter Franchot’s statewide dominance, Foxwell has helped guide campaigns that have won in counties where Democrats rarely tread. His fingerprints are on victories that defied conventional wisdom, and his understanding of Maryland’s political terrain is unmatched.
So when I asked him, “Haven’t you won every county in the state at some point?”—his answer was telling:
> “Just one. Garrett. Ironic, since it is Maryland's most endearing exemplar of democracy. A rock-ribbed GOP stronghold, its elected leaders have a time-honored tradition of reaching out in a spirit of friendship to the other side. Folks like George Edwards and Mike McKay have routinely attended the Democratic Party dinners, for instance. A charming anachronism.”
That’s not just a quote. That’s a political love letter to a county that has never bent to the winds of partisanship, but has always stood firm in its values—with dignity, grace, and a neighborly spirit.
🏔️ Garrett County: The Last Red Bastion
Garrett County is Maryland’s westernmost and most Republican county. It’s rural, mountainous, and deeply conservative. But unlike the caricatures often drawn of red America, Garrett is not hostile, not reactionary, and certainly not closed-minded. It is, as Foxwell says, “a charming anachronism”—a place where Republicans still believe in civility, and where Democrats are treated as neighbors, not enemies.
In an era of scorched-earth politics, Garrett stands out for its graceful partisanship. Its leaders, like George Edwards and Mike McKay, don’t just tolerate the other side. They show up. They attend Democratic dinners. They shake hands. They listen.
When you're trying to understand just how Republican Garrett County is, you need to realize that the last Democratic presidential candidate to win Garrett County was 61 years ago was LBJ in 1964 in his massive win after the assassination of John Kennedy.
🧠 Foxwell: The Architect of Democratic Reach
Foxwell’s career is a masterclass in strategic empathy. He didn’t just help Franchot win in blue counties—he helped him win in red ones, too. That kind of success requires more than data. It requires understanding people. It requires knowing that a Democrat in Montgomery County isn’t the same as a Democrat in Washington County, and that winning in rural Maryland means respecting its culture.
That’s why Garrett County remains his white whale, not because it’s unwinnable, but because it’s unshakably principled. And that’s something to admire.
🧭 The Good Republicans
In my Everybody’s Maryland Politics group, I sometimes refer to a select few as “the good Republicans.” Garrett County is full of them. These are people who:
- Believe in limited government, but also in community responsibility.
- Defend gun rights, but also respect civil discourse.
- Uphold Christian values, but don’t weaponize them.
- Vote red, but don’t demonize blue.
They are, in many ways, what the Republican Party once aspired to be—and what it still is, in pockets like Garrett.
🗳️ Final Thoughts
We don’t lose in Garrett County because they’re bad people. We lose because they’re great people—steadfast in their beliefs, generous in their hospitality, and loyal to a tradition of respectful conservatism. And if Len Foxwell, one of the greatest political minds Maryland has ever produced, tips his hat to Garrett as “Maryland’s most endearing exemplar of democracy,” then maybe it’s time we all did.
Let’s stop trying to flip Garrett. Let’s start trying to learn from it. There will be a Blue Wave in Garrett County in 2026, but it's only going to increase the Democratic totals by 1 to 3%. The lowest in the state and won't be enough to get anybody over the finish line.