In my earlier count, I missed a surprise Democratic Senate pickup.

Democrats lost Districts 38 and 42 for the Senate. But they look to have pulled an upset in Howard/Carroll District 8 where Sen. Gail Bates narrowly trails Katie Fry Hester. Right now, Hester leads Bates by 154 votes, or 0.2%.

In District 9, absentee ballots have thus far been received from 1082 Democrats, 693 Republicans, and 348 unaffiliated and minor party registrants. These numbers don’t bode well for Bates. While Democrats compose 39% of active registered voters, they comprise 51% of received absentees.

Yet more evidence that Larry Hogan had no coattails.