Brandon Scott Defeats Former Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon In Democratic Primary Nomination

The Baltimore mayor declared, '…it is safe to say, we are destined for a second term,' following a 5,000 vote lead over ex-Mayor Sheila Dixon.

Brandon Scott defeated former Mayor Sheila Dixon in the Democratic primary for Baltimore mayor on May 14.

With over 70% of precincts reporting late Tuesday night, Scott maintained a lead of 5,000 votes when the Associated Press called the race, according to CBS News. Though around 14,000 mail-in ballots remained uncounted, Scott declared, “…it is safe to say we are destined for a second term.” Dixon, however, stated, “We’re not giving up…It’s not over until it’s over,” vowing to wait until all votes are tallied by May 16.

Scott, originally elected mayor in 2020 after campaigning against Dixon, is now the heavy favorite in November’s general election in the predominantly Democratic city, according to the Associated Press. “Winning is not just a triumph, but a challenge to go further, to be better and to do more for Baltimore,” Scott said in a speech. “It’s a mandate to double down and work harder for this great city.”

Supporters chanted for four more years as the 40-year-old mayor, whose campaign addressed issues like public transit and homicide rates, celebrated. Homicide rates in Baltimore were below 300 last year for the first time in nearly a decade, a 20% annual decrease following the spark amid Freddie Gray’s 2015 death. Scott credited this positive trend, which continued in 2024, to his anti-violence strategies. “When I came into office, I said…we were going to look at crime and violence as a public health issue,” he stated during a candidate forum, noting investments in community organizations that strive beyond violence prevention but grant job resources for the youth.

As previously covered by BLACK ENTERPRISE, Scott faced criticism on X for being a “DEI mayor” after his response to the March 26 Francis Scott Key Bridge tragedy, with the mayor quipping DEI meant “duly elected incumbent.” Scott has used his platform to advocate for the underserved and Black community. In 2022, he joined BE‘s Black Men Xcel Summit fireside chat, discussing serving his city through the pandemic fallout, crime, law enforcement, and housing crises.