The Silver Spring Penguin

Penguin readers called it: Donna Edwards pounced all over Maryland’s fourth Congressional district, wrestling the Democratic candidacy from long-time incumbent Rep Albert Wynn.

According to The Washington Post, Wynn conceded the race to Edwards late Tuesday night. He also threw support behind his challenger, whom he beat in the 2006 primary.

The Penguin exit poll predicted an Edwards landslide at 9:30 p.m., as polls closed after extended voting hours. A judge kept the Diebold booths running a little longer Tuesday night because icy weather slowed progress to the polls.

In The Penguin exit poll, Edwards scored 78 percent of the vote (18 out of 23), while Wynn scored about 22 percent. On Wednesday morning, the state’s board of elections reports Edwards bagging 67 percent (26,471) of the vote, and 27 percent (10,800) going to Wynn. However, precincts in Prince George’s County haven’t reported their numbers yet.

The fourth district includes the Twin Towers and Georgian Towers on the west side of Georgia Avenue, as well as Woodside Park, Fenton Village and swaths of Silver Spring east of the central business district. It also covers parts of Prince George’s County.

In the eighth Congressional district, incumbent Chris Van Hollen took the Democratic cake, pulling in 86 percent (12 out of 14) of Penguin poll participants. The state’s board of elections also called it for Van Hollen, with 88 percent (89,998) of the unofficial tally. Steve Hudson holds an unofficial lead (38 percent, or 7,877 votes) for the Republican candidacy, according to the state.

The eighth district includes the Ripley District, South Silver Spring and apartment complexes west of Georgia Avenue.

In line with The District and Virginia, Penguin poll participants gave Sen Barack Obama the win. The Illinois senator captured 82 percent (32 out of 39) of participants, while rival Sen Hillary Clinton (NY) tucked away 18 percent (7 out of 39) of the responses.

The board of elections called that race a little closer, giving 57 percent (256,506) of the unofficial count to Obama, and about 40 percent (173,932) to Clinton.

On the GOP side, Arizona Sen John McCain took the cake over former Arkansas Gov Mike Huckabee, 56 percent (104,241) to 30 percent (56,116). The Penguin exit poll called this one, too, though the numbers — 2 responses for McCain, 1 for Huckabee — were statistically too close to call.

The Penguin exit poll also couldn’t call the Republican race in the fourth Congressional district. The poll’s score: 2 responses for Robert Broadus, 1 for Michael Starkman. According to the state, Peter James beats them both, though precincts in Prince George’s County haven’t hollered yet.

The Penguin exit poll was conducted throughout the day Tuesday and holds no water in terms of statistical significance or scientific accuracy.

Photo: Democratic candidate Donna Edwards stumps for the fourth Congressional district seat (2007). Courtesy of Flickr user Frankensquish.

Updated Feb 13, 2007, at 8:25 a.m.