Baltimore Sheriff Sam Cogen conceded the race for his job Thursday, cementing an upset victory for Sabrina Tapp-Harper that was all but assured on primary election day.

In an open letter to Tapp-Harper sent Thursday afternoon, Cogen said he would have liked to continue serving as sheriff but understood “the importance of this moment, not just for you but for the people that you will inspire as an example and role model.”

“The voters have decided that you possess the leadership and experience to serve well, and it is my sincere hope that you will be highly successful,” he wrote.

Tapp-Harper, a retired Baltimore Police major and former commander in the sheriff’s office, will become the first woman to lead the agency in its 181-year history. With no Republican candidate in November’s general election, winning the Democratic primary secures the post.

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The concession came as ballot counting continued at the Baltimore City Board of Elections. Officials resumed canvassing mail ballots Thursday morning, but have not yet released results. On election day, Tapp-Harper took a nearly 5,000-vote lead over Cogen.

The race was a grudge match of sorts. For years, Cogen and Tapp-Harper worked side by side in the sheriff’s office as commanders under John Anderson, who held the position for more than 30 years. In 2022, with the backing of numerous members of the City Council, Cogen unseated Anderson.

As the department’s leader, Cogen forced Tapp-Harper from her job. She sued him two years later, alleging discrimination and retaliation, and the case remains pending — they both sat for depositions in the waning weeks of the campaign.

Cogen had a significant fundraising advantage in the race and the support of many of the area’s elected leaders, including Gov. Wes Moore and Baltimore State’s Attorney Ivan Bates. Tapp-Harper ran a budget campaign, but emphasized an endorsement from Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott. Cogen backed Scott’s opponent in the 2024 mayoral race.

In her campaign mailers, Tapp-Harper said she would collaborate with the Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services to find shelter for people evicted by her office. She also pledged to use the sheriff’s office to assist with the mayor’s violence intervention efforts.

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A 26-year veteran of the Baltimore Police Department who led sexual assault investigations, Tapp-Harper emphasized her law enforcement experience after an internal poll showed it resonated with voters. Mailers, which were sent to a targeted list of voters over age 50, showed her in uniform, as did signs that dotted the city.

The sheriff’s deputies union vocally opposed Cogen’s reelection, as did the Baltimore Police Fraternal Order of Police lodge, which chided him for his role in the filing of charges against officers in the Freddie Gray case 11 years earlier.

During his four-year term, Cogen made good on campaign promises to modernize the sheriff’s office. He made social workers available during the eviction process, which is overseen by the sheriff, and expanded the department’s assistance to other law enforcement agencies.

In his letter to Tapp-Harper, Cogen offered to assist her administration with the transition — a process he has said in interviews that Anderson made difficult when he took office four years ago.

“It is important to me that my outgoing administration is helpful to you and does not commit your new administration to any decisions that would adversely impact or hamper your ability to manage,” he wrote.

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Kaye Whitehead, a professor and radio host on WEAA, said she felt race and gender contributed to Tapp-Harper’s win. She pointed to research that has found women are less likely to use excess force on the job.

“She’s a seasoned mature woman who has survived in that environment,” Whitehead said.

Whitehead, who had both Tapp-Harper and Cogen as guests on her show, said she didn’t believe voters were upset with Cogen’s job performance. Tapp-Harper did not run a negative campaign against Cogen. Ultimately, the mayor’s endorsement carried weight, she said.

“It made them question the efficacy of the incumbent,” she said. ”If Sam Cogen is doing such a good job, why is his direct supervisor, of sorts, not supporting him?”