In Baltimore’s competitive and crowded Democratic primary for mayor, not all was what it seemed as early voting began.

Both Scott and Dixon spent heavily. Scott reported $788,000 of expenditures, mostly on media buys. Dixon reported $506,000, most of which also went toward ads.

Former city and state prosecutor Thiru Vignarajah says he is dropping out of the Baltimore City mayoral race and will be endorsing former mayor Sheila Dixon. However, a senior official in current Mayor Brandon Scott's campaign accused Vignarajah of selling his endorsement in exchange for a high-level position in the city.

Vignarajah’s exit sets up a scenario typically unseen in Baltimore’s crowded campaigns: a near head-to-head matchup. Scott, the city’s mayor of four years, and Dixon, who held the position for three, will now duke it out for the remainder of early voting, which ends May 9, and on primary day, held May 14.