Brian Witte/Associated Press
The Maryland Democratic Party selected Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks as its Senate candidate in Tuesday's primary election, defeating a handful of Democrats, including U.S. Rep. David Tron. Her victory sets up a key race for the party to maintain control of the chamber this fall.
Albrooks will face former Gov. Larry Hogan, who easily won the Republican nomination and gave the party its best chance to win Maryland's first Senate seat since 1980.
On Tuesday night, Trone conceded in the Democratic race but endorsed Albrooks and urged his supporters to move forward by re-electing President Joe Biden.
“We can't let the Trump party take over the Senate,” he said. “We can't let them take our country away.”
Incumbent Sen. Ben Cardin, 80, announced last year that he would not seek a fourth term. This sparked a race within the Democratic Party to replace him, with Mr. Alsobrooks and Mr. Trone quickly rising to the top of the list. The winner of the two clashes was expected to win the seat in the autumn elections.
Susan Walsh/Associated Press
However, on February 9, the final day to submit candidates for the primary, Hogan announced that he would seek the Republican nomination after consulting with Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and former President George W. Bush. . The popular 67-year-old two-term governor is portrayed as a moderate, mainly because he criticizes former President Donald Trump, but he has so far shown no interest in running for president, instead He was making noise about the possibility of running for election.
Allbrooks is in his second term as county executive of Prince George's County, a suburb of Washington, D.C. She previously served as state's attorney for the second most populous county in the state. If she is elected, Allbrooks, 52, would be the third Black woman ever elected to the Senate, and she would be the first from Maryland. She had the support of most of the state's Democratic establishment, including Governor Wes Moore.
Mr. Tron poured a lot of money into his hopes for the Senate, but he could not win. He is in his third term in Congress representing Maryland's 6th District, which comprises the westernmost part of the state. The 68-year-old co-founder of the national liquor store chain Total Wine and More has largely self-funded his campaign, spending more than $60 million.
Hogan easily won the Republican primary with two-thirds of the vote. The only other candidate with double-digit support was Robin Ficker. He was a long-time candidate and disbarred attorney known for his jeers at Washington Bullets (now Wizards) games at the Capital Center in Landover.
“Like you, I'm completely fed up with the politics as usual in Washington. Politicians on both sides of the aisle aren't doing anything to actually do something for the people they represent. They seem more interested in attacking each other than they are,” Hogan said. Supporters attending the opening night in Annapolis.
“I don't come from the performing arts school of politics. I come from the school of working and getting things done, and I'll work with anyone who wants to do the people's work. Most Marylanders and most Americans People like that.''The combination of frank talk and empty rhetoric makes them think it's time to talk less and do more.''
Polls showed a close race, and Hogan benefited from his statewide name recognition and popularity as governor. But the latest poll conducted this month by Public Policy Polling and Emerson College shows Mr. Hogan trailing Mr. Alsobrooks. The PPP poll had her winning 46% to 37%, with 17% undecided, while the Emerson College poll had Albrooks up 48% to 38%, with 14% undecided.
Charles Mathias was the last Republican to win an election to the Maryland Senate, winning his third and final term in 1980. The closest the party came to victory this century was in 2006, when Mr. Cardan defeated the then-lieutenant governor and lieutenant governor to win his first term. Future Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele was 54-44%.