Maryland House, Senate Races Could Determine Control of Congress

A voter casts their ballot at a polling place at the Baltimore War Memorial Building during the midterm primary election in Baltimore, Md., on July 19, 2022. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

SILVER SPRING, Md.—Two key contests in Maryland could help determine control of Congress come January: the races for the Senate and the Sixth Congressional District.

In a movie theater in downtown Silver Spring, Rep. David Trone (D-Md.) led a chant one week ahead of the May 14 primary: he said “Beat” and his supporters responded “Hogan!”

They were referring to former Gov. Larry Hogan, who is virtually assured of winning the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat for the Old Line State.

Until February, the race to succeed retiring Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) appeared to be safe for Democrats until Mr. Hogan, who was popular as governor between 2015 and 2023, joined the contest.

Maryland hasn’t had a Republican in the Senate for nearly 40 years. The unexpectedly competitive race for Mr. Cardin’s seat may well decide who controls the Senate, as Republicans look to flip the chamber by targeting vulnerable Democrats in a handful of states.

In addition to Mr. Trone, the only other main Democrat in the primary is Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks.

Similar Platforms

Mr. Trone, 68, and Ms. Alsobrooks, 53, are running on similar platforms including passing both immigration and criminal justice reform, protecting access to abortion, advocating for veterans, and preserving American democracy. They both support eliminating the filibuster, which requires 60 votes to proceed to pass most legislation in the Senate.

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Polls show Mr. Trone leading Ms. Alsobrooks.

An April 16 poll by the Baltimore Sun showed Mr. Trone leading Ms. Alsobrooks, 50 percent to 38 percent, respectively. A Goucher College poll from April 2 had Mr. Trone with 42 percent of the vote and Ms. Alsobrooks with 33 percent. A March 20 Washington Post-University of Maryland poll showed Mr. Trone with 34 percent of the vote and Ms. Alsobrooks with 27 percent.

Ms. Alsobrooks has been endorsed by Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Senate President Pro Tempore Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Maryland Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller, Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson, Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates Adrienne Jones, and four of the seven Democrat members of the House from Maryland.

Mr. Trone, meanwhile, has been endorsed by Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown and 66 House members, with Rep. C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger III (D-Md.) being the only member of the Maryland congressional delegation to back him.

Ms. Alsobrooks trails significantly in the fundraising game.

As of April 24, Mr. Trone, a millionaire from running an alcohol business, poured more than $54 million of his own money into the race, according to the Federal Election Commission (FEC). He has received $817,000 in outside contributions. He has over $3.7 million on hand.

As of April 24, Ms. Alsobrooks has raised almost $7.8 million and spent almost $5.9 million. She has just over $1.9 million remaining.

Nonetheless, polls show both Mr. Trone and Ms. Alsobrooks losing to Mr. Hogan.

In an April 16 Baltimore Sun poll, Mr. Hogan lead Mr. Trone, 53 percent to 40 percent, respectively. An April 2 Goucher College poll showed Mr. Hogan leading Mr. Trone by just 1 percentage point, 43 percent to 42 percent, respectively. A March 20 Washington Post-University of Maryland poll had Mr. Hogan with 49 percent of the vote to Trone having 37 percent.

Race to Succeed Mr. Trone

Maryland’s Sixth Congressional District could be key in determining who controls the House of Representatives come next January as the Democrats look to keep the seat.

The major Democrat candidates looking to succeed Mr. Trone, who has been representing the district since January 2019, are Maryland state Del. Joe Vogel and April McClain-Delaney, the wife of former U.S. Rep. John Delaney (D-Md.), who unsuccessfully ran for president in 2020. Ms. McClain-Delaney last worked in the Biden administration.

The district encompasses five suburban counties including Montgomery County, which borders the nation’s capital. It is Maryland’s only swing district, with the nonpartisan Cook Political Report having it lean Democrat by 6 percentage points based on the average margins of how the district voted in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections.

Mr. Vogel, 27, previously worked on the 2020 presidential campaign of Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), one of 11 members of Congress who have endorsed him.

Mr. Vogel raised almost $687,000 between Oct. 1 and April 24, according to the latest data from the FEC. During that period, he spent almost $570,000 and has more than $117,000 on hand.

Ms. McClain-Delaney has been endorsed by Reps. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and Mr. Ruppersberger.

Ms. McClain-Delaney raised more than $1.9 million between Oct. 1 and April 24, according to the latest FEC data. During that period, she spent nearly $1.2 million and has more than $767,000 remaining.

Mr. Vogel went after Ms. McClain-Delaney for her family being associated with conservative figures including former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, and former House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.). He also criticized her for donating to the campaign of former Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.).

The Epoch Times reached out to the McClain-Delaney campaign for comment about the criticisms.

Mr. Vogel and Ms. McClain-Delaney’s platforms are similar as they include protecting access to abortion, advocating for LGBT people like Mr. Vogel himself, and enacting stricter gun laws.

On the GOP side, the major candidates in the primary are former Maryland state Delegates Dan Cox and Neil Parrott. Mr. Cox was the GOP gubernatorial nominee in 2022, losing to Mr. Moore.

Both are running on similar platforms, including lowering taxes, securing the border, and public safety. An issue not in their platforms is abortion, which has been a losing issue for the GOP in referendum votes that have enshrined abortion as a fundamental right in the constitutions of states such as Ohio.

Additionally, while Mr. Cox touts his support for former President Donald Trump, Mr. Parrott makes no mention of the former president on his website.

As of April 24, Mr. Parrott has raised more than $271,000 and spent almost $147,000, leaving him with more than $163,000 remaining, according to the FEC.

Mr. Cox has raised more than $123,000, including loaning $3,000 of his own money to the campaign, and spent almost $99,900, leaving him with $23,425 as of April 24, according to the FEC.