Maryland’s high-stakes Senate primary heads to the final stretch | STAFF COMMENTARY
With less than one week to go to Maryland’s May 14 primary election, it’s safe to say that many voters here have never experienced anything quite like the battle in the U.S. Senate primary among U.S. Rep. David Trone and Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, both Democrats, and Republican former governor, Larry Hogan.
The sheer volume of TV ads has been impressive, thanks in large part to Trone’s deep pockets, which have provided his campaign with at least $57 million. And the tone and tenor of the race have taken some dark turns that have kept people curious. Throw in the oddity of seeing Republican former Gov. Larry Hogan don a flak jacket in his own TV ad to show his border toughness (a subject he rarely broached during his eight years leading the state), and one gets the sensation that we’re not exactly in Kansas anymore. Or maybe that’s exactly where we are, because it sure isn’t looking like the Free State.
The contest to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin would have been historic enough simply by pitting Trone and his record spending against Alsobrooks and the prospect of Maryland electing her as its first Black woman in statewide office. But it’s gotten much messier, with matters of race and class turning into doubled-edged swords.
Some see Trone’s wealth as something that can insulate him from special interests and guarantee his independence. Yet supporters of Alsobrooks point to a concerning trail of Trone campaign contributions to Republican candidates who have a kinship with Donald Trump and his MAGA Republican views. Then there are the supposed slips of the tongue, such as when Trone mistakenly used a racist slur in place of the word “bugaboo” or, more recently, when he described elected officials in Prince George’s County who support Alsobrooks as “low-level folks” to contrast them with Attorney General Anthony Brown and Prince George’s State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy who support him. Trone supporters say their candidate was responding to charges that those who have endorsed him did so in exchange for past campaign contributions.
Some Democrats fret that these controversies and the relative tightness of the Democratic race will make for some lingering hard feelings no matter the outcome (polls show Trone with a 3-point advantage, which is a big drop from the double-digit lead he held as recently as last month). If so, it would be yet another break for Hogan, who seems to have been born under a lucky political star.
From spending millions of dollars on Korean COVID-19 test kits that didn’t work to the former chief of staff indcted on corruption charges who died on the lam, controversies never seem to stick to the son of the late U.S. Rep. Lawrence Hogan Sr.
Even the GOP primary has been a dream for the former governor. Despite being a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump, who remains popular with many core Republican voters, Hogan’s chief competitor in a crowded field is none other than perennial candidate and sports heckler Robin Ficker. Polls show Hogan up by roughly 60 points, a Titanic-versus-iceberg-level matchup.
Still, a lot can happen between now and November no matter who emerges victorious. And given how some see the outcome of this race as either party’s 51st vote in the Senate, the stakes could not be higher. One more wild card? Gov. Wes Moore, a rising star in Democratic politics (and potential Joe Biden successor), could prove a difference maker. He’s endorsed Alsobrooks and is making a strong final push for her in a TV ad; if he helps her beat the odds (and money) next week, it will also be a win for him. And if he can then help conquer the still-popular Hogan in November? That would not only pad his resume, it would earn him a lot of admirers on Capitol Hill. Of course, if he can’t, that will say something, too.
Baltimore Sun editorial writers offer opinions and analysis on news and issues relevant to readers. They operate separately from the newsroom.