Democrats face growing divide in Maryland Senate primary

Maryland’s Democratic Senate primary is becoming increasingly chaotic, with the party preparing to face former Gov. Larry Hogan (Republican) in November, and the possibility of an intra-party brawl.

Rep. David Trone (D-Md.), the party’s front-runner in the race, recently came under fire for using a racial slur during a budget hearing, for which he later apologized. In the ensuing debate, many House Democrats supported her Democratic primary rival, Angela Alsobrooks.

Meanwhile, recent polls show Mr. Hogan with a wide lead over both Democrats, and a chaotic primary leaves the party even more vulnerable in November’s election, which appeared to be an easy victory. There are growing concerns that this may happen.

“I hope not,” said Democratic strategist Andrew Feldman. “I am very concerned that if we lose focus on our real goals, we could lose this seat in November.”

In a hypothetical matchup, Hogan led Tron with a 49% approval rating to 37%, according to a Washington Post University of Maryland poll released last week. The difference between Hogan and Alsobrooks was even wider, 50% to 36%.

Others are dismissing the polls so far, saying it’s too early and the Democratic message is just getting started. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the race as “likely to be Democratic.”

“Polling in the general election race right now is completely worthless,” said Justin Balasky, a Democratic strategist who served as senior adviser to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in 2020.

Mr. Tron, founder and co-owner of Total Wine and More, has used his personal wealth to his advantage. The congressman went all-in on the airwaves, spending a whopping $13.7 million between last September and the end of the year. Tron has poured a total of $23.3 million into the race this cycle.

Allbrooks, meanwhile, relies on outside donations, raising $1.78 million in the fourth quarter of this year.

“This primary is going to be a lopsided spending battle,” Feldman said.

Most polls show Tron with a clear lead. According to the same University of Maryland survey after the University of Washington, Tron University has a seven-point lead over Allsbrooks University.

But Tron suffered a blow this week following the controversy that erupted over racial slurs he made on Capitol Hill. The lawmaker later said that was a mistake.

“I tried to use the word ‘bugaboo’ during the public hearing, but I misspoken it and accidentally used an offensive term,” Tron said. “Now that I know the meaning of the word, I deeply regret and apologize for using it incorrectly.”

In the days following the incident, Rep. Barbara Lee (California), Rep. Gregory Meeks (New York), Rep. Joyce Beatty (Ohio), Rep. Yvette Clark (New York), and Rep. Jasmine Crockett Five Black House Democrats, including (Texas), formally endorsed Allbrooks. , he’s also black.

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), a member of the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack, also supported Mr. Alsobrooks amid the uproar.

Albrooks touted his support this week, noting the coalition’s growth.

“These leaders know my record, they know the kind of public servant I am, and they know that I will deliver results for the people of Maryland in the U.S. Senate.” she told The Hill.

Tron also has high-profile endorsements from several members of Congress, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) .

“They know that I’m the only candidate in this race with a track record of passing progressive legislation in a divided Senate. That’s what it’s all about,” Tron said. He spoke, referring to his supporters.

“People care less about what career politicians say about each other and more about who will work best and pull through the gridlock in Washington to get things done for Maryland families.” I’m focused on seeing if I can do it.”

But some Democrats are not convinced that contesting the primary will ultimately influence the choices of Democratic voters.

“Who can deliver the message that will most resonate with primary voters?” Feldman said. “If you can’t tell the story, there’s not much point in supporting it.”

Albrooks’ supporters acknowledge that she has an uphill climb against Tron and his resources, but point out that the endorsement is a sign of momentum.

“It’s very much David and Goliath,” said an adviser to the Allsbrooks campaign. “What you’re seeing now are people who really, really need a Democratic majority in the Senate. So you’re thinking, ‘Oh my God, we have to win in November, who are the Democrats?’ I think you’re seeing a rush of people saying, ‘Who’s the best person to do that? ”

“What people are wondering about is which candidate in the primary can particularly energize their base. I think from the support side, people think it’s Angela. ” said the advisor.

Mr. Albrooks and Mr. Tron have already taken shots at each other since they each announced their candidacies for the Senate.

“There’s going to be a lot of comparative campaigning, and to the extent that there’s negative campaigning, I think it’s going to be more focused on character, because the fact of the matter is, there’s not a dime’s worth of difference between the two on this issue. ” said Len Foxwell, a veteran Democratic strategist based in Maryland.

Gina Ford, director of public affairs for Allbrooks County, told The Hill that the county leadership is “focused on her impressive track record, progressive vision, and ability to empathize and connect with Marylanders.” “We are running a positive campaign.”

“And that’s exactly the kind of campaign she’s going to continue to run,” Ford said. “What’s clear is that Angela is the candidate who can best sway the core constituencies of the Democratic Party. We need that to defeat Larry Hogan in November.”

Meanwhile, Tron told The Hill that Democrats need to focus their efforts on defeating Hogan in November.

“Voters don’t want to hear negative attacks,” he said. “They want to know who we are, what we stand for, and how we will improve their lives. Most importantly, voters are our top priority. We understand that the point is to beat Larry Hogan and Mitch McConnell in November.”

No matter how many attacks are launched during the primary, many Democrats say they are confident in either candidate’s ability to defeat Hogan.

“The reality is that the gubernatorial race and the U.S. Senate race are completely different and are fought in completely different ways,” Foxwell said.

“In both politics and business, competition makes for better products. Whoever emerges from this Democratic primary will be stronger for having gone through a highly controversial primary campaign. ”