Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks made Maryland history on Tuesday night – and she could top that achievement in November.
Alsobrooks won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in a tight race with U.S. Rep. Dennis Trone.
She will face Larry Hogan, Maryland’s former governor, as the Republican winner. Alsobrooks would be the first Black Senator from Maryland if she prevails.
“My name is Angela Alsobrooks, and I am officially your Democratic nominee in Maryland’s Senate race,” Alsobrooks wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Alsobrooks trailed Trone in early voting numbers, while the Trone campaign had to take back and clarify certain comments that some argued undermined his opponent and her supporters.
Trone donated over $60 million to his campaign, among the largest self-financed campaigns in American political history. While, Alsobrooks boasted the support of major state leaders, including Gov. Wes Moore (D), Comptroller Brooke Lierman (D), and most of Maryland’s congressional delegation.
The Associated Press called the race for Alsobrooks at 8:55 p.m. CDT on election night. Alsobrooks, Gov. Moore and union workers gathered that evening in Greenbelt, Maryland pledging to continue their efforts into the general election.
“On November 5, 2024, we are going to defeat Larry Hogan, keep Maryland blue, and keep our Senate under Democratic control — spread the word,” Alsobrooks declared on social media.
Marylanders came out to vote even before Tuesday. Just over 150,000 votes were received prior to Election Day, roughly 4% turnout in a year, without contested presidential primaries for either major political party. Mailed ballots can now be counted prior to Election Day, and the election results become available online as soon as the polls close and precincts begin to report.
“This is about what kind of Maryland we’re building, about reproductive rights for our daughters and for women. It is about privacy and freedom to make our own choices, it is about economic opportunity,” Alsobrooks said in an interview Monday.
“The message hasn’t changed, it’s about democracy and freedom and you know, the soul of our country, really.”
The Mayland primary also exposed weakness in Donald Trump’s bid for the presidency.
While she officially dropped from the campaign 70 days before the primary, Republican Nikki Haley won 20% of the vote.
Biden-Harris 2024 Spokesperson Ammar Moussa released the following statement:
“Donald Trump, his barely existent campaign, failed record, and toxic agenda lost tens of thousands of Republican voters to Nikki Haley,” said Biden-Harris 2024 Spokesperson Ammar Moussa.
“Trump enters the general election as a weak candidate, unable to build the coalition needed to win 270 electoral votes. [He] and his allies mocked Haley supporters and told moderate voters he doesn’t need them – and now these voters are saying they don’t want him either.
“As President Biden has said, there is a place for Haley voters in our campaign and he believes we can find common ground.”
Democrats are defending seats in swing states including Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and Nevada. Alsobrooks says she is best positioned to defeat Hogan, pointing to an Emerson College poll that showed she led Hogan in a hypothetical matchup, 48% to 38% with 14% undecided.
