By D. Kevin McNeir
and Stephanie Harper
Special to the AFRO
Rep. David Trone shelled out more than $61 million of his own money in his bid for the U.S. Senate, outspending his opponent, Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks by a 10 to 1 margin.
In the end, it wasn’t enough.
Not only did Alsobrooks defeat the three-term congressman– she did it by a margin larger than experts had predicted on primary election day.
According to unofficial 2024 primary election results from the Maryland Board of Elections (BOE), as of 5 a.m. on May 15, Alsobrooks had captured 60.51 percent of the votes counted, with 38,579 residents selecting her name on the ballot. Election officials are still tallying provisional ballots in all races held.
On the Republican side, former Maryland governor Larry Hogan easily defeated his opponents to secure his party’s nomination, garnering 67.12 percent of the votes, according to the Maryland BOE. And while he’s facing long odds in the deep blue state where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2 to 1, Hogan has shown that he can win, even among Democrats. In 2014 and 2018, Democrats chose him for governor at 25 percent and 28 percent, respectively.
The primary election for U.S. Senate in Maryland gained national attention after Senator Ben Cardin (D), who has been in office since 2007 announced that he would not run for reelection, and then Hogan, with the prompting of several high profile Republicans, decided to enter the race.
During his acceptance speech, Hogan, who has been one of the most outspoken Republicans when publicly criticizing Donald Trump, said he’s an independent thinker and promised Marylanders that he would support a women’s right to choose.
To her credit, Alsobrooks’ campaign, with just $8 million in her war chest, relied on the more traditional grassroots approach, as she crisscrossed the state for nearly a year while strategically winning over a majority of the state’s political elite, racking in endorsements from Democrats that included Maryland Governor Wes Moore; U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (Md.); Rep. Jamie Raskin (Md.); Rep. Glen Ivey (Md.); Baltimore City Mayor Brandon M. Scott and fellow Maryland county executives for Howard, Baltimore, Montgomery, Charles and Anne Arundel counties.
Alsobrooks consolidated support from counties with significant Black voting populations, including Prince George’s and Charles counties and Baltimore City. More than half, or 56 percent, of the State’s African Americans live in two jurisdictions: Prince George’s County and Baltimore City.
While Trone engaged in campaign tactics some decried as negative, particularly in many of his commercials, Alsobrooks refused to do the same. Instead, she has taken a page out of the book of former first lady Michelle Obama, who has repeatedly advised Democrats, “when they go low, we go high.”
Alsobrooks, who took the lion share of the vote among early voters, jumped out to an early lead less than 15 minutes after the polls closed on Tuesday night and never looked back.
Before speaking to her constituents, Moore, Maryland’s first Black governor and an ardent supporter of Alsobrooks, got a packed room of supporters in Greenbelt, MD, excited.
“She’s been known to be the one to put things together and I can’t think of anyone else who will get the job done,” said Moore.
Then, Alsobrooks took the stage.
“I have so many people to thank, but first I have to recognize my parents who raised me with deep faith, love and the belief that there was a place for me,” she said. “And Marylanders, there’s a place for you, too.”
She also thanked her “North Star” – her daughter.
“My daughter is the reason that I ran because all of our children deserve the chance to live, to grow and to be safe,” she said.
Then, as if she could hardly contain her excitement over what she and her team had accomplished, Alsobrooks said, “Tonight, we’ve made history.”
The next few months will be crucial for Alsobrooks, as the general election day nears.
She said that despite being a blue state, Maryland can ill-afford to take Hogan or the Democratic Party’s chance of winning for granted. Alsbrooks is determined to push forward.
“I am not weary and I hope in the next few months I have the opportunity to show all those that I am not weary,” she said. “There have been statements from the other side that I can’t do the job, but we know I can and will see Governor Hogan in November.”
Alsobrooks made it clear that, with her team, she is determined to take Maryland to the Senate with clear intentions and purpose.
During his brief concession speech, Trone congratulated his opponent, although he never called her by name, and asked those who voted for him to give Alsobrooks their support.
“We’ve got to hold the Senate,” he said.
Should Alsobrooks defeat Hogan in the general election she will make history as the first Black person from Maryland to go to the Senate.
If the people of Maryland choose her again in November, she will become only the third Black woman elected to the U.S. Senate in American history. Last year, California’s Laphonza Butler was appointed to replace the late Dianne Feinstein, but prior to that, Carole Moseley Braun served from 1993 to 1999 in Illinois, and Kamala Harris was elected to serve California from 2017 to 2021, before ascending to the seat of U.S. vice president.
The AFRO spoke with Alsobrooks supporter, Wendy Finley, from Suitland, Md.
“She was not only born and raised in Prince George’s County, but she connects with the people, understands the people, and is very involved. From what I see, she comes down to her community, especially her senior population, which supports her thoroughly,” said Finley. “She talks with them and I haven’t seen other county executives do something like that.”
Stephen Thomas, owner of Sweet Tooth Café and resident of Upper Marlboro, Md. also spoke with the AFRO.
“I remember Alsobrooks when she was the State Attorney and she had a reentry program for returning citizens. The program allowed them to complete their GEDs, have their records expunged and assist with job reentry,” said Thomas. “She proved that she has passion and concern for the people that live in her community. She stamped out violent crimes in her county by 50 percent and strived through COVID with her efforts.”
Chonya Johnson, Prince George’s County resident, told the AFRO that Alsobrooks has “been a friend and colleague of more than 20 years.”
“She has consistently proven herself as a leader that I would put my trust in. She represents the values and principles that I stand on,” said Johnson.
Alsobrooks supporters shouted in jubilation at her victory and primary election night and attributed it to accomplishments such as advocating and winning the bid for the relocation of the FBI headquarters to Greenbelt, and securing $67 million from the state for a new cancer center. Celebrating well into the evening, the supporters, media, friends and family enjoyed the election victory and the party that followed.
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