Maryland voters may play a pivotal role in determining which political party will control the U.S. Senate for the next four years. The closely watched race features former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, running as a Republican, against current Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, the Democratic candidate. This highly competitive contest has already attracted over $84.6 million in combined donations, as reported by The Washington Post in October.
Alsobrooks, who previously served as Prince George’s County State’s Attorney for eight years, was elected twice as County Executive and is now setting her sights on the U.S. Senate. If successful, she would be Maryland’s first Black U.S. Senator and one of the few Black women to serve in Congress. Despite having two years remaining in her term, Alsobrooks is running in the Democratic primary for the Senate seat.
Her campaign has faced challenges. In April, her Montgomery County campaign office was burglarized, with campaign materials thrown away and personal items stolen, including a guitar. Alsobrooks expressed her dismay, stating, “It’s disconcerting to see our materials trashed and someone’s property taken.”
In addition, Alsobrooks faced scrutiny in October when it was revealed she had received improper property tax credits in both D.C. and Maryland. She had been granted a Maryland homestead tax exemption, intended only for primary residences, as well as a senior citizens’ tax break on her D.C. property. A senior adviser clarified that Alsobrooks took immediate steps to repay the $47,580 owed once the mistake was identified.
Alsobrooks has described herself as someone who has “always been the underdog.” Her nomination earlier this year was a stunning upset for Rep. David Trone (D-MD), who poured over $60 million of his own money into a contentious primary.
Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), the head of Senate Democrats’ campaign efforts, lauded Alsobrooks at the DNC as a “talented” and “passionate” candidate but acknowledged she could benefit from greater name recognition against a well-known figure like Hogan.
“She cares deeply about Maryland, but she needs to be better known in the state,” Peters told the Washington Examiner ahead of her DNC speech. “This gives her a platform to let people know about who she is, what makes her tick, and what she’s passionate about.”
Alsobrooks also said that was exactly why she was out on the campaign trail.
“The way to grow your name ID is to go out and actually talk to [Marylanders], and that’s what we’ve done,” she said. “I’ve enjoyed doing it, and I’m going to continue to do it.”
