Just days after the historic Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Democratic Senate nominee Angela Alsobrooks is already back on the campaign trail as she gears up for a highly contested race against former Maryland governor Larry Hogan.
“I don’t know how many of you have ever had the experience of having your heart do its own thing,” she told a crowd whom convened at a brewery in Prince George’s County, Maryland, where she currently serves as the county executive. “But the moment I walked out, I knew I was representing all of you all.”
Alsobrooks’s energy in her crucial race for Democrats reflects the optimism surging through down-ballot candidates with Vice President Kamala Harris leading their ticket and Senate control on the line. A loss by Alsobrooks in Maryland to popular former GOP Gov. Larry Hogan, or in any of the seven other states where Democrats face tight races, would hand the Senate to the GOP.
Alsobrooks has increasingly aligned herself with Harris, a longtime friend and ally from their days as prosecutors. During her prime-time DNC speech, Alsobrooks highlighted their 14-year friendship, calling Harris a “friend, mentor, and role model.”
On Friday, echoing Harris, Alsobrooks described herself as someone who has “always been the underdog.” Her nomination earlier this year was a stunning upset, defeating 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.”
On Friday, Alsobrooks 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.”
