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In the final days before the May 14 primaries, U.S. Rep. David Trone (D-6th) is looking to his congressional colleagues, major state political figures and other supporters to help him garner votes and snag the Democratic nomination for Maryland鈥檚 competitive U.S. Senate seat.
Trone鈥檚 push this week started at the movies, with a rally and discussion at the historic AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring Tuesday evening. It included a news conference of Latino supporters, and an event at a union hall in Prince George鈥檚 County, home turf of his principal Democratic primary opponent, the county executive, Angela Alsobrooks.
Surrogates for both candidates have played a big role in this campaign.
Alsobrooks has lined up support from a lion鈥檚 share of the state鈥檚 Democratic establishment, while Trone, a wealthy businessman who has been one of the most generous donors to national Democrats over the past several years, has support from leading members of Congress and some noteworthy Maryland Democratic dissidents.
But Trone seems to be leaning ever more heavily on prominent supporters to make the case for him. If nothing else, it may take some of the heat off the candidate at a time when Alsobrooks supporters are accusing him of going negative. Four former state Democratic chairs who are supporting Alsobrooks suggested at a news conference Wednesday that Trone鈥檚 attacks on Alsobrooks will make it tougher for the Democrats to unify after the primary and defeat popular former Gov. Larry Hogan (R) in the general election.
鈥淚 know the most important day of this election cycle is not next Tuesday,鈥� said Yvette Lewis, one of the former party leaders. 鈥淚t鈥檚 next Wednesday, when we鈥檙e going to have to come together to defeat Larry Hogan. Next Wednesday, that is the day of reckoning for this party.鈥�
Starring Adam Schiff
At the Silver Spring event Tuesday night, 鈥淒efend Democracy with U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff and Rep. David Trone鈥� scrolled across the electric marquee at the entrance of the Art Deco theatre. Campaign signs for the congressman鈥檚 Senate run were placed inside and outside the venue.
According to Trone鈥檚 communications team, there were 鈥渙ver 100 people鈥� in attendance in the 200-seat theater. Ahead of the discussion, Trone鈥檚 many television ads played on the big screen as supporters took their seats.
As the smell of popcorn ambiently drifted through the air, the ads relayed endorsements from a variety of perspectives, including from the teachers鈥� union and several other labor groups.
Some of the ads also promoted Trone鈥檚 largely self-funded approach to his campaign. Trone鈥檚 ads argue that he is less likely to be 鈥渂ought鈥� by big-moneyed special interests like the pharmaceutical industry. He has made a $57 million investment聽into the campaign.
His headline guest-speaker Tuesday was his colleague in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), one of several bold-faced name congressional Democrats who are backing Trone. Schiff, the Democratic nominee for Senate in the Golden State, pitched his colleague as the most-qualified candidate and the Democrats鈥� best hope to help the party keep control of the U.S. Senate.
The dynamics of the Senate race in Maryland shifted when former Gov. Larry Hogan (R) threw his聽Since then, Democratic messaging turned to selling who is the best candidate to beat Hogan in the general election.
Alsobrooks鈥� candidacy poses a potentially historic opportunity for her to become the first Black woman to represent Maryland in the U.S. Senate.
Meanwhile, the ever-looming threat of another Donald Trump presidency hangs over the Democrats in the general election. Schiff led the first impeachment trial of the former president.
鈥淲hich leads me to David,鈥� he said Tuesday.
鈥淚 know him to be a person of courage and to be a person of conviction and know him as someone who will do the right thing whether it鈥檚 easy or hard,鈥� Schiff continued. 鈥淚 know him to be one of the few people who has earned the respect of people on both sides of the aisle, on聽his business acumen or his understanding of the economy.
鈥淎nd this is really what we need in the Senate. We need people like David who will defend our democracy, who will stand up to anyone in defense of our institutions and our values,鈥� Schiff continued.聽鈥淎nd we damn well need to win this Senate seat.鈥�
Trone also urged his supporters to reach out to their friends and families to get them to vote.
鈥淲e need them to reach out to their friends or neighbors or co-workers and help drive people to the polls,鈥� Trone told reporters following the Tuesday night rally. 鈥淭he more democracy we have, the better country we鈥檙e going to have.鈥�
But Trone has also worked to appeal to everyday Marylanders and, through surrogates, pitched his case to the state鈥檚 labor unions and the Latino community this week.
鈥榃e have the receipts,鈥� Latinos supporting Trone say of Alsobrooks
For many Latino political leaders supporting Trone, the fight is personal, especially for those who live in Prince George鈥檚 County. They鈥檝e worked directly with Alsobrooks, and at a news conference Wednesday in Silver Spring, they outlined oft-repeated complaints about the county executive 鈥� that her administration has lacked diversity, and that she has ignored the needs of the Latino community, particularly during the COVID crisis.
鈥淲e have been left behind,鈥� said Del. Joseline A. Pe帽a-Melnyk (D-Prince George鈥檚 and Anne Arundel), chair of the House Health and Government Operations Committee in Annapolis. 鈥淲e have the receipts.鈥�
Former state Sen. Victor Ramirez, who is now president of the Latino Democrats of Prince George鈥檚 County, recalled moving to the county as a boy and said 鈥測ou could count all the Latinos on one hand in a whole neighborhood.鈥�
Now, Ramirez said, Latinos make up about a quarter of the county鈥檚 population and about 40% of the county鈥檚 public school students 鈥� which makes it surprising, he said, that Alsobrooks declined to fill out the Democratic club鈥檚 questionnaire for the Senate candidates.
鈥淭he question is, when聽are you going to value who we are?鈥� Ramirez said.
But the half dozen politicians who spoke were also quick to extol Trone鈥檚 attributes, describing him as an inclusive leader who seeks a variety of perspectives on any issue. Pe帽a-Melnyk said that even though Trone is a self-made multimillionaire, he has a refreshing, compassionate approach to his job.
鈥淗e was not always rich,鈥� she said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 been poor. He鈥檚 legislating from life鈥檚 experience, as so many of us do.鈥�
鈥楬e鈥檚 a friend of labor and he always has been鈥�
Several elected and union officials gathered at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 26 headquarters in Lanham Thursday to stress Trone鈥檚 accomplishments, including serving on the Black Maternal Health Caucus in Congress, helping to establish an abortion clinic in Western Maryland and supporting union labor.
Most important, they said: Trone is the Democratic candidate best equipped to beat Hogan in November.
鈥淗e is a friend of labor and he always has been. His combination of business experience and working with labor is what we need in the Senate,鈥� said Tom Clark, political director and business representative at IBEW Local 26. 鈥淗e鈥檚 always fought for working people and for fair wages, but that鈥檚 not what it鈥檚 all about for David.鈥�
Before Trone became a member of Congress, Prince George鈥檚 County State鈥檚 Attorney Aisha Braveboy (D) said, he provided more than 1,400 jobs for returning citizens through his company, Total Wine & More.
During his six years in Congress, she said, Trone has been one of the most effective legislators on Capitol Hill. According to the聽, a nonpartisan organization that assesses a lawmakers effectiveness to work with colleagues, Trone is a 鈥渃hampion,鈥� defined as a lawmaker with a score of at least 70 points. Trone is one of six representatives in the House to score at least 100 points. The highest point total is 110.
鈥淭his is not about him wanting to run for office, this is who he is,鈥� Braveboy said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 been effective in business and he鈥檚 been effective in Congress. We need someone in the U.S. Senate who will be effective, and most importantly, who can keep our democracy intact. That person is David Trone.鈥�
Besides his accomplishments, there was a message for those who criticize Trone for spending his own fortune on the campaign.
Del. Tiffany T. Alston (D-Prince George鈥檚) called the actions by those who challenge it 鈥渄isgusting.鈥�
鈥淭he fact that he wants to self-fund his campaign is his business. It鈥檚 his money. He worked hard for it,鈥� she said. 鈥淚f he believes that democracy is that important, [and] that he鈥檚 willing to put his own money behind it, then I鈥檓 going to stand with him each and every time and support him.鈥�
Disclosure: The David and June Trone Family Foundation was a financial supporter of Maryland Matters in 2017 and 2018.
