'Potentially nasty': How a 'deep-pocketed booze baron' could win Maryland’s 2024 senate race

U.S. Rep. David Trone (D-MD) recently announced his 2024 Senate run in the competitively Democratic state of Maryland, and spectators are wondering if the wealthy businessman can win the seat solely based on his "pledge to pour millions of his own money into the campaign."

The Daily Beast interviewed Trone, as well as his competition, Chief Executive of Prince George's County, Angela Alsobrooks, progressive Montgomery County councilman and activist Will Jawando, about their thoughts on Trone's run.

Nationally beloved U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) is also considering a senate run.

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According to The Daily Beast, "As the owner of Total Wine & More," the "deep-pocketed booze baron's" run "will almost certainly elevate the amount of money any candidate hoping to win the nomination will have to spend, and he's already putting it to use in early advertising and travel around the state."

Furthermore, the news outlet notes, "That means the Democrat-on-Democrat race will be intense, expensive, and potentially nasty—something that party leaders surely aren’t relishing as they try to defend their Senate majority amid a brutal 2024 outlook."

Jawando, who ran for Congress in 2016 told the news outlet, "I expect [Trone] to spend a lot of money," adding, "I don't think that's what's going to win this race."

He continued, "Congress when I was elected, at that time, was the most expensive primary in the history of the country. And David Trone was in that race and he didn't win."

However, Trone, determined to exemplify his qualifications outside of his wealth, told The Daily Beast in an email, "I'm willing to do the work, and right now we’re spending an incredible amount of time in every corner of the state, from Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore, Baltimore and everywhere in between talking about our state's future."

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Maryland Democratic strategist Len Foxwell is betting on Alsobrooks – who would become the only Black woman in the Senate — as the current "front runner because of her established name recognition."

Democratic strategist Andrew Feldman emphasized, "Her diversity both as a woman and a woman of color, plus her geographic diversity and in the state being from Prince George’s County, she can put together the coalition that can win. It's not easy, but she has the profile to do it."

Still, Felman said, “There’s so many dynamics at play here. And I think it’s gonna get tense and expensive, and you'll probably have people jump in and then jump out."

Foxwell added, "David Trone is willing to spend whatever it takes, regardless of what that number is, to win this race. And that is not to be taken lightly."

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The Daily Beast's full report is available at this link (subscription required).