Maryland Rep. David Trone announces US Senate run

Rep. David Trone declared Thursday he will compete for Sen. Ben Cardin’s Senate seat.

Democrat Trone has prioritized opioid addiction, mental health, medical research, and criminal justice reform. The congressman pledged to keep pushing such concerns in the Senate.

“Ben Cardin was a great U.S. senator, and we’re looking forward to following in his huge shoes,” Trone told The Associated Press. But Maryland faces many challenges, including the addiction crisis.

Last year, Total Wine & More entrepreneur Trone spent almost $12 million on his House run. He declared he wouldn’t accept money from political action groups, companies, or lobbyists since he’s wealthy.

“You make your own decisions,” Trone replied. “You can serve Marylanders without being influenced.”

Since Cardin announced his retirement Monday, Trone is the second Senate candidate to announce.
Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando, a Democrat, declared his candidacy Tuesday. Jawando advised Education Secretary Arne Duncan and was associate director of public engagement under previous President Barack Obama.

In November, Trone defeated Republican Neil Parrott for a third term in Maryland’s 6th Congressional District. After a GOP legal appeal, the western Maryland district had fewer Democrats.

Trone won the state’s most competitive House district with approximately 55% of the vote after working hard to represent the entire area.

“I’m confident there will be another Democrat that steps up to bring that same willingness to be present, show up everywhere, never leave western Maryland behind… and keep the seat,” Trone added.

Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin and Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, both Democrats, may run for Cardin’s Senate seat.

In a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1, the Democratic primary winner will be the favorite. Maryland has not elected a Republican senator since 1980. The state’s eight-member House delegation has one Republican.

Last year, GOP leadership aggressively recruited then-Gov. Larry Hogan to run against Sen. Chris Van Hollen. Hogan declined, claiming he didn’t “aspire” to be a senator. In March, Hogan said he would not run for president in 2024.

Longtime Maryland politician Cardin is 79. After 20 years in the U.S. House, he was elected to the Senate in 2006 and will resign.

After Dianne Feinstein of California and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, Cardin is the third Democratic senator to retire next year. Indiana Republican Sen. Mike Braun will run for governor instead of reelection.