Key Maryland races, questions on the 2024 election ballot
Maryland’s US Senate seat: Hogan vs Alsobrooks
BETHESDA, Md. - In the national spotlight is the fact that Marylanders could possibly decide which political party will lead the U.S. Senate for the next four years.
The race for the seat vacated by Sen. Ben Cardin, who is retiring, is between former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, a Republican, and current Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, a Democrat.
This unusually competitive race has already drawn in at least $84.6 million dollars in combined contributions, according to a Washington Post report published Oct. 20. The most recent poll conducted, completed the third week of Oct., showed Alsobrooks with a lead of 12 points over Hogan.
Abortion is the top issue for the two candidates, who both say they are pro-choice. The two have also sparred on other matters – and faced criticism on ethical questions.
Hogan was criticized for potential conflicts of interest involving his real estate firm, according to an exclusive report by Time. Alsobrooks was accused of benefitting from tax credits she was not eligible for. Both maintain their innocence.
"If you're talking about raising taxes for everyone else, and [Alsobrooks] wants to raise the Social Security tax, but she's taken advantage of a tax break that was supposed to go to poor seniors. And she's not poor or a senior," said Hogan. "She's the chief tax collector and didn't pay her own taxes."
Hogan, who was a vocal critic of Trump when he was in the White House, has said he wouldn’t support Trump’s re-election – even has Trump endorsed Hogan.
"We didn’t ask for his endorsement," said Hogan to FOX 5’s Jim Lokay. "I’m not going to be a rubber stamp for anybody."
But on a call with donors on Wednesday, Hogan touted his endorsement from Trump, reports CNN.
"Donald Trump actually endorsed me," Hogan said in response to a donor asking about the perception that Trump and Hogan "hate each other."
A look back at the Alsobrooks-Hogan Senate debate
In the only debate for Maryland’s U.S. Senate seat, Democratic candidate Angela Alsobrooks and Republican candidate Larry Hogan faced off Thursday, in a race that could influence the balance of power in the U.S. Senate. Maryland Matters reporter William Ford joins On The Hill to discuss the debate and the key issues each candidate talked about, including abortion, Alsobrooks' tax disputes and the economy.
Alsobrooks has been partially focused in her campaign on the idea of the 51st vote – and Democratic control of the Senate.
"This race is about defeating Donald Trump. It is about, in so doing, making sure that we are protecting our reproductive freedoms. It is about making sure that we have sensible gun laws that protect our children from gun violence. It's about protecting voting rights. It's about building an economy that works for all of our children," said Alsobrooks. "This race is also about preserving the 51st vote. That's why the Senate race is likewise so important to make sure that we are confirming Supreme Court justices who respect our freedoms, unlike these conservative judges."
Reproductive rights on the ballot in Maryland, but not 'abortion'
Maryland voters will be asked to decide if abortion rights should be put into the state constitution when they cast their ballots on Election Day. But some folks are asking why the wording of the ballot question doesn’t ever mention the word "abortion" at all.
Maryland Question 1: "Right to Reproductive Freedom" Constitutional Amendment
Maryland voters will decide if abortion rights should be put into the state constitution when they cast their ballots. But some – on both sides – are asking why the wording of the ballot question doesn’t ever mention the word "abortion" at all.
Ballot Question 1 states it would confirm an individual's right to "reproductive freedom" decisions and "pregnancy," but nowhere in its 59 words does it actually use the word abortion.
A screenshot from elections.maryland.gov’s PDF of the certification of Question 1 for the 2024 general election Maryland ballot.
The ballot language says that "the proposed amendment confirms an individual’s fundamental right to reproductive freedom, including but not limited to the ability to make and effectuate decisions to prevent, continue or end the individual’s pregnancy."
Maryland Secretary of State Susan Lee confirmed the wording before it was placed on the ballot. The state already has abortion rights protected in state law. Amending the state constitution to include this as a "Declaration of Rights" would supersede that and could possibly serve as another layer of protection, should the U.S. Supreme Court move to restrict abortion rights again after overturning Roe v. Wade.
Maryland 6th Congressional District
The race to succeed outgoing Rep. David Trone in the state's 6th Congressional District is turning out to be closer than expected.
April McClain-Delaney locked in tight race for Maryland's 6th
After a hard-fought primary on both sides of the aisle, voters in Maryland's 6th Congressional district will choose a successor to current Democratic Rep. David Trone. April McClain-Delaney, a nonprofit leader and former Commerce Department official, is the Democratic nominee in what's considered the most competitive race in Maryland and one that could determine which party controls the House when the next Congress convenes. She joins Jim Lokay on "The Final 5" to make her case as a Gonzales poll shows her in a virtual dead-heat against Republican nominee, former Del. Neil Parrott.
April McClain Delaney, the Democratic nominee and former Commerce Department official, is facing Republican Neil Parrott, a former state lawmaker running for the seat for the third time. With Election Day approaching, concerns are mounting on the Democratic side.
"They're suggesting this race is going to be a lot closer than they hoped," Punchbowl News reporter Mica Soellner said during an appearance on The Final 5 with Jim Lokay.
The 6th District, which includes Allegany, Garrett, and Washington Counties in western Maryland, plus Frederick County and part of Montgomery County, has leaned Democratic in recent years but it's no stranger to competitive races.
Redistricting also made the district friendlier to GOP candidates, although the last elected Republican was former Congressman Roscoe Bartlett, who was defeated in a narrow re-election bid in 2012 by John Delaney. He vacated the seat in 2020 in favor of a short-lived bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.
In this race though, it's his marriage to the current Democratic nominee that some insiders told Soellner could be an Achilles' heel.
Citing "senior Democrats," Soellner said that "the biggest complaints I’ve heard are that she’s not putting enough money into her campaign and not out in the district very much. She’s running solely on name ID."
Neil Parrott holds slight edge in Maryland's 6th
Two years ago, former Maryland Delegate Neil Parrott (R) gave incumbent Rep. David Trone (D) a run for his money in a tighter-than-expected House race in Maryland's 6th Congressional district. Now, a Gonzales poll shows Parrott up by 2 points in a race against his Democratic challenger, April McClain-Delaney. But with 20% of voters still undecided, Parrott is making his case for the seat in a race where abortion and the economy are expected to be the driving issues for voters. He joins Jim Lokay on "The Final 5" to explain more
But McClain-Delaney was quick to respond to those criticisms, telling Maryland's Capital News Service, "I run my own race."
"Parrott is definitely more conservative than other Republicans in Congress," Soellner noted, adding that Parrott has secured major endorsements, including from the entire GOP House leadership. "[House Majority Leader] Steve Scalise will be out campaigning for him next week," she said, signaling that the Republican Party sees this as a potential pickup opportunity.
Delaney's campaign has focused heavily on abortion rights, a key issue for Democrats across the country. To that end, McClain-Delaney's campaign has rolled out ads assailing Parrott's past votes against strengthening spousal rape laws and pro-choice efforts, and citing her four daughters as her inspiration for getting into the race.
Meanwhile, Parrott is centering his message on the economy and inflation. He's also getting major support from the House Freedom Caucus and its new leader, Rep. Andy Harris, who is currently the sole Republican member of the Maryland congressional delegation.
Still, major political prognosticators signal the race may still be an uphill one for Republicans. The Cook Political Report and Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball have both rated the race as "likely Democratic," favoring McClain-Delaney.
Track and stream live, updated 2024 election results after polls close and voting concludes on Election Day for the presidential election, balance of power in the House and Senate, and these and other local races across Virginia, Maryland and D.C. on the free FOX LOCAL app for smart phones and TVs, or fox5dc.com/election.