After touching down Friday afternoon in the Washington region, the Maryland Democratic Senate nominee went straight from the airport to a campaign stop, stopping only briefly at home to throw on a change of clothes.

Alsobrooks reflected on her brief time in the spotlight giving Tuesday night’s keynote speech, 32 years after attending her first DNC for the nomination of Bill Clinton in 1992.

“I don’t know how many of you have ever had the experience of having your heart do its own thing,” she told a small crowd of supporters gathered at a brewery in Prince George’s County, Maryland, where she is the county executive. “But the moment I walked out, I knew I was representing all of you all.”

Alsobrooks’s enthusiasm in her must-win race for Democrats was indicative of the optimism that’s swept over down-ballot candidates with Vice President Kamala Harris at the top of their ticket with Senate control hanging in the balance. A loss by Alsobrooks in Maryland to popular former GOP Gov. Larry Hogan, or a loss in any of the other seven states Democrats face competitive matchups, would mean a GOP-controlled Senate.

Alsobrooks has increasingly sought to tie herself to Harris, a longtime friend whose relationship dates back to when they were both prosecutors.

In her prime-time DNC speaking slot, Alsobrooks recalled how Harris became a “friend, a mentor, and a role model” during their 14 years of knowing one another.

Borrowing a line from Harris, Alsobrooks on Friday described herself as someone who has “always been the underdog.” Her nomination earlier this year was a record-setting upset against Rep. David Trone (D-MD), a co-founder of Total Wine & More who spent more than $60 million of his own money in a messy primary.

Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), the man tasked with getting Democrats elected as the chairman of Senate Democrats’ campaign arm, praised Alsobrooks this week at the DNC as a “talented” and “passionate” candidate. But he conceded she could stand to gain from broader name recognition against a longtime statewide 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.”

Alsobrooks told the Washington Examiner on Friday she was out on the campaign to do just that.

“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.”

Still, Alsobrooks maintains a noticeable lead in the polls, and election forecasters give her the advantage in a deep-blue state where preserving access to abortion will be on the ballot.

But so far, she and Hogan only have one debate on the books in a closely watched statewide race that would typically merit several in order for voters to see them go head to head as much as possible. More debate time means more exposure to boost name recognition, but front-runner candidates typically want to limit such events that stand to benefit their opponent.  

Alsobrooks indicated she was opposed to accepting a second debate that Hogan has long committed to, a long-running saga between the two that’s included accusations from Hogan that she’s trying to duck him.

“I’m looking forward to debating Larry Hogan, and I’m looking forward to continuing to meet Marylanders,” Alsobrooks said.

Mabinty Quarshie contributed to this report.