Maryland Republicans See a Bit of Red in Deep Blue State

In deep-blue Maryland where seven of the state’s eight congressional districts are represented by Democrats, redistricting has provided Republicans with a perceived opportunity to capture a U.S. House seat.

That makes the GOP Congressional District 6 (CD 6) clash between Del. Neil Parrott (R-Hagerstown), who has served 12 years in the state’s General Assembly, and 25-year-old investigative journalist Matthew Foldi the most watched contest in the state’s July 19 U.S. House primaries.

The winner of the Republican primary in the reconfigured district is expected to give two-term Rep. David Trone (D-Md.) a competitive tussle in November’s general election.

The other Maryland congressional primary drawing attention is in CD 4, where nine Democrats are vying to succeed three-term Rep. Anthony Brown (D-Md.), who is leaving Congress to run for state attorney general.

Maryland Congressional District 6 Republican candidate Matthew Foldi, one of the nation’s youngest congressional contenders, greets residents during Montgomery Village’s July 4 parade. (Courtesy of Matthew Foldi for Congress)

Whoever emerges victorious from the CD 4 Democratic preliminary battle in this solidly-Democratic district will likely meet little resistance from the Republican entry in November’s general election.

Otherwise, Maryland’s July 19 federal slate offers little anticipated drama, including the state’s U.S. Senate preliminaries where Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) faces nominal primary opposition and is projected to breeze past his GOP opponent in the fall to secure a second six-year term.

Altogether, there are 65 candidates on Maryland’s eight congressional primary ballots, including 31 Democrats and 34 Republicans.

Those 65 candidates include the seven congressional incumbents who all boast massive funding advantages over primary challengers and are projected to advance to the general election.

Among those seven incumbents is Maryland’s only Republican House member, six-term Rep. Andrew Harris (R-Md.), who is the only sitting rep not being tested in a primary.

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