Maxwell Frost supports rival candidate in Maryland Senate contest

A county executive running for Senate in Maryland secured the endorsement of another House Democrat as the race sharply divides the party over who will succeed retiring Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD).

Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL) endorsed Angela Alsobrooks in the Senate race to replace Cardin, who announced in May of last year that he would not seek reelection in 2024. Alsobrooks, who is the executive for Prince George’s County, and Rep. David Trone (D-MD), who has been in office since 2019, are the leading Democratic candidates in the race.

“I’m supporting Angela for U.S. Senate because she’s spent her career truly listening to people and coming up with innovative solutions to benefit the community,” Frost said in a statement. “The people closest to the problem are often closest to the solution.”

“I’m all in for Angela because she’ll be all in for us,” the Florida congressman continued.

Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), and Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) have endorsed Alsobrooks as well, creating a divide within the Democratic Party. Trone, a wealthy wine retailer, has the backing of the House’s top Democratic leaders, such as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA).

Trone, who faced backlash after he used a racial slur in a recent House Budget Committee meeting, currently holds a slim lead over Alsobrooks in the Democratic primary, garnering 34% support among registered Democrats compared to Alsobrooks’s 27% in a recent Washington Post poll. However, nearly 40% of Democratic voters remain undecided on who they’d back in the primary.

The eventual Democratic nominee will compete in November, likely against former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan. His entry into the race in February was viewed as a golden opportunity for Republicans, who view the former governor’s name brand and centrist reputation within Maryland as a chance for the GOP to win a Senate seat in a state that has long been a Democratic stronghold.

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The former governor had left his plans vague following his departure from the governor’s mansion, stoking rumors that he was planning to run for president on a third-party ticket. However, his Senate candidacy silenced any speculation that he would be running against Joe Biden or Donald Trump, the likely presidential nominees.

The Washington Post poll showed voters would support Hogan over Trone, 49% to 37%, and Hogan over Alsobrooks, 50% to 36%, though those margins are expected to narrow as each party reserves general election spending.