Democrats had hoped to put the Maryland Senate race to bed by now. Instead, they are poised to devote time and resources in the deep blue state all the way until November in a bid to keep the seat in party hands.
The race between Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D) and former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) has been widely considered the Democrat’s to lose given the state’s traditional liberal bent and former President Trump’s presence on the ticket.
But with the calendar almost set to hit October, the race is nowhere close to being in the can for Democrats as Hogan, the popular two-term governor, has remained within striking distance of Alsobrooks. Some surveys show them dead even.
This has forced the party in power to go heavy on the airwaves. Democrats outspent Republicans by nearly a 6-to-1 margin last week, with senators and party operatives expecting that heavy spending to last through Election Day.
“Nobody’s taking it for granted,” Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) said. “You sure see a lot of ads on TV up here during the week. Anytime I’m watching a TV show, from a sporting event to Turner Classic Movies, I’m seeing a Maryland Senate ad.”