‘Kumbaya’ is the word, as Maryland Democrats make peace after primary

Shake hands, hug, kiss and be friends again.

That’s what members of the Maryland Democratic Party did Thursday morning at a unity breakfast nine days after the primary election that ended a heated contest between Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks and U.S. Rep. David Trone (D-6th) for the party’s nomination for U.S. Senate.

Trone, who lost that race to Alsobrooks, walked to the stage as “kumbaya” blared through the speakers Thursday.

“Soak it in. Kumbaya,” he said to his fellow Democrats at Martin’s Crosswinds in Greenbelt, the same venue where Alsobrooks held her election night watch party.

Although part of Thursday’s mood was festive as some sipped coffee, water or juice and nibbled pastries, messages from Trone and other speakers centered on the Republican nominee, former Gov. Larry Hogan, and the need for Democrats to retain control of the Senate.

“We must unite behind County Executive Angela Alsobrooks. Angela has my full endorsement,” Trone said to cheers from the crowd. “It’s easy to cheer, but it’s hard to work. The difference of Angela Alsobrooks and Larry Hogan is night and day.”

During the nearly 90-minute event, speakers noted that in her nearly eight years as Prince George’s County state’s attorney, Alsobrooks oversaw a 50% decline in violent crime, matching a national trend. Hogan released a 10-point paper on public safety Wednesday, but Gov. Wes Moore (D) noted that during Hogan’s eight years as governor, homicides in Baltimore rose to more than 300 every year.

Trone and other Democrats said Thursday that Alsobrooks will fight for women and abortion rights, while repeatedly pointing to Hogan’s 2022 veto of a measure that would have expanded abortion access in the state. When the legislature overrode his veto, Hogan withheld state funding that would have been used to train nonphysicians to perform abortions — funding that Moore released on his first day in office in 2023.

Hogan said on WBAL Radio Wednesday that he would work to codify protections in Roe v. Wade (which the U.S. Supreme Court overturned in June 2022) that had guaranteed the right to an abortion up to 26 weeks.

But Democrats don’t believe him.

Moore used a line from author James Baldwin to accentuate the point.

“Now the old governor’s saying he’s pro choice,” Moore said. “James, please tell us one more time: ‘I cannot believe what you say because I see what you do.’”

Moore continued: “Angela isn’t flip-flopping on issues to win a vote. She’s been consistent throughout her entire career. Angela isn’t studying polls to see how she should talk about reproductive rights because she says what she believes in her heart. Let’s not forget the people of Maryland recruited Angela Alsobrooks to run for Senate. (U.S. Senate Minority Leader) Mitch McConnell recruited Larry Hogan.”

Alsobrooks, who seeks to become the first Black woman elected to represent Maryland in the Senate, also had a few words for Hogan and Republicans in Congress, especially about protecting women’s health care.

“We’ve already heard from Larry Hogan, who said he understands how emotional this issue is for the ladies. We tried to tell Larry Hogan we don’t need any help with our emotions, none whatsoever,” she said. “Furthermore, we need him and all of these politicians to get out of the examination room.”

A Hogan campaign spokesperson did not respond to messages seeking comment on the Demorcrats’ rally Thursday.

Minutes before the breakfast ended, a video on the social platform X appeared from an account called “Hogan Rapid Response,” paid for by Hogan for Maryland, which is new to the platform this month. It asked if the Democratic Party played a video of several Democratic leaders praising Hogan.

Part of the Democratic Party’s work is to convince some undecided Democrats and unaffiliated voters, particularly those who voted for Trone, not to choose Hogan.

That’s not a problem for Cheryl Bost, president for the Maryland State Education Association, who had endorsed Trone in the primary. When Hogan was in office, he called the teacher’s union “thugs.”

“Our members don’t forget,” said Bost, who added that Hogan vetoed the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future education reform plan four years ago.

Meanwhile, Democratic leaders plan to travel across the state to encourage voters not only to support Alsobrooks in the general election, but also to support Democrats running for seats in the U.S. House of Representatives:

• Blane H. Miller III will face Rep. Andy Harris (R-1st), the lone Republican in the state’s federal delegation.
• Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. will face Republican Kimberly Klacik, a local conservative radio host and MAGA personality for the open 2nd district seat.
• Sen. Sarah K. Elfreth (D-Anne Arundel) will face Republican businessman and attorney Rob Steinberger to represent the 3rd district.
• April McClain Delaney will go against former state Del. Neil Parrot (R). The winner would replace Trone to represent the 6th district.

– This story was updated on Sunday, May 26, to correct the spelling of 1st District Democratic nominee Blane Miller III’s name in the 22nd graf.