WaPo Endorses Angela Alsobrooks for U.S. Senate in Maryland

[Deep State Witch]

Both candidates in Maryland’s race for U.S. Senate are urging voters to think in terms of how each would affect the balance of power in the upper chamber — and in national politics more generally. Former governor Larry Hogan (R), citing his consistently anti-Trump stance, offers himself as a centrist who could help temper the Republican Conference from within and forge bipartisan compromises. Democrat Angela D. Alsobrooks, the Prince George’s county executive, counters that the only effect electing Mr. Hogan would have on a Republican majority is to make one possible in the first place.

Such strategic considerations are no doubt relevant to many Marylanders. In legislative bodies, party affiliation plays a much different role than it does in the executive-branch positions the candidates have held, shaping committee assignments and the legislative agenda. That’s too bad, in a way, because this is a rare contest in contemporary politics that voters could consider strictly on the candidates’ merits — and feel good about doing so. Both Mr. Hogan and Ms. Alsobrooks are experienced leaders who could represent Maryland ably.

In our view, Ms. Alsobrooks would do it better. She has our strong endorsement.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/10/02/maryland-senate-angela-alsobrooks-endorsement/

[elleng]

1. Interesting.

*The fact that the Democratic nominee faces a competitive contest at all says more about what’s right with Mr. Hogan than what might be wrong with her. While other Republicans have failed to gain traction statewide in deep-blue Maryland, the former governor remains popular. He handled the coronavirus pandemic well and acted as a fiscally responsible check on a Democratic legislature in Annapolis. We endorsed him for reelection as governor in 2018.

Yet we’re not convinced his gubernatorial record and party-of-one political brand would add up to effectiveness as a legislator working on behalf of Maryland’s interests. It would help if Mr. Hogan had declared clear policy priorities, but his campaign is all about tone and process — except when he promises to respect reproductive rights, a defensive move forced on him by Ms. Alsobrooks’s unequivocal, and popular, pro-choice stance.

Ms. Alsobrooks, too, wants to restore collegiality and lower the political temperature, and her record suggests this is not idle rhetoric'

[Collimator]

2. Just got a political canvassing call.

My first one ever. Guy asked for the woman who had my phone number years ago. It's been eight years, but her name appears on store receipts when I order food delivery and I still get other sorts of calls for her. Whatevs.

Reassured the guy that I was voting blue. Hogan may be a reasonable Republican but Harris is going to need all the support that she can get when it's her time to steer this fuckin' ship away from the disaster that hyper-capitalists and environmental polluters are creating for the next generation.