MD-SEN 2024: Cardin retiring, Hogan IN

[Gracile]

Isn’t the strongest evidence that Trone isn’t a progressive is that he’s not even a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus?

I don’t think that means a whole lot.  Shontel Brown is a member of the New Democrat and Progressive Caucuses, for example.  These Caucus memberships are little more than empty virtue-signaling imo.  I care far more about how folks actually vote rather than branding.  In any case, as I’ve said, I’d prefer Alsobrooks.

Trone still isn't a member of the Progressive Caucus even for "virtue-signaling" reasons, though, and he hasn't supported mainstream progressive policies like Medicare For All (which Brown cosponsored in the last Congress). Trone isn't really a progressive in any meaningful sense, and he has never branded himself as such.

[Gracile]

Isn’t the strongest evidence that Trone isn’t a progressive is that he’s not even a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus?

That's like saying former Congressman Ike Skelton (MO-04, 1977-2011) wasn't really a moderate Democrat because he never joined the Blue Dog group.

Sure, but Trone still hasn't identified with progressives as a member of the House and doesn't support signature policies that the progressive wing of the party in Congress endorses (putting caucus membership aside). He is not a progressive, period.

I assume what Mr. X meant was that Trone votes the Democratic party line on most major issues, but that is not the same thing as being progressive or championing progressive policies. It may seem like a small point, but many of us on the progressive left would find that equivalence pretty ignorant.

[Gracile]

Alsobrooks is going to cruise to the nomination at this point.

[Gracile]

I want to caution everyone here against assuming that because Alsobrooks is black and the majority of Maryland's Dem primary voters are black, that she will win the primary over her white male opponent, Trone.

The last open seat Senate election here back in 2016 also featured a well-known black woman running against a white male Congressman. The latter ended up winning and then winning re-election last year.

The big difference is that Alsobrooks has locked up far more consequential endorsements from state officials and members of Maryland's congressional delegation (not unlike Van Hollen in 2016).

[Gracile]

Democrats would be foolish to spend a dime in this race.

[Gracile]

And so it begins.

https://twitter.com/kkondik/status/1756000950202839462

His follow-up tweet is even funnier-

https://twitter.com/kkondik/status/1756001323219091538

He knows what happened to those two people, right?