Conventional wisdom hasn’t yet been set in stone, but it is hardening when it comes to the race for the U.S. Senate seat that Maryland’s Ben Cardin is stepping down from next year.
Those watching the Democratic primary see U.S. Rep. David Trone has the most money to spend. Since announcing last week, Prince George鈥檚 County Executive Angela Alsobrooks has come out of the gate strong, racking up endorsements around the state, including from well-known leaders in other counties.
In the weeks to come, U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin, who gained major name recognition for House impeachment hearings during the Trump Administration, is also set to decide if he鈥檒l run as well. He also might remain in the House of Representatives where he鈥檚 already gained a leadership role.
Though he’s not favored to win, Montgomery County at-large councilman Will Jawando got more votes, by sheer numbers, than Alsobrooks, Trone and Raskin in their respective November 2022 elections.
鈥淚 actually represent over a million people. We have 1.1 million in the county,鈥� Jawando said. 鈥淏een twice elected as one of the top vote-getters, and so I actually represent more people than anyone in the race, funny enough.鈥�
Jawando is a native of Silver Spring now living in Sandy Spring and was a civil rights attorney, congressional staffer, and White House aide prior to getting elected to the county council. He argues that this isn鈥檛 a race that can be bought, and downplayed the endorsements that Alsobrooks has received so far.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be about people voting,鈥� he said, as he pushed what is an unabashedly progressive platform in the race for Senate.
鈥淧eople want bold, progressive vision,鈥� Jawando said. 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 just want someone who is going to go there and do the status quo. It鈥檚 not working.鈥�
He cited civil rights, reproductive freedom and gun violence as stances he鈥檚 focused on, and he argues the U.S. Senate is a 鈥渂ody that needs to be pushed鈥� to do more to help people.
鈥淭hey want the federal role to be more robust in those areas, and it just hasn鈥檛 been,鈥� he argued.
And specifically on gun violence, Jawando said, 鈥淧eople want to see action on that at the federal level.鈥�
At the same time, he also noted that in his past career on Capitol Hill, he had worked with Republican staffers working for members who didn鈥檛 share his vision. Despite differences, he said he could still help get things accomplished, and admitted that sometimes progress needs to come incrementally, not all at once.
As he recited aspects of his stump speech, Jawando repeatedly referenced what he called 鈥渢he big lie,鈥� which in recent years has been a term that Democrats have used to refer to the idea that the 2020 election was stolen from former President Donald Trump. But for Jawando, it has a different meaning.
鈥淭he big lie is not about Donald Trump and his allusions that he won the election. Obviously he didn鈥檛,鈥� Jawando said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about what I think is the core problem in America and Maryland right now. That if my neighbor gets something or does well or we help them then my life has to be diminished and that鈥檚 a lie. It鈥檚 never been true. It鈥檚 something that鈥檚 been told throughout our history, and I think it鈥檚 holding us back.鈥�
In terms of campaign infrastructure, Jawando鈥檚 campaign may not be as built out as other campaigns, but with nearly 365 days before the senate primary, he said most Marylanders aren鈥檛 paying attention to the race anyway.
鈥淲hen they are focused, we will have built an organization, built the resources and the campaign to communicate what I think will be the boldest, clearest vision about how to move Maryland forward and solve the problems people are facing in a way that achieves shared prosperity.鈥�
Since it鈥檚 still early, there鈥檚 one name still hanging over this race: Raskin. His TV appearances and job as one of the chief antagonists to Republicans in the nation’s capital have made him popular among Democrats paying attention to the race. Jawando happens to live in Raskin鈥檚 district. There are already whispers that if Raskin jumps into the race, Jawando might drop out of the Senate race and run for Raskin鈥檚 House seat.
鈥淲e have three people in the race right now. That鈥檚 the race I鈥檓 focused on. One thing I learned a long time ago in politics is you have to adjust when things happen and take things as they come,鈥� Jawando said. 鈥淪o much is going to happen in this campaign 鈥� things you didn鈥檛 even expect.鈥�
As he went on, Jawando noted he was an early endorser of Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, speaking out at a time when Moore was way down in the polls.
鈥淭here were a lot more well known people at the time. I鈥檓 actually in a better position than the governor was,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think we have a strong path to victory and as the campaign goes on time will show that.
鈥淚n this media market, when I do something here, I鈥檓 on TV in Bowie, too,鈥� he continued, arguing he has some name recognition in places like Prince George鈥檚 County even if he鈥檚 not elected there.
He finished his response by saying, 鈥淐ongressman Raskin is my congressman, a great friend 鈥� he鈥檚 got to make his own decision. But I鈥檓 focused on this race.鈥�
When it was pointed out that Jawando never said 鈥渘o鈥� he wouldn鈥檛 run for a House seat instead, he laughed and said, 鈥淵ou also didn鈥檛 get a yes.鈥�
