PRIMARY VOTER TURNOUT EXPECTED TO LAG: Maryland’s primary on Tuesday features a wildly expensive U.S. Senate election, a rematch for Baltimore mayor that pits incumbent Brandon Scott against former Mayor Sheila Dixon, and a hotly contested 3rd Congressional District race for a rare open seat. Despite the drama and a relentless sea of campaign ads, analysts say overall voter turnout will likely lag behind other presidential election years — which often attract peak interest. Emily Opilo and Jeff Barker/The Baltimore Sun.
DEM SENATE HOPEFULS SEEK TO KEEP MARYLAND DEEP BLUE: The primary election match up pits Rep. David Trone, a straight-shooting, White businessman with liberal bona fides against a Black woman county executive trying to leap from local government to the U.S. Senate, magnifying broader tension in Democratic politics over the urgency of boosting long-lacking representation that party leaders seek. Whoever prevails in the increasingly contentious May 14 primary will shoulder the weight of protecting Maryland’s reliably Democratic seat. Lateshia Beachum/The Washington Post.
- Democrats across the state are wringing their hands trying to figure out which of their candidates has a better shot at defeating Republican Larry Hogan. The primary, which is set for Tuesday, pits Angela Alsobrooks, the Prince George’s County executive who is trying to become the first Black person and second woman from Maryland to serve in the Senate, against David Trone, a wealthy third-term congressman who is smashing self-financing record. Luke Broadwater/The New York Times.
- Maryland voters on Tuesday will decide which Democrat they want to compete in a looming battle of national consequence, likely against former Gov. Larry Hogan (R) in a November election that could help determine which party has control of the U.S. Senate seat. Lateshia Beachum and Erin Cox/The Washington Post.
COMMENTARY: PARSING THE SENATE RACE, WITH HOGAN IN THE MIX: Sarah Longwell, a long-time conservative and editor of the anti-Trump Bulwark who conducts focus groups around the country, and former Lt. Gov. Michael Steele discuss Larry Hogan’s Senate candidacy. Hogan worked in the Ehrlich-Steele administration as appointments secretary. Longwell has been a long time Hogan “fan-girl” who tried to get him to run president. But now she is conflicted by Hogan’s decision to run for Senate. You’ll hear their views and those of Maryland voters in this 60-minute podcast. Sarah Longwell/The Focus Group Podcast for The Bulwark.
COLUMN: IN POLITICS, CAN IDENTITY MATTER MORE THAN MONEY? Identity politics make them David Trone and Angela Alsobrooks different. There are no women from Maryland in Congress, and Alsobrooks would be the first Black woman elected from this state. Some argue a business owner is the right choice for public office, and if that’s you, then Trone has that going for him. More than anything else, it’s the money that separates them. Rick Hutzell/The Baltimore Banner.
LEGISLATION BOOST STATE RANKING AS LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY: While the 2024 session was a bit more understated on new legislative protections for Maryland’s LGBTQ+ population compared to previous years, a nationwide policy tracker reports that the state is creating a more LGBTQ+ friendly state based off recent legislation. Danielle Brown/Maryland Matters.
ONLINE PRIVACY ACT SIGNED INTO LAW: Gov. Wes Moore has signed into law new online privacy protections for state residents. But it will be awhile before those take effect. The Maryland Online Privacy Act of 2024 was a ‘behemoth’ to pass through the General Assembly this year according to one of its sponsors, Sen. Dawn Gile (D-Anne Arundel). She says the lack of similar legislation passed by Congress was one of many inspirations for the measure. “So it’s incumbent on states to do something to protect your personal data,” Gile said. Matt Bush/WYPR-FM.
MOORE SIGNS SAFE BICYCLIST LAW: Daniel Langenkamp went to Annapolis on Thursday, and from inside the Maryland State House, he texted a reporter: “I vowed to do something to make our roads safer so people like Sarah didn’t have to die.” Langenkamp called witnessing Gov. Wes Moore (D) sign the Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Memorial Act into law “very emotional.” Langenkamp’s wife, Sarah, was killed in August of 2022 while riding her bike in Bethesda. Kate Ryan/WTOP-FM.
- The legislation amends existing state law 21-209 that requires drivers to leave a “three-foot buffer” between a cyclist or pedestrian but does not require drivers to fully yield. The goal is that drivers would be more careful when operating a motor vehicle next to bike lanes. Ginny Bixby MoCo 360.
COMMENTARY: WAYS TO MAKE EDUCATION BLUEPRINT EVEN BETTER: Marylanders should be proud of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. But if it is to achieve equal educational opportunity for all our schoolchildren, its design must be strengthened. At the past session of the General Assembly about $580 million was added to Blueprint funding. A lot of money to be sure, but these funds did not add one penny to the funding that the Blueprint already promised. Alarming funding gaps remain. Kalman Hettleman/Maryland Matters.
B’MORE’s WHITE VOTERS COULD PUT DIXON BACK IN MAYOR’s OFFICE: Baltimore city’s white voters are expected to play a pivotal role in electing Baltimore’s next mayor. Shiela Dixon has a loyal base of Black voters, but that hasn’t been enough to secure a win in her last two attempts to be mayor. Her biggest challenge is expected to come from incumbent Mayor Brandon Scott, who polls show has drawn support from a broader base of voters. But political observers say white residents could sway a tightly contested race. John John Williams/The Baltimore Banner.
EXPLOSION TO CLEAR SECTION OF KEY BRIDGE DELAYED: Officials preparing to clear a section of the Key Bridge with explosives canceled the operation Sunday due to safety concerns after lightning was spotted in the area. The team rescheduled the controlled detonation of the massive truss still resting on the cargo ship Dali for around 5 p.m. Monday, depending on the tide. Brenda Wintrode and Kaitlin Newman/The Baltimore Banner.
BODY CAM FOOTAGE REVEALS KEY BRIDGE RESPONDERS FIRST REACTION: Newly released body camera video shows the shock and confusion among police officers in the immediate aftermath of the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The footage offers the public a window into what first responders encountered in the early morning of March 26 and how they tried to make sense of what they were seeing. Dylan Segelbaum and Brenna Smith/The Baltimore Banner.
DALI CREW EXPERIENCE DISTRESS: Stranded in the Patapsco River, the crew of the Dali are in the midst of what has been a massive rescue, recovery and salvage operations, surrounded by cranes, barges and other vessels. When their phones were taken, they lost, at least temporarily, family photos to look at, contact numbers that they hadn’t memorized and the ability to do such things as banking online, say those who represent and advocate for such crews. Jean Marbella/The Baltimore Sun.
TOWSON APPLE UNION WORKERS VOTE TO STRIKE: Unionized employees at an Apple store in Towson have voted to authorize a strike amid union accusations that the tech giant isn’t bargaining in good faith in negotiations over its first union contract. Lauren Kaori Gurley/The Washington Post.
SECRET SERVICE, MO CO POLICE PROBE FIRE SERVICE LOSS OF FUNDS: Montgomery County police and the U.S. Secret Service are investigating a scam in which the Rockville Volunteer Fire Service lost $220,000 during what it thought was a secure wire transfer of funds to purchase two new ambulances. But the money went some place else. The form of fraud is known as “business email compromise” and results in global daily losses of about $8 million, according to the Secret Service website. Jasmine Hilton/The Washington Post
