Maryland Democrat David Trone wants his old House seat back.
Trone, the founder of Total Wine & More, who unsuccessfully ran for the Senate in 2024, said today that he is running for the House again, pitting him in a fierce primary against Rep. April McClain Delaney, D-Md.
She had succeeded Trone, who in turn had succeeded Delaney’s husband, former Rep. John Delaney, D-Md., after his failed bid for president in 2020.
Trone’s entry into the race sets up a battle between two of Maryland’s wealthiest families. Trone spent more than $60 million of his own money in his failed Senate bid.
He launched his latest campaign in a video on social media today, portraying himself as a bulwark for democracy and someone who has fought Trump in the past. He said he twice voted to impeach Trump during his first term.
“Totalitarianism isn’t announced. It comes insidiously, act by act. And if we’re not speaking out, we’re giving in. I’ve seen far too much of that lately. I can’t just sit by,” Trone said.
“We can’t have any Democrats in Congress voting with Trump. We need to be fighting against him with every damn thing we’ve got,” he said. “Democracy isn’t a right; sometimes it has to be fought for. So if you’re listening, President Trump, this is not an announcement video, it’s a battle cry.”
In a video of her own, Delaney slammed Trone, saying he “abandoned” the district in his failed Senate bid and “has the arrogance of Trump.” She noted she has the endorsements of Democratic Gov. Wes Moore and her Democratic colleagues in the Maryland congressional delegation.
Asked today about Trone’s having spent $60 million on his Senate bid and potentially spending millions to unseat her, Delaney replied: “Obviously, money is not the only thing it takes to win elections. It’s also the candidate and the narrative.”
“And it’s really interesting that he always goes after a woman, Aruna Miller, Kathleen Matthews, Angela Alsobrooks,” Delaney said in a brief interview, rattling off female candidates he ran against in past primaries.
“I heard from people he said I should ‘stand down,'” she said. “I believe it’s the narrative and people see when you work for the constituents, and you do it with heart.”
The primary is June 23.
