UPDATE: Rep. David Trone (D-MD) is "jumping in" to the now-open race for Ben Cardin's open Senate seat. Trone, founder of Total Wine & Beverage previously spent $43 million on his four House seat campaigns. His district includes some of the red-ish parts of Western Maryland.
Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) announced Monday he will not seek a fourth term in 2024 (AP).
“I am proud of all I have done for Maryland. I have given my soul to our great state, and I thank Marylanders for trusting me as your representative for all of these years,” Cardin said in a statement. He served in the House of Representatives for 20 years before winning his Senate seat in 2006.
Cardin, 79, joins two other Democrats, Diane Feinstein of California, and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, and one Republican, Mike Braun of Indiana, in announcing retirement from the Senate.
Though presumed to be a solidly blue state, moderate Republican Larry Hogan was elected governor of Maryland in 2014 and 2018.
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AOC Will Not Primary Gillibrand
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will not challenge Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s seat in next year’s Democratic New York primary, Politico reports, quoting a spokeswoman for the two-term representative.
“She is not planning to run for Senate in 2024,” said AOC spokeswoman Lauren Hitt. “She is not planning to primary Gillibrand.”
While Politico notes that “not planning” is not the same, in politispeak, as “will not declare,” Gillibrand has cleared her potential primary challengers, including former New York Rep. Mondaire Jones and current Reps. Jamaal Bowman and Ritchie Torres.
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