Follow WTOP’s team coverage of June 23 Maryland primary and Election 2026 online, on air at 103.5 FM or on the WTOP News app.
Maryland voters are heading to the polls Tuesday to decide a wide range of primaries, including state legislative offices, governor and some of the costliest congressional contests in the country.
All the General Assembly seats are up for election this year, though Republicans are not offering GOP candidates in all their primaries.
The Maryland governor’s race
Gov. Wes Moore is seeking a second term and is being challenged in the Democratic primary by Eric Felber, who ran unsuccessfully for Congress two years ago against Rep. Jamie Raskin, who represents Maryland’s 8th District.
Moore and Felber are joined on their respective tickets by Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller and Felber’s running mate, LaTrece Hawkins Lytes.
Moore, who has been mentioned as a possible presidential candidate in 2028, is hoping for a strong showing but has downplayed White House aspirations.
In the Republican primary for governor, nine candidates are competing to face Moore in November.
The GOP candidates leading the field in campaign contributions and expenditures are Ed Hale, a Baltimore banker who switched parties last year, and Dan Cox, a former member of the Maryland House of Delegates.
Cox is angling for a rematch with Moore. He was the Republican nominee for in the 2022 governor’s race.
6th District race is among the nation’s most expensive
One of the most competitive and bitter Democratic primary battles is for the 6th District congressional seat held by Rep. April McClain Delaney and contested by former congressman David Trone, who once held the seat.
Trone, who ran for U.S. Senate two years ago but lost, has spent at least $25 million of his own money in the House race.
McClain Delaney has spent more than $7 million.
Six others are running in the Democratic primary, but have raised little money by comparison.
Trone and McClain Delaney have aired a flurry of negative ads, each accusing the other of not doing enough to counter President Donald Trump and his policies.
McClain Delaney has stressed affordability issues and her fight against cuts to the federal workforce.
Trone has emphasized the need to push back against the Trump administration’s immigration policies and reproductive rights for women, among other issues.
Both candidates actually agree on a lot of issues, though their TV ads seek to stress their differences.
On the Republican ballots, longtime candidate and former state Del. Robin Ficker is among several people seeking the GOP nomination.
The 6th District stretches from parts of Montgomery County to Frederick County and Allegany and Garrett counties.
Crowded field battles to succeed Rep. Hoyer
The retirement of longtime Rep. Steny Hoyer, who has represented Maryland’s 5th District since 1981, has opened the floodgates to two dozen Democratic candidates.
The candidates include: former Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker, healthcare business executive Quincy Bareebe, Prince George’s County state Del. Adrian Boafo, Prince George’s County Council member Wala Blegay and former U.S. Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn.
Money has also been an issue in the 5th District primary, though in a different way than in the 6th.
Boafo, who has Hoyer’s endorsement, has received millions of dollars in support from outside groups.
Some of his opponents have complained about the surge in money supporting Boafo in recent weeks.
In addition to Hoyer, Boafo has been endorsed by Moore and U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks.
U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen has not endorsed any candidate in the race, but has warned about the danger of outside money from special interest groups.
WTOP’s Tracy Johnke contributed to this report.
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