What do Donald Trump and the Democratic Governors Association have in common?
They’re both supporting Maryland Delegate Dan Cox in Tuesday’s Republican gubernatorial primary.
The Old Line State is the latest testing ground for Democrats’ controversial strategy to boost the GOP contender they suspect would be the easiest to beat in November.
Earlier this month, the DGA began running a series of advertisements labeling Cox “too close to Trump” and “too conservative” for Maryland.
As of July 13, the Democratic group had spent more than $821,000 on television and digital advertising, according to the Wall Street Journal, which cited data from tracking firm AdImpact. The DGA also set aside another $354,000 for advertising through Tuesday’s primary election — for a grand total of $1,175,000.
Dems have spent over $1 million supporting Trump-backed candidate Dan Cox. Facebook/Dan CoxBy highlighting Cox’s anti-abortion, pro-Second Amendment views — as well as his belief that the 2020 presidential election was rife with fraud — Democrats are hoping to shut former state Commerce Secretary Kelly Schulz out of the Republican nomination.
GOP Gov. Larry Hogan, who has backed Schulz, is unable to run for re-election again due to term limits.
Polls showed Cox and Schulz nearly neck and neck ahead of the primary, with the Trump-endorsed candidate narrowly leading by 3 points, according to a survey done by Goucher College.
Whoever wins Tuesday’s primary could face off against former Democratic National Committee chairman Tom Perez, author and entrepreneur Wes Moore, state Comptroller Peter Franchot, former state Attorney General Doug Gansler or former Education Secretary John B. King Jr.
Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot, Ashwani Jain, John King and Tom Perez stand at their podiums before a debate of eight candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for governor of Maryland in June. APMaryland is not the first state where the Democratic Party has attempted the unorthodox strategy of pushing far-right candidates for a better chance at winning in the fall.
Similar efforts failed late last month in Colorado, where three Republican candidates boosted by funding from Democratic groups lost their races.
Democrats have also pushed for more extreme Republican opponents in gubernatorial races for Pennsylvania and Arizona.
If Democrats succeed in keeping Schulz from the GOP nomination, the effort could backfire if Republicans motivated by the Biden administration’s troubles turn out in droves.
“For months, multiple polls have shown Dan Cox is firmly in the driver’s seat of Maryland’s Republican primary, with the total backing of Donald Trump and the state’s only Republican member of congress, Andy Harris,” DGA spokesperson Sam Newton told Axios.
“Given Cox’s front-runner status and radical MAGA stances, we are starting the general election early and wasting no time to hold him accountable.”
Dan Cox, a Maryland state legislator who is seeking the Republican nomination for governor, has received over $1 million in donations from Democrats. (AP Photo/Brian Witte) APMaryland voters will also pick the Democratic and Republican nominees for Senate, House, and state attorney general.
Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen — who was briefly hospitalized after suffering a stroke in May — is expected to easily win renomination over challenger Michelle Smith.
With GOP incumbent Rep. Andy Harris running unopposed in Maryland’s 1st Congressional District — the only Republican-held district in the state — Democratic candidates Dave Harden and Heath Mizeur will face an uphill battle to unseat him in the fall.
The state’s only open House seat is in the 4th District — a predominantly Democratic and majority-black area. Former Rep. Donna Edwards, who formerly held the seat, and former country prosecutor Glenn Ivey are among the nine candidates vying for the party’s nomination there.
Incumbent US Rep. Anthony Brown is leaving the seat open in order to run for state attorney general. He is facing off against Katie O’Malley, the wife of former Gov. Martin O’Malley.
While the state has not elected a Republican attorney general in almost 70 years, former Anne Arundel County Councilman Michael Peroutka and former Montgomery County Board of Elections president Jim Shalleck are seeking to change that.
It is expected to take several days to determine the winners in closely contested races — such as the Republican gubernatorial primary — as Maryland law prohibits counties from opening mail-in ballots until Thursday. Mail-in ballots will be accepted until July 29.
