Maryland Politics: Primary Day, Special Session Talk, Van Hollen 2028

In this week's Maryland Political Notes, voters head to the polls for Primary Day, lawmakers eye a possible special session in Annapolis, and Sen. Chris Van Hollen fuels speculation about a potential presidential run.

Primary Day
Maryland voters head to the polls Tuesday for a primary election featuring races for governor and all eight congressional seats.

Gov. Wes Moore is seeking renomination by the Democrats. Eight Republicans, including Dan Cox, his opponent in 2022, and Ed Hale, a Baltimore businessman and former Democrat, are competing to challenge Moore.

All eight U.S. House seats are on the ballot, but the focus is in the 5th District, where longtime Rep. Steny Hoyer's retirement has opened the door to a crowded Democratic primary. The winner of that race will be strongly favored in the general election. Three Republicans are also competing for the GOP nomination, though the district is expected to remain in Democratic hands.

The 6th District is also drawing attention, as Rep. April McClain Delaney faces former Rep. David Trone in the Democratic primary. The other incumbents seeking renomination across the state are Reps. Andy Harris, Johnny Olszewski, Sarah Elfreth, Glenn Ivey, Kweisi Mfume and Jamie Raskin.

Special Summer Session
The General Assembly appears poised to return to Annapolis for a special session this summer. Lawmakers are considering two possible constitutional amendments: one clarifying how congressional districts may be drawn, and another creating a special election process for filling some vacancies in the Maryland House and Senate. Possible dates include July 16-22 and July 30-August 5.

Van Hollen in 2028?
Meanwhile, Sen. Chris Van Hollen says he's "kicking the tires" on a possible presidential run following a recent trip to New Hampshire, one of the early presidential nominating states. A Van Hollen presidential bid would add another Maryland name to the broader 2028 conversation, which has already included speculation around Gov. Moore.