Editor’s note: This story was originally published at 11:16 a.m. on March 25, 2024. It was updated at 12:38 p.m. on March 25, 2024 to include information from a letter Raskin sent to supporters.
U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.Dist. 8) announced his long-awaited endorsement of Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D) in the race for U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin’s (D-Md.) seat, ending months of speculation about who he would support.
Raskin announced his endorsement in a video posted to Alsobrooks’ campaign social media pages on Monday.
“She’s going to deliver for the people of Maryland every day … at the same time as she’s defending democracy and freedom from Donald Trump and the MAGA right,” Raskin said in the video.
Raskin appeared at a campaign event for Alsobrooks in Silver Spring in February, but at the time said he had “not made endorsements in any of the Maryland federal races, where we have lots of great candidates.”.
The Takoma Park resident’s endorsement holds considerable influence for many local voters, likely giving Alsobrooks a large boost. Raskin’s prominence on the House of Representatives Jan. 6 committee investigating the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in 2021 has also made him a national name.
Alsobrooks’ main competitor for the Democratic nomination in the May 14 primary is U.S. Rep. David Trone (D-Dist. 6). On the Republican side, former Gov. Larry Hogan is largely expected to win the GOP nomination.
Raskin criticized Hogan in his endorsement video, but did not mention Trone.
“If Larry Hogan were to go to the Senate, it would be another brick in the wall for Trump and his party,” Raskin said. “This is not a time where anybody can afford to sit on the sidelines.”
Raskin also sent a letter to supporters Monday morning, sharing more insight into why he personally did not enter the race. He said as he recovered from lymphoma, he was uncertain whether he could successfully work in his current role while running a Senate campaign.
“As you know, with two strong candidates—Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks and Rep. David Trone–already running in the Democratic primary, I chose to stay in the people’s House and fight for democracy and freedom. It has been a pretty good bet so far,” Raskin wrote.