This content was republished with permission from WTOP鈥檚 news partners at Maryland Matters. Sign up for聽听迟辞诲补测.
The top three Democrats who鈥檝e announced their intentions to run for U.S. Senate appeared together at a Maryland Democratic Party event Wednesday.
Prince George鈥檚 County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D), Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando (D) and Rep. David Trone (D-6th) gave brief remarks before a packed crowd at the New Fortune Restaurant in Gaithersburg. The one-hour program celebrated Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, with featured guests including Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller (D), the first South Asian woman elected lieutenant governor in the United States, and the first Indian American lieutenant governor in Maryland history.
鈥淚t speaks a lot to the importance of the Asian community,鈥� said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich (D). 鈥淚n this room are people whose connections are a lot deeper than what we see here. It is important to talk to people within their communities.鈥�
Elrich hasn鈥檛 decided which Democratic candidate he will support in next year鈥檚 primary to replace long-time public official Sen. Ben Cardin (D), who聽聽to the seat.
The emerging top candidates addressed the crowd how the AAPI community represents an important base in the Democratic Party, with focuses on education, entrepreneurship and eradicating hate.
鈥淎nd most importantly, it is a community that believes in getting stuff done,鈥� Trone said. 鈥淭his is not about junior high school. This is about getting stuff accomplished and that鈥檚 what we can do in the U.S. Senate.鈥�
Jawando, whose father came from Nigeria to the United States in 1970, talked about immigrants becoming successful in America.
But 鈥渢here鈥檚 a big lie in America. The lie is that this room shouldn鈥檛 exist. 鈥� [That] when we help our immigrant neighbors, when we help those less fortunate, it lessens my life. That鈥檚 a lie,鈥� he said, echoing his announcement video.
Alsobrooks said during her tenure as states attorney, violent crime in her jurisdiction decreased by 50% and the county broke ground on 10 new schools in the last three years.
鈥淲hen I tell you what I intend to accomplish for people in the Senate, I鈥檓 not speaking aspirationally. I鈥檓 not speaking to you theoretically. I鈥檓 telling you what we鈥檝e been able to accomplish already to this point,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 so much more we can do for our families.鈥�
It remains unclear whether Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-8th) will join the field seeking the Democratic nomination.
Raskin didn鈥檛 announce his plans Wednesday, but he told the packed room that his latest test showed聽, after months of chemotherapy treatment for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.
During a brief interview, Raskin said he鈥檒l make his intentions known next month.
鈥淚鈥檓 just trying to figure out where I can be most effective in standing up for democratic values and democratic institutions,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the fight we鈥檙e in and we鈥檙e still in the middle of it鈥︹��
Jerome Segal, a former college lecturer and longtime progressive activist who has run for several offices over the last five years, has said he will seek the Democratic nomination.
Anne Arundel County businessman Juan Dominguez is contemplating whether to enter the Democratic primary race.
Meanwhile, Democrat Steven Henry Seuferer, Republican Ray Bly, and Moshe Landman, of the Green Party, have filed for candidacy with the State Board of Elections.
Maryland Democratic Party Chair Yvette Lewis offered advice for fellow Democrats in choosing a Senate candidate.
鈥淲hat I would encourage everybody to do is to get to know every single candidate. Don鈥檛 take anybody鈥檚 advice, especially mine,鈥� she said. 鈥淒o your own research. Find out if they speak to your values. The worst thing you can do is to go to your neighbor and say, 鈥榃ho should I vote for?鈥� That鈥檚 your responsibility, so you should take that responsibility seriously. I certainly do and I encourage everybody to do that.鈥�
Editor鈥檚 Note: This story was updated to clarify a statement from Angela Alsobrooks.
