In her first major appearance since winning the primary, Maryland Democratic Senate candidate Angela Alsobrooks enlisted powerful allies Friday, joining Vice President Harris and top Maryland Democratic leaders to launch a campaign that could determine which party controls the United States Senate.
The vice president emphasized the role Alsobrooks could play in keeping the seat for Democrats. prepare the party to advance legislation to restore and protect access to abortion and promote gun control measures across the country.
“She is a leader who always stands up for the principles and the people of Maryland,” Harris said, emphasizing that Alsobrooks would be an important ally for the Biden-Harris administration in a possible second term.
The Biden-Harris administration created a White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, implemented new rules to curb the proliferation of ghost guns, and closed a loophole that bypassed background checks on sales outside of traditional gun stores, such as those that take place at gun and flea fairs. markets. Harris said those gains would be at risk if voters tilted the presidency or control of the Senate to Republicans. He criticized former President Donald Trump for cutting funding for gun violence prevention programs and overseeing an administration that saw a substantial increase in murders in 2020, more than three-quarters of which involved firearms.
“Maryland, you have the power to elect leaders who have truly kept our communities safe,” Harris said.
The rally drew criticism from Alsobrooks’ opponent, Republican Senate candidate Larry Hogan, the former governor with his own record to defend.
While Hogan drew national attention to the Senate race for days by drawing the ire of Trump world, Harris’ appearance on Friday focused attention on both Senate candidates.
Several high-profile Maryland Democrats, including Gov. Wes Moore, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Rep. Glenn F. Ivey and Comptroller Brooke Lierman, spoke at the campaign rally, which focused primarily on Democratic proposals to combat the gun violence in Maryland and across the country. United States banning the sale of assault weapons and strengthening background checks. They criticized Republicans for bowing to the National Rifle Association and gun manufacturers. Some blamed Hogan.
Moore, a rising Democratic star who promised to be a behind-the-scenes advocate and public surrogate for the Alsobrooks, took the stage to criticize his predecessor’s record on gun violence.
“We saw veto pens instead of decisive action,” Moore said.
Van Hollen said he needs a partner to join him in the Senate to combat pressure from the gun industry and NRA activists.
“We need someone to get a failing grade from the NRA,” he said.
Hogan’s record on gun control is mixed: He earned an A-minus from the NRA during his 2014 run for governor, but four years later he refused to take money from the influential gun rights group or to seek his support, and was eventually demoted to a C.
While in office, he supported laws banning firearms and revoking gun ownership for people deemed by courts to be a threat to themselves and others. That legislation was approved during his first term in response to the Parkland, Florida, high school shooting and the Las Vegas music concert massacre. But he vetoed other measures popular with Democrats who dominate the legislature and the electorate, sometimes for reasons that had little to do with gun control.
On Friday, he questioned Alsobrooks’ record on crime, saying in a statement that “rather than simply offering more platitudes, we urge her to tell voters how she will address skyrocketing crime during her tenure in the county.” of Prince George.”
Last month he presented a 10-point plan in which he said “we have to be tough on crime and the causes of crime.” In that plan, he suggested more funding for prosecutors, stricter sentences for violent criminals, “red flag” laws that support taking away gun rights from people judges consider dangerous, and “universal background checks,” among others. proposals. He said law enforcement is subject to “unreasonable requirements” and that too much federal funding is tied to political agendas.
“Governor Hogan has laid out a plan to address this out-of-control crime wave by funding law enforcement, getting repeat violent offenders off the streets, and taking guns out of the hands of violent criminals and the mentally ill, and Angela Alsobrooks has done it. no,” the Hogan campaign said in X.
At Friday’s rally, which took place on Gun Violence Awareness Day, Alsobrooks and Harris shared how they inspired and supported each other as they both made history in their careers as women of color in law enforcement and elected office. Alsobrooks recalled receiving a phone call from Harris shortly after she was elected as the first woman to serve as Prince George’s County state’s attorney in 2010.
“She’s been helping me all the way,” Alsobrooks said.
Alsobrooks and her allies at the event sought to distinguish her campaign by emphasizing the successes of her political career, including the 50 percent drop in violent crime during her tenure as Prince George’s County state’s attorney.
They also repeatedly reiterated what was at stake in the race: control of the Senate.
“It has become the case that the path to majority runs through Maryland,” Alsobrooks said.
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