David Trone Ranks as One of the Highest Self-Funders in Senate Primary History

Representative David Trone, a Democrat from Maryland, has made headlines for pouring nearly $42 million of his personal fortune into his Senate bid, making him one of the top self-funders in Senate primary history. Trone, who owns a successful wine and liquor retailer, invested $18.5 million in his campaign from January to March alone, ending last month with $1 million on hand.

Trone is facing a tough Democratic primary against Angela Alsobrooks, the executive of Prince George’s County, and several other candidates. Despite picking up endorsements from top House Democrats, Trone faced criticism for using a racial slur during a recent House committee meeting. He later apologized for his use of the derogatory term.

In response to the competition, Trone has positioned himself to the left of Alsobrooks on issues such as addiction and criminal justice. He has emphasized his humble origins and self-made success as the founder of Total Wine & More. Trone’s ability to self-fund his campaign is seen as a way to combat the influence of political action committees, lobbyists, and corporations.

The winner of the Democratic primary is expected to face former Republican Governor Larry Hogan in the general election. While Maryland has not elected a Republican senator in over 40 years, Hogan has won two terms as governor. Trone’s massive self-funding efforts have raised eyebrows, with analysts noting that he has a lot of ground to make up in the race.