![](/img/icon/fonts.png)
Angela Alsobrooks creates a springboard for Black political power in Maryland
Maryland Democrats selected Angela Alsobrooks in Tuesday’s primary as their nominee for the Senate seat held by the retiring Ben Cardin. For many Black Democrats in the state — and across the country — her victory is one of the more consequential outcomes of 2024. That’s because the Alsobrooks campaign is seen as a springboard for Black power in a moderate Southern state.
Most press coverage of the primary has depicted Alsobrooks’s candidacy from the perspective of women’s political empowerment; specifically, that Alsobrooks would make the Senate more inclusive for women and, to an extent, those of color. In addition, she could be a credible voice on the national debate over abortion, although there is no ban in Maryland.
But to some Black political observers, her election to the Senate would consolidate a historic movement for statewide representation. The politics in Maryland are a game-changer in the American racial experience. Black voters comprise about 30 percent of its 6 million population and more than half of the Democratic base. They are organized in a suburban-urban coalition with a newfound ability to exercise influence as party leaders or swing voters.
While Maryland’s racial demographics are similar to those of Delaware, Georgia or Louisiana, its level of Black political organization and expertise is more advanced and capable of managing a state political coalition. In 2022, for instance, Democrats made history with the elections of Wes Moore as governor and........
© The Hill
![](/img/icon/go.png)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3c/Download_on_the_App_Store_Badge.svg/203px-Download_on_the_App_Store_Badge.svg.png)
![Get it on Google Play](/img/icon/google.play.220.png)