Rep. April McClain Delaney, a Biden appointee, has won the Democratic primary in Maryland’s gerrymandered House seat. Delaney defeated former Rep. David Trone, a billionaire wine mogul, in a costly primary battle.
Primary Battle
The primary was one of the most expensive in the 2026 cycle, with over $32 million spent between the two candidates. Trone, the founder of Total Wine & More, spent over $25 million of his own wealth on the campaign, while Delaney spent at least $7 million.
Delaney, who served in the Biden administration as a political appointee in the Commerce Department, was endorsed by several high-profile Democrats, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Trone, on the other hand, was endorsed by the state’s largest teachers union.
The primary was marked by few policy differences between the two candidates, but Trone sharply criticized Delaney for voting for the GOP-authored Laken Riley Act, which requires the detention of illegal immigrants accused or convicted of certain crimes. Delaney later expressed regret for supporting the law.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
