David Trone eyes his old House seat after failed Maryland Senate run
David Trone, former Democratic Representative and co-founder of Total Wine & More, has entered the race to reclaim his old Maryland House seat by challenging the current incumbent, Rep. April McClain Delaney, in the Democratic primary. Trone served in Congress from 2019 to 2024 before an unsuccessful run for the U.S. Senate in 2024, where he spent over $60 million of his own money but lost to Angela Alsobrooks. Trone announced his candidacy expressing strong opposition to what he describes as attacks on democracy by Trump and Republicans,and emphasizing his commitment to fight for Maryland’s 6th District. Delaney responded critically,accusing Trone of having the arrogance of former President Trump and affirming her ongoing dedication to defending her district’s interests. The 2026 election cycle is expected to be highly competitive, with many House seats at stake and Democrats currently on the defensive.
David Trone eyes his old House seat after failed Maryland Senate run
Former Democratic Rep. David Trone has jumped into the race to retake his old Maryland House seat, primarying Rep. April McClain Delaney (D-MD), who succeeded him in the district after he unsuccessfully ran for Senate in 2024.
Trone, co-founder of Total Wine & More, filed for reelection Thursday, according to the Federal Election Commission website. The 70-year-old served in Congress from 2019 to 2024 before he launched his campaign for the upper chamber.
“Watching Trump and Republicans’ assault on our democracy — weaponizing the government
and tearing apart families — is intolerable and goes against everything we stand for,” Trone said in a statement announcing his bid. “Our fundamental freedoms are being dismantled piece by piece. The people of Maryland’s 6th District need a fighter who will stand up against these attacks every single day. I’ve never been someone who stood on the sidelines when I saw something wrong, and now more than ever, I cannot sit by. That’s why I’m running for Congress.”
Trone fought in a competitive primary against then-Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks for the seat of retiring Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin. Trone threw over $60 million of his own money into the primary battle but ultimately lost to Alsobrooks, who won the general election as well.
McClain Delaney narrowly defeated her Republican opponent, Neil Parrott, last year to represent Maryland’s 6th Congressional District. The congresswoman’s husband, former Rep. John Delaney, represented the district from 2013 to 2019.
“David Trone thinks I should ‘step aside’ so he can have his old office back after he abandoned the district to run and lose for Senate,” she wrote in a statement to the Washington Examiner. “He has the arrogance of a [President Donald] Trump. But not so fast. On behalf of my district, I stand up to bullies. That’s why I’ll continue to take on Trump’s assault on our government workers, defend our diverse community, protect choice and women’s reproductive rights and work against inflation-creating tariffs.”
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Every race will be crucial in 2026, as House Republicans hold one of the slimmest margins in U.S. history. Democrats remain on the defensive, with 37 seats rated as competitive compared to the 29 GOP seats marked as competitive. Historically, the House flips to the party opposite the White House during midterm elections, as it has for the last five presidencies.
The Washington Examiner reached out to Trone’s team for comment.
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