John Matthews
WMAL.com
ROCKVILLE — (WMAL) In the end, experience beat both money and fame.
Maryland’s 8th District Democratic Congressional race was the nation’s most expensive primary race this year, fueled by the desire of a well-heeled political neophyte to become a member of Congress.
Wine store magnate David Trone threw more than $12 million dollars of his own money into the campaign, buying up online and TV ad space in a late bid to build a name brand and beat longtime local TV news anchor and former Marriott executive Kathleen Matthews, whose familiarity with voters presumably gave her a leg up in the race.
In the end, Trone did beat Matthews, but neither his deep pockets nor Matthews’ friendly face were able to win the day.
Jamie Raskin, a state senator who has represented parts of Silver Spring and Takoma Park since 2006, picked up nearly 34 percent of the vote to beat both of his rivals – and six other candidates in a crowded field that also included longtime Dels. Kumar Barve and Ana Sol Gutierrez.
Raskin will face Republican winner Dan Cox in November. Cox, an attorney from Frederick County, picked up 45 percent of the vote in a five-person field.
The winner of the 8th District race will succeed Chris Van Hollen, who won the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate, beating 4th District Rep. Donna Edwards.
With Edwards running for Senate, that also created a House race in the 4th District with two familiar names in the running for the Democrats.
Former Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown, who lost to Republican Larry Hogan in the 2014 race for Governor, had better luck this time around, beating former Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Glenn Ivey for the Democratic nomination to succeed Edwards.
Brown will face Republican George McDermott in November.
Elsewhere in Maryland, all six remaining House incumbents won their primary elections handily.
Copyright 2016 by WMAL.com. All Rights Reserved. (PHOTO: Jamie Raskin/Facebook)
