Rep. David Trone, D-Md., entered the race for Sen. Ben Cardin's seat Thursday after the Maryland Democrat revealed he would not seek reelection in 2024.
Trone is the second Democrat to jump into the race to replace Cardin after state lawmaker Will Jawando launched his Senate campaign on Tuesday.
"I'm running for Senate because the clock is ticking," Trone said in an announcement video, referencing issues like fentanyl overdoses, mental illness, and the incarceration rate disparity between Black men and White men.
"Is any of this acceptable to you?" Trone asked. "To anyone? Not to me. I know I may not be the establishment choice, but hey, why start now?"
As speculation mounts over whether Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., and Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks will enter the race, Trone said the Old Line State needs a candidate who's set apart by accomplishments.
"On social issues, all the candidates that announce will be in the same position," Trone told NBC News. "The difference really is about getting things done.
"That's what people are just tired of — politicians that want to be on CNN and MSNBC and talk, talk, talk but not get something accomplished. And getting something accomplished is the bottom line, and I think life has prepared me to do that."
According to The Hill, Trone has represented Maryland's 6th Congressional District since 2019. He is also the founder of Total Wine & More liquor stores. As a Senate candidate, Trone will likely have an advantage due to his personal wealth. In 2016, the congressman reportedly spent more than $12 million on his House race; his personal fortune is valued between approximately $40 million and $150 million, Axios reported.
"We really don't know where this race is going to go as far as what it's going to cost. But we're certainly going to be there and be willing to put in the dollars necessary to bring it home," Trone told the Washington Examiner, adding that he does not take money from PACs, lobbyists, or corporations.
Cardin announced he would not seek another term on Monday, marking the end of a political career that began in 1996 in the Maryland House of Delegates. He went on to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives for 20 years before being elected to the first of his three Senate terms in 2006.
The primary for Maryland's open Senate seat could get crowded, but Democrats have an advantage going into the general election, as the seat is listed as "solid Democratic" by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.