In a significant victory for the Democratic Party, Maryland state Sen. Sarah Elfreth emerged as the winner of the Democratic primary for the open House seat on Tuesday, as projected by NBC News.
Elfreth’s triumph marks a crucial step towards succeeding retiring Rep. John Sarbanes in Maryland’s 3rd District, a solidly Democratic stronghold.
Her victory comes after a closely contested race against a diverse field of candidates, including Harry Dunn, a former police officer who gained national recognition for his role in defending the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Elfreth’s win is attributed to her strong legislative record in Annapolis, where she successfully championed bills on solar energy and Chesapeake Bay restoration, among others.
Dunn’s Courageous Efforts on Jan. 6 Couldn’t Secure Him a Win in Maryland Primary
Her campaign focused on protecting women’s reproductive rights, combating climate change, and addressing pressing local issues like flooding and gun violence.
Elfreth emphasized the importance of being a reliable and accessible representative, stating, “Folks really don’t care how I vote as long as they feel like they can turn to me when they need help.”
The dynamics of the race shifted in the final weeks, with outside money pouring in from the United Democracy Project (UDP), a super PAC tied to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
UDP spent over $4 million boosting Elfreth, mostly on TV ads in the Baltimore market. Dunn, who aggressively pushed back against the outside spending, raised concerns about UDP’s funding sources, citing prominent MAGA donors.
Elfreth maintained that she had no knowledge of UDP’s motivations and couldn’t coordinate with any super PAC by law. Her victory sets her up as a heavy favorite in the general election.
