Top Maryland Democrats are vocally opposing a new advertisement from a super PAC backing Republican U.S. Senate nominee Larry Hogan. The ad, which they claim links Hogan’s opponent, Angela Alsobrooks, to corrupt politicians from Prince George’s County, has drawn sharp criticism from local Democratic representatives, including Reps.
Steny Hoyer and Glenn Ivey. They described it as a scurrilous attempt to smear Prince George’s County and the people who live here, referencing the offensive nature of Hogan’s tactics, which they say echo Donald Trump’s approach to character assassination.
The ad from Maryland’s Future PAC begins with the line, PG County is full of corrupt politicians. Then there’s Angela Alsobrooks. It labels Alsobrooks as a tax cheat, citing a report that alleges she improperly claimed tax credits for a property that was previously owned by her grandmother in Washington, D.C., along with a homestead tax exemption.
Alsobrooks has acknowledged the issue and stated that she is working to rectify it, having paid off back taxes on the property she sold six years ago.
Lance Trover, a spokesperson for the PAC, countered that Alsobrooks owes nearly $50,000 in unpaid property taxes after allegedly dodging them for 15 years and noted various legal troubles related to her property management.
Hogan’s campaign has emphasized his local support and tried to position him as an independent candidate who can work with residents of Prince George’s County.
Democratic leaders, including Maryland Governor Wes Moore and Senator Chris Van Hollen, have criticized Hogan for reverting to negative campaign strategies, arguing that this ad distracts from meaningful discussions about the issues facing Marylanders.
They contend that Hogan’s portrayal of Prince George’s County residents as corrupt is not reflective of Maryland values and undermines his claim to represent all citizens in the Senate.
Hoyer and Ivey reiterated that such an ad is offensive, stating, You cannot claim you want to represent the entire state in the U.S. Senate if you’ve already decided that 960,000 people are ‘corrupt.
This statement underscores their frustration with Hogan’s campaign tactics and the broader implications for representation in Maryland.