Federal campaign finance reports filed this week offer the first look at fundraising for some political challengers, but incumbents still have the upper hand.
Democratic Reps. Steny H. Hoyer (5th) and Anthony G. Brown (4th) have attracted party challengers.
In her first fundraising report since seeking election, Briana Urbina, who is challenging Hoyer, posted receipts of $10,219.32 and began spending on campaign operations, about $7,100.
McKayla Wilkes, also challenging Hoyer, posted her strongest fundraising quarter so far, bringing in $45,868.57. Much of that figure – more than $39,000 – came from unitemized small-dollar donations. She retains $42,493.50 in the bank account.
But the women, who are running from the left in an effort to unseat the second-most powerful Democrat in the House of Representatives, are up against Hoyer’s well-established fundraising. Hoyer is one of the top fundraisers nationally – but in this election cycle, he’s lagging behind New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D) who Wilkes and Urbina cite as an inspiration. Hoyer raised $630,824 this quarter and spent more than $592,000, including sending cash infusions to Democrats across the country.
The figures come from quarterly campaign finance reports filed this week. The reports cover the period between April 1 and June 30.
4th District
Brown, who is in his second term, built up his campaign chest this quarter, bringing in $229,133.39. He retains $786,605.31.
Shelia Bryant, an attorney who rose to the rank of colonel in the Marine Corps Reserves, held a campaign event earlier this month announcing her challenge to Brown. But that was after the reporting period and she will file a first fundraising report in October.
6th District
Western Marylanders waited intently last month to learn whether the Supreme Court would rule that the district was unconstitutionally gerrymandered to favor Republicans. The justices let the district stand, and incumbent Congressman David J. Trone will continue to retain a lead in the district’s party registration and at the bank.
Trone raised $88,438.50 during the quarter and loaned his campaign an additional $250,000. After spending more than $184,000 during the quarter, he retains $195,600 in the bank.
After the court’s ruling, Republican Del. Neil Parrott (Washington County), who announced an exploratory committee after an earlier lower-court decision finding the district was unfairly composed, urged supporters to continue giving to his campaign “to send a clear message that you are unhappy with Maryland’s congressional districts.”
He reported raising $10,198, more than $6,800 in unitemized small donations. He maintains $79,433 cash on hand.
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Danielle E. Gaines
Contributor
Danielle Gaines worked for Maryland Matters from September 2018 to January 2024. She covered government and politics for Maryland Matters for two years before moving into an editing position, ultimately serving as editor-in-chief for nearly three years. Previously, she spent six years at The Frederick News-Post ― as the paper’s principal government and politics reporter for half that time, covering courts and legal affairs before that. She also reported for the now-defunct The Gazette of Politics and Business in Maryland and previously worked as a county government and education reporter at The Merced Sun-Star in California’s Central Valley.
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