The Democratic primary in one Maryland district is shaping up as one of the nation’s most expensive House races – and nearly all of the money is coming from the two leading candidates’ own pockets.
The incumbent in the 6th district, Rep. April McClain Delaney, and former Rep. David Trone have combined to raise nearly $34.8 million in their fight for western Maryland’s House seat. But only a sliver of that money has come from the voters they hope to represent.
Instead, the candidates themselves supplied 94% of the total – about $32.8 million – through loans or contributions to their own campaigns, according to an OpenSecrets analysis of Federal Election Commission pre-primary filings through June 3. That includes $25 million in self-loans by Trone and $7.4 million by McClain Delaney.
“It’s certainly unusual to have two candidates face off who are in a position to self-finance to this extent,” David Karol, an associate professor in the University of Maryland’s department of government and politics, told OpenSecrets. “It’s a House race – it’s not even a race for senator or governor – but it’s a remarkable amount of spending.”
With the general election still five months away, the fundraising total in this Democratic primary alone exceeds that in the most expensive House race of 2024 by nearly $10 million, according to OpenSecrets data. The filings depict a contest driven far more by personal wealth than by grassroots support, with several leading Democrats – and even the top Republican – relying overwhelmingly on their own money to power their campaigns.
“It’s a lot easier if you can just write yourself a check,” Karol said. “Fundraising is time-consuming, and it’s sometimes difficult. It’s not always easy to make the sale, and a lot of politicians don’t enjoy it. And these two individuals are very wealthy.”