Less than two months before the special Democratic primary for Prince George’s County executive, State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy (D) has the most money to spend of the five leading candidates, new campaign finance reports show.
Braveboy reported having $530,299 in her campaign account as of Jan. 8. That’s according to the latest finance reports submitted to the Maryland State Board of Elections on Wednesday. Some of the candidates’ reports cover campaign fundraising and spending in the previous year, while others cover more discrete periods within 2024 and the first week of 2025.
The candidates still have weeks to raise money before the March 4 Democratic primary, which will almost certainly produce the winner of the June 3 general election in heavily Democratic Prince George’s County to replace former County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D), who resigned in December after being elected to the U.S. Senate. So the current state of the money chase may not ultimately determine who has the most to spend — and campaign cash, of course, isn’t automatically indicative of who is going to win.
But in a primary that’s more like a sprint than a marathon, campaign funds can help boost a candidate’s name recognition — especially at a time when mail-in ballots are already being sent to voters and early voting is set to begin on Feb. 26.
Following Braveboy in cash on hand as of Jan. 8: County Council President Jolene Ivey (D), County Councilmember Calvin Hawkins (D), former County Executive Rushern Baker III (D) and state Sen. Alonzo T. Washington (D).
In all, Braveboy reported raising $409,026 between Jan. 11, 2024, and Jan. 8 of this year, and spending $146,709 during that period. Since being elected state’s attorney in 2018, Braveboy, a former state lawmaker who lost a bid for state attorney general in 2014, has been raising money regularly and aggressively.
“The recent financial report demonstrates the overwhelming grassroots support driving my campaign and demonstrating that this campaign is truly powered by the people of Prince George’s County,” Braveboy said this week.
Ivey’s bottom line was boosted by a $250,000 loan she gave her campaign on Jan. 6, two days before the campaign finance reporting deadline closed. Although she was elected to a council district seat in 2018 and reelected in 2022, she has been campaigning steadily since last summer, first for a council at-large seat that she won in November, now for the executive’s job. She had $429,921 in the bank as of Jan. 8.
Hawkins, according to the campaign reports, amped up his fundraising in the closing weeks of 2024. He reported raising $333,905 between Nov. 8 and Jan. 8, finishing the reporting period with $328,353 on hand.
Baker is seeking a return to county government after being termed out of office in 2018 and losing two bids for governor. He reported raising $120,487 since announcing his candidacy for his old job in December, and had $107,528 in the bank on Jan. 8.
Click here to read the rest of the article written by Josh Kurtz over at Maryland Matters
