Angela Alsobrooks pivots to Key Bridge-focused town hall after an ill David Trone withdraws from US Senate debate

Following her opponent’s cancellation due to illness, Angela Alsobrooks pivoted to hosting a town-hall forum in Dundalk on Sunday, where she spoke about the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26.

Alsobrooks, the Prince George’s County executive, was scheduled to face U.S. Rep. David Trone at a debate hosted by the Baltimore County and Baltimore City Democratic State Central committees at the Sollers Point Multipurpose Center in Turner Station. Trone pulled out Sunday morning after being hospitalized for fever and dehydration.

He and Alsobrooks are seeking the Democratic Party nomination to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin. Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is expected to be the Republican Party nominee. Sunday’s attendees included Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr., Maryland House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones, and Del. Aletheia McCaskill, all Democrats who have endorsed Alsobrooks.

Trone, who has served Western Maryland in Congress since 2018, is funding his campaign almost entirely with his own money. Alsobrooks, who previously accused him of trying to “buy the election,” wished him a “speedy recovery” in her opening remarks Sunday.

Alsobrooks said she fully supported federal and state authorities’ response, and was “so happy” President Joe Biden pledged during his Friday visit to the Port of Baltimore to cover 90% of the total cost of replacing the bridge.

“There’s precedent for this,” she said of federal lawmakers’ promise to fund the bridge’s rebuilding. “This happened in Minnesota, as we know in 2007, so there is an important precedent to make sure that you’re rebuilding that bridge at 100%.”

Minnesota rebuilt its I-35W bridge in 13 months after the bridge collapsed in August 2007, killing 13 people.

Alsobrooks said divers from Prince George’s County have assisted the ongoing effort to find the six construction workers who died when the Key Bridge collapsed after a cargo vessel hit it. On Friday, authorities recovered the body of Maynor Suazo Sandoval, though three more men who are presumed dead remain missing.

“This is one Maryland and we’re in this together with Baltimore and we will stick together until we get it rebuilt,” Alsobrooks said of the bridge.

She also fielded questions from the audience on the ongoing conflict in Gaza and reproductive rights. She doubled down on her previous criticism of Hogan for saying it was “not necessary” to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution.

Maryland cannot let itself “fall into the hands of the Republicans, because they’re not done yet,” Alsobrooks said. “It’s not just abortion care that’s on the chopping block, it’s reproductive freedom, which is why they’re constantly trying to defund Planned Parenthood, why they want to make contraception their decision, why the Alabama court made that decision regarding IVF. They are not done yet.”

Sunday marked six months since Oct. 7, when Hamas-led militants attacked Israel, killing thousands of people and taking hundreds hostage. Israeli forces have bombarded the Gaza Strip in response, killing tens of thousands of civilians, including seven aid workers last week who were delivering food to Palestinians at the time.

U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat, has called for Biden to reconsider sending more aid to Israel, and last week signed on to a letter asking him to consider recognizing a “nonmilitarized” Palestinian state.

Alsobrooks said she supported a two-state solution, was “interested in peace,” and said there needed to be “an immediate cease-fire.”

“We can never forget the absolutely horrific attack that happened on October 7,” she said. “I think we have to also make sure that we are doing everything in our power … to get the important aid into Gaza, to aid those are starving, to aid those who are suffering, to make sure that aid is getting there.”

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