Rep. Chris Van Hollen, a Montgomery County Democrat, now has an opponent in his newly launched Senate campaign—Rep. Donna Edwards.
The District 4 representative from Prince George’s County officially launched her campaign this morning in a video message highlighting her achievements.
Edwards, 56, makes her move a little more than a week after Sen. Barbara Mikulski announced she would retire.
Mikulski’s departure opened the door for individuals looking to make a run for higher office. Van Hollen was the first to jump in, announcing his candidacy less than 48 hours after Mikulski announced she would retire in 2016.
Since then Van Hollen has garnered endorsements from the Montgomery County political establishment, including County Executive Ike Leggett and all nine members of the County Council. He also received a big early national bump with an endorsement from Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid and has been endorsed by Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh.
However, Edwards has the support of progressive groups including the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC), which helped Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren raise more than $1 million in her 2012 campaign.
The PCCC issued a statement of support after Edwards’ announcement, saying, “She’s not just a progressive ally—she’s one of us. Donna was a community activist, she led the National Network to End Domestic Violence and she’s devoted her time in Congress to taking on powerful interests on behalf of everyday families.”
The Washington Post’s Mike Debonis wrote that this race may be a bellwether for Democratic politics nationwide, with Van Hollen playing the role of the mainstream Democrat backed by party leadership and Edwards taking up the Warren-like mantle of promoting economic equality and protecting the social safety net.
