Dem
51
GOP
49
Maybe we should have gone with "Queenmaker," since it's mostly going to be female candidates. Whatever you prefer, there's some interesting news out of Maryland, where the free-for-all occasioned by the imminent retirement of Sen. Ben Cardin (D) is underway. Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D) jumped in last week, as expected. And shortly thereafter, she got the endorsement of pro-choice group EMILY's list.
Under normal circumstances, the endorsement of various PACs and activist groups doesn't matter all that much, unless it's also backed with money (which, it should be noted, EMILY's List has). However, let us imagine that abortion access becomes the dominant issue in 2024, particularly among Democratic voters. If a candidate could land the support of the three or four most prominent pro-choice organizations—a list that probably includes EMILY's List, Planned Parenthood, NARAL Pro-Choice America and maybe the Center for Reproductive Rights—that could very well be decisive. That is to say, if two or three candidates are pretty similar, but one of them can claim to be the bona fide, activist-certified pro-choice candidate, that could and should be a huge leg up. We're just speculating at this point, but it's worth keeping in mind as the 2024 cycle unfolds. (Z)