April McClain Delaney won her Maryland primary on Tuesday, surviving a bitter and costly Democratic contest in the state’s 6th District and shutting the door on former Representative David Trone’s bid to return to Congress. The first-term incumbent’s victory caps one of the most expensive and contentious primaries the state has seen.

A Brutal and Expensive Fight

This was no quiet intraparty contest. The race attracted a staggering $23 million in television spending, much of it coming directly from the candidates themselves.

Beyond the dollar figures, the primary became a kind of microcosm of the broader tensions roiling the Democratic Party. It surfaced clashes over how to confront President Donald Trump, the role of money in politics, and the deeply divisive issue of immigration.

Strong Backing for the Incumbent

McClain Delaney did not face this challenge alone. Serving her first term in Congress, she entered the race with significant institutional support behind her.

Her backers included:

• The rest of Maryland’s Democratic congressional delegation
• Governor Wes Moore

That show of party unity helped fortify her position against a well-funded opponent.

Why Trone Launched His Comeback

Trone announced his challenge in December, and immigration sat at the heart of his case against McClain Delaney. He pointed in part to her vote for the Laken Riley Act, a Republican-led immigration measure.

McClain Delaney later distanced herself from that vote, expressing regret over it. She said she had not anticipated the “horror” that Trump’s immigration enforcement would ultimately bring, an admission that became a focal point of the campaign.

A Familiar Face Seeking a Return

Trone is no stranger to the district. He previously represented Maryland’s 6th for three terms before giving up the seat in 2024 to mount a Senate campaign. That bid fell short, as he lost the primary to now-Senator Angela Alsobrooks.

His attempt to reclaim his old seat was almost entirely self-funded, consistent with his history as a wealthy, self-financing candidate. McClain Delaney, for her part, had won the open primary for that same seat in 2024 and went on to claim it in the general election. She is married to former Representative John Delaney, adding another layer of political lineage to the contest.

Looking Ahead to November

With the primary settled, McClain Delaney is in a strong position heading into the fall. The 6th District is considered safe for Democrats in the midterms, and she won it by a bit more than 6 points in 2024.

Her primary win all but ensures she will continue representing the district, while bringing a definitive end to Trone’s effort to return to the political stage, at least for this cycle.