Maryland Democrats set to compete for all 188 seats in General Assembly

Maryland Democrats are aiming to compete for every seat in the General Assembly for the first time since 1974.

The Maryland Democratic Party launched its “Contest Every Seat” initiative in October to ensure Democrats appear on the ballots in each legislative district and equip them with the tools to win in November.

“This is about showing up and giving the voters a choice,” party Chairman Steuart Pittman said in an announcement video. “There are places in this state where voters have only had Republicans on the ballot for far too long, and we need to compete everywhere.”

The Maryland Democratic Party said it has the “energy and momentum” to win the 13 Senate seats and 39 House seats now held by Republicans.

“This whole red-to-blue effort to be in every part of the state has been important for a long time, but this, we feel, is our opportunity,” Mr. Pittman told reporters Wednesday.

Democrats currently make up 72% of the General Assembly. But they also have a chokehold across most of Maryland, controlling both legislative chambers and the offices of the governor, attorney general and secretary of state.

The party also holds other leadership positions, including city councils, sheriffs’ offices, county commissions and school boards. The Contest Every Seat initiative also pushed for more Democrats on such ballots but not field 100% in every county race across the state.

Gov. Wes Moore applauded the state Democratic Party for “not backing down as Republicans across the state and in Washington support [President] Trump’s dangerous, far-right agenda that is costing hardworking Marylanders their jobs and raising costs on everything.”

“This is the first time in my life Democrats are putting up a fight in every house and senate seat across Maryland,” Mr. Moore said in a statement. “Together we will fight to win in November in every single part of Maryland.”

The Maryland Republican Party, meanwhile, has a “Seat By Seat” initiative to recruit candidates, which recruited a “powerhouse team of candidates,” Chair Nicole Beus Harris said in a statement.

Democrats are “weighed down by years of failure and an unpopular governor at the top of the ticket,” she said. “We see a real opportunity for major victories with these strong Republican candidates leading the way.”