By Adam Pagnucco.
Yesterday, Montgomery County Council Member Will Jawando, who is running for retiring U.S. Senator Ben Cardin’s seat, ran a negative Facebook ad. This is the first negative ad I have seen in this particular race.
Jawando’s ad states:
Millionaires are lining up on both sides of the aisle to try and buy their way into the Senate. We can’t let that happen.
Will Jawando is a Montgomery County Councilmember and civil rights attorney running to represent ALL Marylanders – not just the millionaires.
Can you pitch in $5 today to help hit our end-of-quarter goal and keep Will competitive?
We’re building a people-powered movement funded by everyday Marylanders.
Contribute today: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/jaw-ads-jun23?refcode=acq_fl_JAW_20230624_DD_FB_EOQ_Static_NATL-1P
Jawando’s target in the Democratic primary is obviously Total Wine co-founder David Trone, who has self-funded millions of dollars in his races for the U.S. House. His target on the Republican side is less obvious although Robin Ficker has been known to direct substantial self-funding to his campaigns in the past.
Driving the ad is the fact that the next campaign finance report covers the quarter through the end of June and is due on July 15.
Last week, Maryland Matters reported that Governor Wes Moore, who has not endorsed for Senate, made the following comments on this race:
The thing that I’ve said to each and every one of them is that I’m going to be staying close and paying very close attention… I want this to be a race that is going to be substance-based. I want this race to be issue-oriented. And I want this to be a race that’s positive. And if I see any inclinations that it’s not going in that direction, I will step in and quickly.
Will Moore do anything about this ad or will he keep his powder dry?