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Democrat vs. Democrat: five tough primaries that pit left against itself

Republicans have become famous for eating their own in primaries. The Democrats? Not so much. But there are still a handful of interesting Democrat vs. Democrat races this cycle. Here’s a list:

5. Maryland: Anthony Brown vs. others

Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post/AP
Maryland Democratic gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown greets people onstage after participating in a Maryland Democratic primary gubernatorial debate at the University of Maryland in College Park, Md., on May 7.

Lieutenant Governor Brown holds a commanding lead in polls for the Democratic primary for Maryland governor. A Washington Post poll released June 10 shows Brown leading with 46 percent, while state Attorney General Douglas Gansler got 23 percent and Del. Heather Mizeur got 16 percent. The current governor, Martin O’Malley, has served two terms, and cannot run again.

The primary is June 24, and analysts predict Brown will win both the primary and the general election, barring a major mistake. Brown was tasked with overseeing the launch of Maryland’s health insurance exchange, which had major problems. But many voters say they excuse that, given the problems with the federal site, HealthCare.gov.

Brown’s political rise is worth noting, as he would be Maryland’s first black governor. Brown graduated from Harvard University and Harvard Law School, and is the son of a Jamaican father and Swiss mother. His mixed-race, Ivy League profile is reminiscent of Obama’s – the two overlapped at Harvard Law – though Brown can’t be considered a political “child” of Obama. Brown entered politics in 1998, winning a seat in the Maryland state legislature, long before Obama became a household name. Before launching his political career, Brown had a career in the Army. 

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Mark Sappenfield
Editor

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