Inside one of the most bizarre Democratic primaries in the country
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David Trone and April McClain Delaney in Gaithersburg, Md., on May 14. Photo: The Washington Post via Getty Images
Former Maryland Rep. David Trone is going after a fellow moderate and former ally from the left to reclaim his old House seat. Part of his strategy involves touting his support for abortion access in neighboring West Virginia.
Why it matters: These are just a few of the perplexing aspects of a Democratic primary campaign that is shaping up to be one of the most peculiar of the 2026 election cycle.
- Trone, the wealthy co-owner of Total Wine & More, has vowed to spend "whatever it takes" to defeat freshman Rep. April McClain-Delaney (D-Md.) despite supporting her in 2024.
- Unlike the dozens of other hotly contested Democratic primaries taking place across the country, there is little ideological or generational daylight between Trone and McClain-Delaney.
Driving the news: "No, David Trone isn't running to represent West Virginia, but he's fought like hell for every West Virginian woman," a new Trone ad says.
- It touts the ex-congressman's support for abortion access for women "no matter which side of the state line [they] live in."
- The spot features shots of pro-Trone yard signs in various West Virginia towns as the instrumentals of "Take Me Home, Country Roads," a song widely considered the Mountain State's informal anthem, play in the background.
- Running in the Washington, D.C. metro area — which contains counties in West Virginia and Trone's Maryland district — the ad has so far been backed up by a $50,000 ad buy, according to AdImpact.
Zoom out: Trone was elected in 2018 to succeed McClain-Delaney's husband John Delaney, another wealthy businessman who gave up the seat to run for president.
- Trone retired in 2024 to mount a failed bid for U.S. Senate, with McClain-Delaney winning a contested primary to succeed him.
- All three are prolific self-funders, with Trone spending a staggering $63 million on his Senate bid and $5 million so far on his attempted House comeback.
What they're saying: "This ad showcases the Congressman's long history of fighting for abortion rights. While Maryland has access at the state level, David knows how important it is to continue fighting at the federal level," Trone campaign spokesperson Gabriella Krevat told Axios.
- "This isn't political for him. It's about values," she said, pointing to Trone's support for an abortion clinic in Maryland in 2023 after West Virginia banned abortion.
- Krevat acknowledged that while "there is some unintentional bleed across state lines, the purpose of this ad is to speak directly to the people of the Sixth District."
The other side: McClain-Delaney campaign spokesperson Nick London said in a statement to Axios that the congresswoman is a "dependable fighter for abortion rights," noting she is endorsed by Planned Parenthood.
- London noted that, before he first ran for Congress in 2016, Trone donated to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican who shepherded the state's total ban on abortion.
- Those donations, he said, were "just one of many examples of [Trone's] endless effort to buy access, this time at the cost of 15 million women in Texas."
Between the lines: The scuffle over this ad highlights the two key dynamics at play in this race, money and image.
- Both candidates have considerable personal resources, but Trone in particularly can afford to spend on ads like this because his coffers are effectively bottomless.
- Trone and McClain-Delaney are also both considered relative moderates, but Trone is rebranding himself liberal champion ready to fight President Trump at a time when the Democratic grassroots is clamoring for a more combative party.
What's next: The primary election is on June 11.
