Rep. April McClain Delaney (D-Md.) is the projected winner of what could become the most expensive House of Representatives election in history. She defeated the self-funded campaign of billionaire David Trone, who previously held the seat representing Maryland's solidly blue 6th District and had sought to reclaim it.
Record-Breaking Spending
The $25 million that Trone poured into his own campaign helped push the contest past the Republican primary in Kentucky's 4th District, where a Trump-backed challenger ousted independent-minded Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), making it the most expensive House election ever. McClain Delaney contributed at least $7 million of her own fortune and received a late boost from the crypto industry.
Bitter Campaign, Similar Policies
McClain Delaney told HuffPost earlier this month that Trone was a "bored billionaire" seeking revenge against elected Democrats who did not endorse him in earlier races. Though they attacked each other with near-constant TV ads, the two candidates did not present radically different policy visions. However, one fateful House vote became a central campaign issue.
Laken Riley Act Controversy
Trone's ads highlighted McClain Delaney's January 2025 vote for the Laken Riley Act, the first major bill Donald Trump signed into law during his second term. The law requires the Department of Homeland Security to detain migrants arrested for theft or shoplifting, potentially infringing on constitutional due process protections. McClain Delaney was one of 44 House Democrats who voted for the bill, and one of several who later said she regretted her vote. She explained, "It wasn't obvious to me in January of last year how immigration enforcement would be weaponized," referencing a Minnesota crackdown that left American citizens dead. She added, "How would I have known what DHS would become?"
Voter Response and Support
Democratic voters in Maryland were apparently unmoved by Trone's effort to portray McClain Delaney as a Trump collaborator. She touted endorsements from fellow Democrats including Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), and portrayed Trone as a ruthless businessman who would ally with Republicans when convenient. McClain Delaney will face only nominal Republican opposition in the fall general election.
Trone's Second Defeat
This marks Trone's second stinging loss since he gave up the seat in 2024—when he endorsed McClain Delaney as his successor—and spent $60 million failing to become the Democratic nominee for Senate that year. It remains possible he will run again.
