Maryland Sen. Angela Alsobrooks pushed Democrats to bet on Scott Colom

Sen. Angela Alsobrooks believed Scott Colom could win a U.S. Senate seat in Mississippi long before most political observers took notice of the race. The Maryland Democrat started campaigning for Colom in June 2026, a decision she made after receiving a tip from Gerard Henderson, her former campaign operations director. Henderson returned to his home state of Mississippi to serve as Colom's campaign manager. He told Alsobrooks that his candidate was strong but not getting enough attention. Alsobrooks recalled that Henderson said, "I have a really amazing candidate. He's not getting any attention."

Alsobrooks traveled to Mississippi to assess the race herself. She said she concluded immediately that the numbers favored Colom. The Democratic Party lost the state's gubernatorial election by 27,000 votes in 2023, and African Americans make up 40 percent of the state's population. Alsobrooks argued that the main obstacle for Democrats was not the candidate's viability, but a lack of belief among voters. She stated, "I sensed right away that the problem with Mississippi was that they had a belief problem."

To address that perception, Alsobrooks held a campaign event with Colom at a local church. She also hosted a gathering for the Divine Nine, a coalition of nine historically Black fraternities and sororities. She felt that seeing a sitting U.S. senator on the ground would help convince voters that Colom's victory was possible. Colom maintained a narrow lead over Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in the deep-red state heading into the election.

After returning to Maryland, Alsobrooks began a second phase of her support. She urged other members of the Democratic Party to back Colom. Her outreach included Gov. Wes Moore, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Sens. Raphael Warnock of Georgia and Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware. Alsobrooks noted that she had previously supported Juliana Stratton in her successful Senate run in Illinois in June. That endorsement went against the grain of some Congressional Black Caucus members, but Alsobrooks stood by her conviction. She said, "When I believe in someone, I'm all in. Regardless of what seems popular or what everyone else is doing. I believed in Juliana, and I knew she could win."

Karen Miller, a political fundraiser in Maryland, said Maryland politicians, particularly Black leaders, have star-like qualities that allow them to influence momentum in crucial races. Before this election, Gov. Wes Moore was the only Black governor in the country. Miller noted that figures like Moore and Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott are sought-after figures who can help drive turnout. In July, Moore traveled to Georgia to canvass for Keisha Lance Bottoms and to Nevada to help Aaron Ford in his successful bid for governor. Scott joined Moore in September for a virtual call to action for Bottoms.

Glynda C. Carr, president and CEO of Higher Heights for America PAC, said Alsobrooks' backing of Stratton and Colom demonstrated political courage. Carr added, "We have to keep opening doors and creating opportunities for the next generation of Black leaders. She's helping build the bench of leaders who will shape our nation's future."

Alsobrooks became Maryland's first Black senator in 2024. She described herself as a person of faith and an extreme optimist. She said she was shocked by how successful Democrats were in the midterm cycle. Alsobrooks said Democrats will work hard to repair the things Republicans have broken. She said the party has a clear plan to address medical and healthcare cuts first, but acknowledged that repairing the damage will take some time.