Wealthy businessman David Trone only kicked off his bid for Maryland’s safely blue 8th Congressional District a few days ago, and he’s already airing his first TV ad. In his minute-long spot, Trone takes the viewer on a tour of the farm where he grew up, and argues he learned about compassion and respect from it, before talking about his providing opportunities for people. It’s a bit weird that Trone’s ad centers around a farm in a very suburban seat, but we can’t all be born in log cabins. The ad is part of Trone’s opening $900,000 buy.
There’s a crowded Democratic primary here, and Trone’s rivals already have something to attack him with. While Trone hosted President Obama at his home for a fundraiser, the Washington Post reports that since 2000, Trone has donated $150,000 to Republicans, while sending $90,000 to Team Blue.
Trone wasn’t exactly apologetic about his decision to contribute to Republicans like Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory when he was asked. While he said he disagrees with the GOP candidates he sent money to “on everything social and economic,” “I sign my checks to buy access.” That’s nothing if not honest in a very Trump-like way. Hotel executive and primary rival Kathleen Matthews has also earned some scorn for donating to GOP Sen. Roy Blunt for business reasons, though her $2,600 looks positively tiny compared to what Trone has shelled out.