Baltimore County Executive John A. “Johnny O” Olszewski Jr. (D) will not run to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin (D) next year, squelching speculation that he would be a rare candidate from the Baltimore area in the statewide race.
Instead, Olszewski on Monday threw his support behind Prince George’s County Executive Angela D. Alsobrooks (D), who declared last week she was running for Cardin’s seat, after the state senior senator announced he would not seek re-election in 2024.
Olszewski’s endorsement was one of several new developments in the fast-moving race to replace Cardin, who has held elective office since 1967. In another, an Anne Arundel County businessman, Juan Dominguez, told Maryland Matters on Monday that he is contemplating whether to enter the Democratic primary.
Olszewski and Alsobrooks appeared together Monday morning in the parking lot of the Randallstown Community Center in western Baltimore County. On Sunday evening, Olszewski’s campaign issued an advisory that he would be making a statement about the Senate race the following morning, but it gave no indication that Alsobrooks would be there.
