Generally a newly elected congressman or Senator comes out of the election owing people. When big contributors put money on the line, they don't like to be disappointed. That tempers the actions of a newly elected senator. We have a very interesting case with Angela Alsobrooks.
Many candidates get money from Pro-Israel groups or donors. But not Angela. In the primary she didn't get any of the big Jewish money. The AIPAC Political Action Committee and it's Super PAC ignoredAngela. David Trone's wife was Jewish so what little support they gave Trone. He was self funding soTrone didn't need the money. They gave a little to Trone and ignored Angela. She came out of the primary, not owing them a vote or a thought or much of anything.
Then in the general election the Pro-Israel donors backed Larry Hogan. So again Angela came out of the election not owing the Israel crowd. Anything. If anything, they were against her every step of the way. It gives her a great deal of freedom now to say and do what she wants in regards to Israel. The polling numbers for Israel are below 30% among Democrats under 50 and under 61% over age 50. That means a super majority of Democrats don't support Israel the way they have in the past. When you ask young people their opinion on Israel, you're likely to hear words like genocide.
But since Angela came out of the election not owing Israel, I was curious just where did her money come from. So I thought I'd go back and take a look and that's what this article is.
The donor distribution in Angela Alsobrooks’ 2024 primary win over David Trone largely mirrors what we’re seeing in her general election fundraising, but with some key evolutions.
Alsobrooks vs Trone -
🟢 Primary vs. General: Donor Composition Comparison
| Donor Type | Alsobrooks (Primary) | Alsobrooks (General) |
|----------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|
| Individual Donors | ~97% of total raised; dominant source | Still dominant, especially via ActBlue |
| PACs & Committees | Minimal in early stages | Increased presence (e.g., crypto PACs, EMILY’s List) |
| Self-Funding | $500 total (negligible) | Still negligible |
| Union/Progressive PACs | Likely present but not dominant | More visible, especially in committee transfers |
| Corporate/Industry | Trone dominated this via self-funding | Alsobrooks now receiving crypto PAC support |
🔍 Key Takeaways from the Primary
- Alsobrooks crushed Trone in individual contributions, raising over $3.1 million from individuals compared to Trone’s ~$205K.
- Trone’s campaign was almost entirely self-funded, $62 million ~$61 million came from his own wealth.
- Alsobrooks leaned heavily on grassroots fundraising, especially through ActBlue and Maryland-based donors.
- She received strong support from Prince George’s County and other local networks, while Trone underperformed even in his home base of Montgomery County.
🧠 Strategic Shift in the General
- With Trone out and Hogan in, Alsobrooks has attracted more institutional support, including:
- Crypto PACs like Fairshake
- EMILY’s List and other identity-based national groups
- Likely union PACs and progressive coalitions bundling under committee names
So while the backbone of her fundraising remains individual donors, the general election has brought in more special interest PACs, especially those aligned with tech, progressive identity politics, and pro-choice advocacy.