Democrat April McClain Delaney, whose husband previously held the position, faces off against Republican Neil Parrott, a former state lawmaker with conservative views.
This district is known for its diversity, stretching across expansive rural areas in western Maryland as well as affluent, liberal suburbs near Washington, D.C. Both candidates have been actively attempting to portray each other as extreme and disconnected from everyday voters.
As a mother of four daughters, McClain Delaney has made issues affecting women, particularly abortion rights, a focal point of her campaign. She has committed to safeguarding reproductive freedoms following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in 2022, which overturned constitutional protections for abortion and shifted regulatory power to the states. The issue resonates deeply with her due to a personal experience with an ectopic pregnancy that presented life-threatening risks if strict abortion laws had restricted her access to necessary medical care.
On the other hand, Parrott has been evasive in discussing reproductive rights during his campaign. While he has a long-standing anti-abortion record from his tenure in the Maryland State House, he now downplays the significance of the issue, stating that neither major political party has the congressional support necessary to regulate abortion at the national level—an opinion aligned with that of Donald Trump, the former president and GOP nominee.
At 54, Parrott has directed his campaign towards more favorable topics, such as addressing inflation, boosting the economy to assist middle-class families, and tackling illegal immigration. He argues that Delaney, who resides in a wealthy suburb outside the district, is out of touch with the concerns of ordinary Americans, including constituents in the 6th District.
It is worth noting that U.S. House members only need to reside in the state they represent, which allows for this geographical distinction.
Sixty-year-old McClain Delaney previously worked in the Department of Commerce under the Biden administration and has dedicated much of her legal career to enhancing online safety for children. Using her personal finances, she has financed a substantial aspect of her campaign and garnered endorsements from prominent Democrats, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin. Additionally, she has significantly outspent Parrott, according to campaign financing data from AdImpact.
Parrott, a long-term resident of Hagerstown—a small city surrounded by rural farmland—has identified his background as a traffic engineer to communicate his understanding of the economic pressures facing families struggling with increased grocery prices and housing costs.
In an effort to rally last-minute support, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise visited western Maryland to back Parrott in a news conference where he lauded the candidate’s engineering expertise as a solution to Washington’s gridlock.
McClain Delaney countered this the same day in a Washington suburb, surrounded by state officials including Maryland Governor Wes Moore, emphasizing the importance of a strong Democratic presence in the House, especially as Republicans try to maintain their narrow majority.
She asserts that her perspective aligns more closely with the majority of voters in the 6th District than that of her opponent, positioning herself as a “common sense, common ground” candidate. Hailing from a farming background in Idaho, she argues that she can facilitate discussions in Washington that address the needs of working families.
Throughout her campaign, McClain Delaney has criticized Parrott for his voting record in the Maryland House of Delegates, labeling his positions as extreme, particularly regarding women’s issues. She has distributed campaign literature condemning Parrott’s votes against legislation aimed at eliminating marital defenses in specific sexual assault cases.
Conversely, Parrott contends that McClain Delaney is misrepresenting his stance. He maintains that his opposition to the marital defense legislation sprang from concerns that it could be misused in child custody disputes, clarifying that he supports abortion rights under certain circumstances, such as rape, incest, or when the mother’s life is threatened.
Tensions between the candidates reached a peak during a recent public forum, illustrating how even local races have become increasingly contentious within today’s political landscape.
“You should be ashamed,” Parrott exclaimed, directing his ire at McClain Delaney as audience members reacted with chants and jeers.
The seat has become available following David Trone’s departure to run for Senate, where he lost to Angela Alsobrooks in the Democratic primary this year.
Historically, the 6th District has not always leaned Democratic, having been represented by Republican Roscoe Bartlett for two decades before John Delaney, McClain Delaney’s husband, secured the seat in 2012 due to redistricting benefiting Democrats.
Currently, Maryland’s congressional delegation consists of eight Democrats and one Republican, all of whom are male, while three women are competing for open positions this election cycle. Additionally, Maryland voters will be faced with a constitutional amendment regarding the protections of abortion rights in the state.