Van Hollen wins Senate endorsement from House colleague

Rep. Chris Van Hollen has won the backing of a fellow high-ranking Maryland lawmaker just a week before his tough Senate primary match-up.

Van Hollen has been endorsed by Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, the top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, according to The Baltimore Sun.  

{mosads}“Part of the problem with Washington today is there are too many ideologues,” Ruppersberger said, according to prepared remarks obtained by The Sun.

“It’s great to be passionate, whatever your political philosophy may be. But it doesn’t mean a thing if your ideas don’t translate to solutions for your constituents.”

Van Hollen, a House leadership ally and former chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, is running against his house colleague, Rep. Donna Edwards, in what has, of late, become a brutal primary.

Both have accused each other of running misleading ads that include President Obama, trading barbs through surrogates and press conferences. Edwards has the backing of the powerful Democratic women’s group EMILY’s List, while Van Hollen has been endorsed by The Washington Post and the state’s former lieutenant governor.  

The majority of Maryland Democrats, including retiring Sen. Barbara Mikulski, have not chosen a side in the race between their two colleagues. 

Maryland’s primary is on April 26, with the winner the heavy favorite to win the seat. The Old Line State hasn’t had a Republican senator since 1986.