Marylanders hit the polls Tuesday to select a Democratic Senate candidate in a contest dominated largely by race.
The Hill’s video team catches up with Democratic Reps. Chris Van Hollen and Donna Edwards while they work for votes on the campaign trail in a contest in which African-American women play a major role.
{mosads}Van Hollen supporter Cathy Redmond of Charles County, who is black, says her candidate has a better record on issues important to the African-American community.
“I can’t believe I’m standing here in 2016 [and] that a Senate race is based on racism,” Redmond tells The Hill’s Molly K. Hooper, adding, “I can’t believe that in my county, I have to talk white men into voting for white men.”
Edwards, a black single mother, tells The Hill that her unique perspective is needed in the Senate — where she would be the first black woman to serve in nearly 20 years.
“I have really strong support here and around the state, especially among African-American women,” Edwards says. “It doesn’t have anything to do with whether one person is a nice person or not; it has to do with voice or perspective missing from the United States Senate.”
Watch the video above to hear these quotes and witness the campaigning in action.