April 28th, 2016 by WCBC Radio

Rep. Chris Van Hollen, a seven-term congressman who has risen rapidly through the ranks of the Democratic leadership in Washington, won the party's nomination for Maryland's open Senate seat Tuesday.  Though he was supported by many establishment figures — and raised significantly more money than any other candidate — he faced tough opposition from Rep. Donna F. Edwards, who represents a neighboring congressional district in the Washington suburbs.  The seat became open when Senator Barbara Mikulski announced this would be her final term. Van Hollen said he hopes to follow in the senior senator’s footsteps…

 

Van Hollen, 57, will face Del. Kathy Szeliga of Baltimore County in the general election this fall. Szeliga, the top elected Republican woman in the state, easily beat back competition from 13 other candidates in a race in which many voters did not make up their mind until just before the election.  Facing an uphill battle in a state where democrat voters outnumber republicans by a 2-1 margin, Szeliga says she will model her campaign after Governor Larry Hogan’s…