Given the history of former governors running for Senate in states that generally vote for the opposite party, I'm not sure it will matter much if Trone or Alsobrooks make the ballot. Consider Phil Bredesen in 2018, a popular former Democratic governor in Tennessee who lost an open seat in the state to Marsha Blackburn by around 11 points, even in a blue wave year. Or Evan Bayh, who sought a return to the Senate in Indiana in 2016, only to lose by 10 points to Todd Young. The list continues ... Ted Strickland in Ohio in 2016, Linda Lingle in Hawaii in 2012 ... I just don't think that a former governor, even a popular one, can really overcome the partisanship of a state when it comes to the Senate.

—Mary Radcliffe, 538

Democratic voters consistently express that they want to see more women in government: 79 percent in 2018 and 75 percent in 2023, according to Pew. Democratic activists also regularly draw attention to the fact that Black women in particular are the most reliable block of Democratic voters, yet they are underrepresented in the Senate. I don't think she will have any problems raising money or getting Democrats to turn out in November.

—Meredith Conroy, 538 contributor

I agree, Nathaniel. I think that with Trump on the ballot, Democrats will be incredibly motivated to turn out to vote against him and will vote blue in states like Maryland. The nuances of Hogan being an anti-Trump Republican will get lost in a party that increasingly defines itself by its loyalty to the former president. And Democrats especially won't want to cross the aisle to possibly give a potential Trump presidency more power if it looks like he might win and might also bring a Republican-led Senate with him.

—Monica Potts, 538

I could see Trone attempting to quell the "more electable because I'm wealthier" thinking by opening up his own pockets for Alsobrooks directly. He seemed willing to self-fund if need be. In fact, I was at an event of his in Silver Spring last week where he said he would spend "whatever it takes" to beat Hogan. Money where his mouth is could do Alsobrooks serious good, both for the narrative, and for the war chest, candidly.

—Brittany Shepherd, ABC News

West Virginia actually has a history of casting protest votes against incumbent Democratic presidents in primaries, Irena. For instance, in 2012, Barack Obama beat total rando Keith Judd here just 59 percent to 41 percent. This year, Biden is winning a decent 71 percent of the vote, but he's especially weak in coal country in the southwestern part of the state — for example, winning just 49 percent in Mingo County. But these are no anti-Israel protest votes; coal country is a deeply conservative part of the country that nonetheless still has a lot of registered Democrats. These protest votes, therefore, are protesting the liberal direction that the national party has taken this century.

—Nathaniel Rakich, 538