Only two of the eight Democrats vying to replace Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) in 2018 say they might seek public matching funds for their primaries, which Hogan did during his underdog run nearly four years ago.
Most of the candidates, who are scrambling to raise money, said the state’s public financing system comes with too many restrictions and would not provide enough money for a competitive bid.
Krishanti Vignarajah , a former policy aide for first lady Michelle Obama, and Sen. Richard S. Madaleno Jr. (D-Montgomery) said they are considering participating in the program, which provides a dollar-for-dollar match for donations of $250 or less, until available funds are exhausted.
To qualify, candidates must agree not to exceed an expenditure limit in the primary and the general election that is equal to 47 cents for every resident of the state — about $2.8 million next year. They also must raise a minimum of about one-tenth that, or $280,000, in small-dollar donations.
Click here to read the rest of the article written by Ovetta Wiggins over at the Washington Post