David Trone
DemocraticQ1 Maryland residents are facing sharply rising electricity bills driven by a combination of power plant retirements, surging market prices, and rapidly growing demand (including from the proliferation of data centers across the region). If elected, what specific steps will you take to address the causes of high energy costs for Maryland residents and businesses, including data centers?
“Families across Maryland are seeing higher electricity bills, and they deserve straight answers. Demand for electricity is rising fast, especially from data centers, while supply and the grid haven’t kept up. On top of that, PJM’s capacity market and regional constraints are adding pressure to prices.
In Congress, I supported investments in grid modernization, clean energy, and domestic energy production through the Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS and Science Act because we need more reliable, affordable power. If I return to Congress, I’ll push to speed up transmission upgrades, modernize how PJM plans for demand, and make sure large users like data centers pay their fair share instead of shifting costs to families. I also support energy efficiency, battery storage, and cleaner energy sources that lower costs while protecting Maryland’s air and water.”
Q2 Since early 2025, Maryland has lost nearly 25,000 federal jobs (more than any other state) as funding cuts to federal agencies including the NIH, NASA, and NIST take effect. How would you approach strengthening Maryland’s economy, and what steps would you take to ensure that workers across different roles and education levels benefit from those efforts?
“Maryland’s economy depends on science, research, healthcare, and innovation. Cuts or disruptions to agencies such as NIH, NASA, and NIST don’t just affect Washington—they hit workers, contractors, and local businesses across the state. I proudly voted for the CHIPS and Science Act because it helps grow advanced manufacturing, biotech, cybersecurity, and clean energy jobs here in Maryland. I also helped secure workforce and STEM funding in Western Maryland, including $4 million in direct federal funding for a STEM workforce program at Mount St. Mary’s.
If I’m reelected, I’ll fight to protect federal science jobs, expand apprenticeships and job training, and strengthen ties between employers, community colleges, and universities. We should be growing good-paying jobs at every education level while building a stronger, cleaner economy.”
Q3 Maryland faces public health challenges ranging from stark socioeconomic health disparities, a behavioral health and opioid crisis that disproportionately impacts communities of color, gaps in rural mental health access, and a strained public health infrastructure. What evidence-based policies do you support to improve community health for your constituents?
“The addiction and mental health crisis is deeply personal to me. I lost my nephew, Ian, to addiction when he was just 24 years old, and that experience drove me to become one of Congress’s leading advocates for addiction treatment and mental health care. I co-founded and co-chaired the Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force and helped lead the charge to pass the largest investment in mental health and addiction treatment in American history. Of the more than 30 bills included in that package, eight were my bills, and more than half came from members of the task force. I also supported the 21st Century Cures Act to strengthen NIH research and mental-health programs.
I believe we need a holistic approach to addiction and mental health. That means going after drug trafficking and the fentanyl crisis, but also expanding access to affordable healthcare and treatment, increasing mental-health services in rural communities, supporting job opportunities and reentry programs for people leaving jail with addiction-related charges, improving education and prevention efforts, and fighting the stigma that stops too many people from asking for help. While in Congress, I delivered direct federal funding to build crisis centers in Washington and Frederick Counties. Public health policy should follow science, evidence, and proven solutions that save lives.”
Q4 Across the state of Maryland, science and STEM education cultivate interest at a lower rate than intended, too few community-college students successfully transfer and complete bachelor’s degrees, and college affordability remains vulnerable to shifts in federal student aid and support. What evidence-based policies do you support to build a strong science and STEM pipeline from public schools and K-12 programs through colleges and universities for the next generation of Marylanders?
“Maryland has world-class research institutions and federal labs, but we need to do more to connect students to STEM careers early and keep education affordable. I’m a proud son of a public school teacher, and I know how much great teachers shape a child’s future. I’m also proud to be endorsed by the Maryland State Education Association (MSEA).
I supported the CHIPS and Science Act because it strengthens STEM education and workforce pipelines in areas like biotech, cybersecurity, AI, and clean energy. If I’m reelected, I’ll work to strengthen STEM in K–12 schools, expand career and technical education, improve community college transfer pathways, protect Pell Grants, and expand hands-on learning through partnerships with employers and federal labs.
We should make sure every student in Maryland—no matter their zip code—has a real shot at a good education and a good job.”
Q5 What policies, if any, do you support or envision for managing land-based resources in your district (i.e. water, open-space preserves, parks)?
“Protecting Maryland’s environment is critical to our economy, public health, and quality of life. I grew up on a farm, and I know firsthand that clean water, healthy soil, and working land are what keep rural communities and local economies strong. That’s why I support science-based conservation policies that protect the Chesapeake Bay, preserve farmland and open space, and improve water quality across western Maryland.
I strongly support investing in clean water infrastructure because it doesn’t just protect the environment, it also protects public health and keeps costs down for families and towns that depend on aging systems. Communities like Brunswick and Boonsboro know this well, with local water and wastewater systems that rely on upgrades to meet modern standards and keep the Potomac watershed clean and safe for downstream users. Boonsboro’s 100-year-old reservoir has been leaking 30% of its drinking water every year, so I was incredibly proud to deliver millions of dollars to help restore and rebuild those systems.
I also support expanding university extension programs that help farmers and rural communities adopt more sustainable and cost-effective practices, from soil health and nutrient management to runoff reduction and new conservation technologies. These programs are essential to keeping family farms viable while protecting Maryland’s natural resources.”
Q6 What advisory mechanisms will you implement to ensure that evidence and scientific findings play a crucial role in your policymaking process?
“I believe good policy starts with facts, evidence, and listening to experts. In Congress, I’ve worked closely with researchers, healthcare providers, universities, and federal agencies to develop policy grounded in science and data.
We need to return to normalcy in how the government treats science, especially in public health. That means trusting doctors, researchers, and public-health experts, not undermining them for political reasons. With RFK Jr. leading HHS, that urgency is even greater. Public health decisions have to be driven by science and evidence, not conspiracy or ideology.
In Congress, I’ll continue working with Maryland’s research institutions, including NIH, NIST, and NASA, and I’ll push back against political attacks on science and public-health expertise wherever they come from. Maryland should have leaders who trust scientists, support research, and make decisions based on evidence instead of ideology.”
Q7 What initiatives will you take to support investment in innovation via federal science funding?
“Federal science funding is one of the smartest investments we can make in our economy, national security, and public health. Maryland benefits directly from strong support for agencies such as NIH, NSF, DOE, NASA, and NIST, which drive research, innovation, and job creation across our state. In Congress, I supported the CHIPS and Science Act and investments in biomedical research because I believe America must remain the global leader in science and technology. Back in Congress, I’ll fight efforts to cut science and research funding, protect Maryland’s federal research institutions, and continue investing in biotechnology, AI, cybersecurity, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing. Supporting science means creating jobs, strengthening our economy, and building a healthier and more sustainable future.”