© 2024 WYPR
WYPR 88.1 FM Baltimore WYPF 88.1 FM Frederick WYPO 106.9 FM Ocean City
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D, Md): Governing in the new Congress

Chris Van Hollen has been the junior US senator from MD since January 3, 2017. From 2003 to 2017, he represented Maryland's 8th congressional district.
Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat from Montgomery County, won re-election on November 8 to a second term in the US Senate, where he has been Maryland's junior senator since January 3, 2017. From 2003 to 2017, he was Maryland's 8th District congressman in the House of Representatives. (official photo)

The Maryland State Board of Elections will meet this afternoon to certify the results of the state's November 8 midterm elections, so the results should be official by about 3:00.

Tom's guest for the hour today is Sen. Chris Van Hollen. The Democrat from Montgomery County won a resounding victory on November 8, being re-elected to a second term and besting his Republican challenger, Chris Chaffee, by about 30 points.

Sen. Van Hollen’s margin of victory was slightly larger than that of Governor-elect Wes Moore, who also garnered sizeable support in reliably Republican districts throughout the state.

What does an electoral result like this mean in terms of the mandate the Senator and his fellow Democrats have been given, as he returns to a Capitol Hill that will be markedly different than it’s been during his first term?

Republicans will control the House and House Democrats will have new leadership. Democrats still control the Senate, and their majority could be increased by one, if Sen. Raphael Warnock is able to hold off a challenge in the December 6 Georgia runoff race with the Republican nominee, Herschel Walker.

Senator Chris Van Hollen joins us on Zoom from his office on Capitol Hill.

Stay Connected
Host, Midday (M-F 12:00-1:00)
Teria is a Supervising Producer on Midday.
Rob is a contributing producer for Midday.