April McClain-Delaney

April McClain-Delaney (McClain; born May 28, 1964) is an American lawyer, government official, and politician who served as an official of the U.S. Department of Commerce during the Biden administration. A member of the Democratic Party, she is the party's nominee for MD's 6th congressional district in the 2024 election, prevailing from a crowded primary, and will face Republican nominee Neil Parrott in the November general election. She is the wife of former Congressman John Delaney, who represented the 6th district from 2013 to 2019.

Early life and education
April McClain was born in Buhl, Idaho on May 28, 1964, to father Thomas McClain, a potato farmer, and mother Laurel McClain. She graduated from Buhl High School in 1982. After accompanying her father on a business trip to Chicago and visiting Northwestern University, she would later attend the school on a scholarship, graduating in 1986 with a bachelor's degree in communications. She is a member of the Northwestern Alumni Association and has returned to the university for volunteer work. She later earned a Juris Doctor from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1989. She and her husband, whom she met at the university, founded the Delaney Post-Graduate Residency Program to help graduate students enter private practice.

Legal career
McClain-Delaney practiced as a media lawyer for much of her career. In 2006, she founded the Washington, D.C. division of Common Sense Media, a nonprofit advocacy group focusing on the effects of online and televised media on children, serving as the division director. She was appointed by president Joe Biden in January 2022 to the Department of Commerce, serving as the deputy administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration until her resignation in September 2023.

While John was a member of Congress, McClain-Delaney served as the chair of the Congressional Club's First Lady Luncheon and was a co-chairwoman for the National Prayer Breakfast. She also played an "abnormally active" role in her husband's 2020 presidential campaign, during which she criticized the role of social media in the Democratic primaries, saying that the platforms' focus on the divisive political climate limited Delaney's centrist message.

2024 congressional campaign
In September 2023, MoCo360 reported that McClain-Delaney would be resigning from the NTIA to run for Congress in MD's 6th congressional district, succeeding incumbent David Trone, who is retiring from his seat to run for the U.S. Senate. She officially announced her candidacy on October 25, 2023. The 6th district was represented by her husband from 2013 to 2019, until he chose to retire to focus on his 2020 presidential campaign. McClain-Delaney joined a primary field that would ultimately consist of 16 candidates, including other elected and appointed officials. She received support from former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi during her primary campaign, as well as the United Auto Workers labor union and The Washington Post.

She significantly led her opponents in fundraising, accumulating over $2 million in campaign funds, with more than $1 million being self-funded from McClain-Delaney's personal wealth. Opposing primary candidate Joe Vogel, who was described by Maryland Matters as a frontrunner in the race alongside McClain-Delaney, criticized her use of private loans to fund the campaign, accusing her of "buy[ing] her way to victory." McClain-Delaney's campaign responded by accusing Vogel of being funded by "dark money" and running an "old, tired, negative campaign."

McClain-Delaney prevailed in the May 14 primary election, earning 40.4 percent of the vote; Vogel followed in second with 26.3 percent. Her opponent for the November 5 general election is Republican Neil Parrott, a former state delegate who is making his third run for the seat. The election for the 6th district is expected to be the most competitive in the state.

Personal life
McClain-Delaney is the wife of John Delaney, a former U.S. Representative from Maryland and candidate for president in 2020. They met while studying at Georgetown University and married in Sun Valley, Idaho, shortly after graduating. They have four daughters–Summer, Brooke, Lily, and Grace–and live in Potomac, Maryland. The Delaneys attend the Little Flower Catholic Church in Bethesda, Maryland.

Political positions
Shannon Bream of Fox News described her as a centrist Democrat.

Crime and policing
McClain-Delaney supports providing additional funding to effective and accountable policing policies and officer training, and encouraging community policing. She also supports increasing support for mental health facilities and violence prevention programs, which she says would address the root causes of crime.

Economy
McClain-Delaney supports deregulation for small businesses and establishing safeguards around Big Tech.

Education
McClain-Delaney supports the Blueprint for Maryland's Future, universal pre-kindergarten, free community college, and expanding skills training programs in schools.

Environment
McClain-Delaney supports increasing funding for the United States Environmental Protection Agency and climate science research, as well as providing tax incentives for investments in decarbonization technologies.

Foreign policy
During her 2024 congressional campaign, McClain-Delaney supported strengthening NATO, promoting U.S. economic interests abroad, and leading on issues like climate change to counter foreign policy challenges from China, Russia, and the Middle East.

In October 2023, amid the Hamas-led attack on Israel earlier that month, McClain-Delaney expressed support for Israel and its right to defend itself, supported a letter calling on Egypt to create humanitarian zones in the Gaza Strip, and urged Congress to pass legislation providing additional humanitarian aid and assistance to Israeli missile defense systems. She also condemned anti-Israel rhetorics on college campuses and supported calls by New York Attorney General Letitia James for increased moderation on social media platforms to remove hate speech and propaganda associated with the Hamas attacks. McClain-Delaney opposes calls for an immediate ceasefire in the Israel–Hamas war and conditioning U.S. military aid to Israel. She also condemned pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses and called on university presidents, law enforcement, and political leaders to protect Jewish students attending schools with ongoing protests.

Gun policy
During her 2024 congressional campaign, McClain-Delaney supported "common sense gun legislation" such as universal background checks, assault weapon bans, and red flag laws.

Healthcare
In June 2024, McClain-Delaney signed onto a Maryland Healthcare for All pledge to support legislation to extend Inflation Reduction Act-provided healthcare benefits beyond 2025.

Social issues
During John Delaney's 2020 presidential campaign, McClain-Delaney said that she would support updating communication legislation to protect kids' privacy.

During her 2024 congressional campaign, McClain-Delaney supported efforts to codify the Roe v. Wade decision, including the Women's Health Protection Act.

Transportation
McClain-Delaney supports the expansion of Interstate 270 and public transportation, as well as improving safety on U.S. Route 15.