Maryland’s U.S. Senate candidates Angela Alsobrooks and Larry Hogan didn’t tread much new ground in their debate Thursday, but we did learn a few things.

Here’s a rundown of the candidates’ answers on topics that, so far, have not been aired much during the campaign season.

Marijuana legalization

Should marijuana be legalized nationally? The two candidates have different perspectives.

Hogan, the former two-term Republican governor, said he supported medical use of cannabis, but has had reservations about full access to the drug for adults.

He noted that several states, including Maryland, have legalized adult-use cannabis, “but we haven’t seen the full impact of that yet.” He expressed concerns about people using cannabis and driving and said that “we’ve got to make some more advances” before taking steps to legalize nationally.

Moderator Chuck Todd from NBC pressed Hogan for clarification that he wouldn’t vote for legalization on the federal level. “No,” Hogan said.

Alsobrooks, a Democrat in her second term as Prince George’s County executive, said she would vote for federal legalization of marijuana.

“The people of Maryland have spoken on this issue, and they legalized it here, and I would vote to do so also on the federal level,” she said.

Alsobrooks said she’s concerned, however, about making sure children don’t “suffer” from adults using marijuana and making sure children don’t have access to it.

Taiwan

When it comes to foreign policy, the candidates are most often asked about the escalating war in the Middle East, and their loyalty to Israel. For the first time, they were asked about tensions between Taiwan and China.

Should the U.S. assure the security of Taiwan, even if that may mean “boots on the ground” or in the Pacific? asked Todd.

“Hopefully it won’t get to that point, Chuck,” said Hogan, who answered first. “We’ve got other more pressing things right now, but China threatening Taiwan is something that we should definitely be concerned about.”

“I do not agree with putting boots on the ground,” Alsobrooks said. “We do not put U.S. men, women on the ground for this conflict.”

Rather, she said, the U.S. should deter China from attacking Taiwan by showing strength against Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in his war against Ukraine. China is watching, and “they will see what the United States does with respect to Ukraine, to decide whether to go into Taiwan.” And Democrats, she argued, are more interested in fighting Putin than Republicans.

Supreme Court reforms

The Supreme Court, with recent controversial decisions on abortion, gun control and other matters, has drawn the attention of voters. Some Democrats have advocated expanding the number of seats on the court, an idea known as “court packing” because the president could get to appoint multiple justices whose legal positions align with the president’s politics and policies.

Asked about court packing, Alsobrooks said she would support court reforms, such as expanding the number of justices or setting term limits so the seats turn over more often.

“I’m very concerned about this Supreme Court. I think they no longer represent the will of the people,” Alsobrooks said.

Hogan was not asked about court packing, instead fielding a question whether he would have voted for some of former President Donald Trump’s justices.

Hogan answered by saying that court appointments shouldn’t be politicized and talked about his appointments to the Supreme Court of Maryland. Pressed for an answer on Trump’s nominees, Hogan responded: “I wasn’t there and I don’t know how I would have voted.”

Filibuster: Keep or eliminate?

The U.S. Senate’s rules for debate include the opportunity for debate to continue endlessly — delaying or preventing a vote from happening — unless 60 of 100 senators vote to end debate. This means that, effectively, some measures need 60 votes of support. That makes it hard for legislation to move forward when the country remains evenly divided along two main political parties.

Alsobrooks, who answered a filibuster question first, said she supports getting rid of the filibuster, which she said has been “destructive.”

“Progress has been thwarted,” she said.

Hogan said he prefers keeping the filibuster, arguing that it forces senators from both parties to work together. With the filibuster, whichever party is in power can “jam things through on a party-line vote,” Hogan said.

Intra-state football loyalties

Near the end of the debate, the candidates were asked one simple and fun question: Whom do they want to win the NFL showdown between the Baltimore Ravens and Washington Commanders this Sunday?

Alsobrooks, who has the Commanders stadium in her county, voiced support for the Commanders.

Hogan grew up in Prince George’s but lives in Anne Arundel, a county with competing fan bases for the two teams. He answered that he wants the Ravens to win.