Maryland Sen. Richard S. Madaleno stood on stage at a candidates’ forum in a Baltimore tap room surrounded by a formidable field of rivals seeking the Democratic nomination for governor: Ivy League grads. Accomplished lawyers. A Rhodes scholar.

Yet when a question on Maryland’s $44 billion budget went to Madaleno, the event’s moderator joked: “Maybe the fix is in.” That’s because of the Democrats vying to challenge Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, Madaleno has a singular reputation as an expert on the state budget. It’s not the most thrilling campaign topic.