Democrats are flooding the Maryland Senate race with fresh cash, suggesting one of the country's bluest states is now a concern for Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's slim majority.

• Backers of Democratic nominee Angela Alsobrooks have nearly tripled TV broadcast and digital ad buys this month compared to August.

The big picture: September will be a battle to define Alsobrooks. She is leading former Gov. Larry Hogan (R) by solid single digits in most public surveys, but roughly a third of voters don't know who she is.

• "Filling your refrigerator shouldn't be emptying your bank account," says the Prince George's County executive in one ad, filmed from her kitchen.

By the numbers: Alsobrooks' campaign and affiliate groups have reserved more than $5 million in September for video ads, according to AdImpact. Last month, those same groups spent $1.6 million.

• Hogan's numbers have stayed flat — $2.5 million in August and $2.6 reserved for September. More ad spending is expected to come in for Hogan.

Zoom out: Marylanders know — and largely like — the former two-term governor. But it's a state President Biden carried by 33 points.

• Hogan scored a 50%-19% favorability rating in a Gonzales Research & Media Services survey last month.
• That same poll has Alsobrooks winning 46%-41%. The poll had a 3.5% margin of error.

What gives Republicans hope is that Hogan's favorability numbers hold up across all demographics — including Black people, women and independents.

• They also flagged internal polling over the summer that had Hogan up.

Hogan received a recent boost when Sen. Joe Manchin, an independent from West Virginia, announced his endorsement for the former governor.

• "Forget about being a Democrat or Republican," said Manchin. "Larry Hogan is just the right person with the right attitude for the job."

Zoom in: Alsobrooks remains largely unknown, with some 34% of voters saying they don't recognize her name, in the Gonzales Research survey.

• The Cook Political Report still has Maryland's Senate race listed as a "likely D."

The bottom line: Alsobrooks is winning a race in which many voters don't have a strong sense of who she is.

• That strongly indicates voters favor any generic Democrat — even over a well-liked former governor.

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There are tons of federal buildings lining the National Mall — and now you can live in one of them.

The big picture: As downtown D.C. struggles with vacancy post-pandemic, office buildings are being converted into residential spaces as a way to revitalize the area.

• That includes Annex on 12th, a new apartment complex opening just steps from the National Museum of Asian Art and the Hirshhorn.

Meanwhile, Mayor Muriel Bowser is implementing a $400 million vision for transforming downtown, which aims to increase its population and make it more of a cultural and entertainment destination.

• The first major downtown office-to-residential conversion, the Elle, housed in a former Peace Corps building, opened earlier this summer.

State of play: Annex on 12th is partially located in a structure that once housed the Department of Agriculture's Cotton Annex, where cotton and tobacco were brought into labs for inspection, per a release shared with Axios.

• Originally built in 1936, the building has been restored with original elements like the facade and Art Deco architecture. And some of its 562 units contain large historic windows and original '30s hardware.

Also inside: A speakeasy for residents called The Vault, named after a presidential seal discovered on a door in the building, with an original skylight once used to dry tobacco.

What's ahead: The building is currently pre-leasing units, with move-ins scheduled for December. Studios start at $1,927.

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🚓 An independent review of D.C. police concludes that the city's patrol force is sufficiently staffed. MPD rejected the claim, arguing that despite recent decreases in crime, police staffing remains at a half-century low and is need of more resources. (Washington Post)

🔒 D.C. padlocked an unlicensed marijuana shop on Kennedy Street NW on Friday and arrested its owner. It's the second illegal weed shop to be closed as the city undertakes a crackdown.

❌ Boar's Head will close the Virginia plant that produced deli meat infected with listeria that's been linked to 57 hospitalizations across the U.S. and nine deaths. It's the largest outbreak in over a decade. (WTOP)

🏳️‍🌈 Joe Biden became the first acting president to sit down with an LGBTQI+ newspaper in the Oval Office for an interview last week with the Washington Blade. (Washington Blade)

The Commanders beat the Giants 21-18 in their home opener at the newly renamed Northwest Field yesterday.

• The scrappy win came after a last-second 30-yard field goal kick from new signing Austin Seibert. Washington is now 1-1 for the season.

Rookie QB Jayden Daniels completed 23 of 29 passes for 226 yards, per ESPN.

Watch: Highlights

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Yalla, a vibey Middle Eastern restaurant and bar, just opened on U Street.

Why it matters: After years of working in some of the city's best kitchens, including Maydan and Annabelle, chef Marcel Chehaieb is channeling his native Lebanon for a breakout project.

The vibe: The lush rooftop is designed to be more than just a restaurant, with weekend entertainment — DJs, belly dancers — and elaborate hookahs.

Dig in: Chehaieb riffs on Lebanese dishes like hummus topped with duck confit or crispy cheese rolls with harissa-apricot sauce.

• Other shared plates — dips, salads, grilled skewers— draw from the Eastern Mediterranean.

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