Kimberly Klacik, conservative radio host, running for Congress in Maryland’s 2nd District

Conservative radio host Kimberly Klacik is running for Congress again after filing Thursday for the Republican primary in Maryland’s 2nd Congressional District.

“It’s a big decision that I made in the past couple weeks,” Klacik said on social media. “It’s going to be hard work, but you know what I’ve never shyed away from hard work.”

The seat has been held since 2003 by outgoing Democrat C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, who won the first general election since the district’s map was redrawn with 59% of the vote in November 2022. According to polling site fivethirtyeight.com, the district leans Democratic by 11 percentage points.

In November 2020, Klacik, who hosts a weekday radio show from 9 a.m. to noon on WCBM 680 AM, lost to U.S. Rep Kweisi Mfume by 43 percentage points in Maryland’s 7th District, which encompasses most of Baltimore City and part of Baltimore County. The 2nd District consists of parts of Carroll and Baltimore counties and part of North Baltimore.

Klacik gained national media attention ahead of the 2020 election when then-President Donald Trump shared one of her campaign videos on social media. She raised $8.3 million that cycle, according to Federal Election Commission records.

Klacik raised nearly $5.7 million from contributions $200 and under. She raised around $384,000 from California residents, $375,000 from Florida residents, $339,000 from Texas residents and $223,000 from Maryland residents, according to FEC records. Klacik raised more in that two-year congressional campaign cycle than all but about a dozen current U.S. House members, according to data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics.

Records showed that she paid more than $4 million during that race to Republican-oriented digital advertising and media companies to elevate her profile.

A two-minute video of Klacik speaking aired during the 2020 Republican National Convention.

Last month, Klacik participated in a roundtable discussion hosted by Baltimore Sun columnist and part-owner Armstrong Williams on WBFF Fox Baltimore, a television station owned by Sun owner David D. Smith.

Klacik posted a photo on social media Thursday of herself at the State Board of Elections alongside Republican State Dels. Brian Chisholm of Anne Arundel County, Kathy Szeliga of Baltimore County, Ryan Nawrocki of Baltimore County and Matt Morgan of St. Mary’s County, as well as Moms for Liberty Carroll County chair Kit Hart.

Ruppersberger said in January that he would not seek a 12th term. Klacik, who listed a Middle River P.O. Box in her campaign filing, joins John Thormann, a former small-business owner who lives in Sparrows Point, and Dave Wallace, owner of Chesapeake Kitchen Wholesalers in Sykesville, in the Republican primary, according to the State Board of Elections.

Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. is running as a Democrat in the primary.

“County Executive Johnny Olszewski remains laser focused on delivering results for the people of Baltimore County and on this May’s primary election,” campaign manager Asa Leventhal said in a statement. “He is excited to share his unparalleled record and bold vision with Marylanders across the 2nd District.”

The filing deadline for the May 14 primary is 9 p.m. Friday. The general election is Nov. 5.

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Baltimore Sun reporter Lia Russell contributed to this article.