Who's running for Congress this year? We've got an early list

The Herald-Mail
·4 min read
Political notebook

… And they're off: Here's who's running in the Md. primary so far

The filing deadline for the Maryland primary elections is a month away, but so many candidates have already filed for federal races that the listing looks more like a team roster.

The primary elections in Maryland are set for May 14; the General Election is Nov. 5.

For the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Ben Cardin, who announced his retirement last spring, five Democrats and three Republicans have filed for the primary races as of Friday, according to the Maryland State Board of Elections. They include:

  • Democrat Marcellus Crews of Prince George's County

  • Democrat Brian E. Frydenborg of Montgomery County

  • Democrat Scottie J. Griffin of Montgomery County

  • Democrat Steven Henry Suferer of Montgomery County

  • Democrat Andrew Jaye Wildman of Carroll County

  • Republican Ray Bly of Howard County

  • Republican Lorie R. Friend of Garrett County

  • Republican John Teichert of Anne Arundel County

Unaffiliated candidate Emmanuel O. Osuchukwu has also filed a declaration of intent to run in the General Election in November.

The two most visible candidates for the seat, U.S. Rep. David Trone, D-6th; and Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, also a Democrat, had not formally filed at press time.

It's a pretty full House for the District 6 primary

Even more candidates are vying for the District 6 House seat David Trone plans to vacate in his pursuit of the U.S. Senate, and there are some familiar names among them. Here's the list so far:

  • Democrat George Gluck of Montgomery County

  • Democrat Geoffrey Grammer of Montgomery County

  • Democrat Ashwani Jain of Montgomery County

  • Democrat Stephen R. McDow II of Frederick County

  • Republican Heath S. Barns of Frederick County

  • Former Delegate and Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Cox

  • Republican Chris Hyser of Frederick County

  • Republican Todd A. Puglisi of Montgomery County

  • Republican Mariela Roca of Frederick County

  • Republican Tom Royals of Montgomery County

  • Former Del. Brenda Thiam, R-Washington

Green Party candidate Moshe Y Landman of Montgomery County also has filed, and unaffiliated candidate Jason Johnson of Frederick County has filed a declaration of intent to run in the General Election in November.

Conspicuously missing from the list are Hagerstown Mayor Tekesha Martinez, who has declared her candidacy for the Democratic nomination, and former Del. Neil Parrot, R-Washington, who was the Republican nominee in 2020 and 2022 and has been raising money for 2024, but has not yet announced his intent.

April Delaney, wife of former U.S. Rep. John Delaney, D-6th; also has not yet filed although she announced her candidacy last fall.

Local candidate filings are sparse for now

Locally, county voters will pick four new school board members this year and Hagerstown residents will choose a new mayor and council. All of these are nonpartisan races.

But so far, only two people have filed for a city office, and only one has filed for a seat on the Washington County Board of Education, according to the Maryland State Board of Elections.

Local businessman Bill McIntire is running for mayor of Hagerstown, and Victoria Beachley, a candidate for county commissioner in 2022, filed Thursday for a seat on the school board.

Sean Flaherty, a defense contractor who serves on the Hagerstown Planning Commission, announced his candidacy last week for a seat on the Hagerstown City Council. He filed Friday, and plans a campaign kickoff at 4 p.m. Jan. 20 at the Green Turtle, 12818-A Shank Farm Way.

— Tamela Baker

United Democrats to meet Wednesday

The United Democrats of Washington County will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Fletcher Branch of the Washington County Free Library, 100 S. Potomac St., Hagerstown. Member Susan Layos will lead a discussion on Christian Nationalism and democracy.

Two Washington County residents appointed to Hispanic commission

A pair of Washington County residents have been selected to serve on the Governor’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs, whose stated purpose is to “advise the administration on behalf of Maryland’s Hispanic and Latino communities.”

Two of the two dozen appointments are Dr. Aitza Haddad Nunez, a Spanish teacher at Williamsport High School and an adjunct faculty instructor at Hagerstown Community College, and Nitzalis Rivera, a Washington County Chamber of Commerce board member and currently an associate member of American Translators Association. Both women hail from Puerto Rico.

The picks come in a month where Maryland Gov. Wes Moore chose members for commissions on Indian Affairs, Caribbean Affairs, African Affairs, Asian Pacific American Affairs, and South Asian American Affairs.

State data showed Washington County Public Schools with the largest rate of increase in English language learner students last year.

Statewide, according to a release from the governor’s office, Maryland’s Hispanic and Latino communities “collectively represent the state’s fast-growing demographic.”

— Dwight A. Weingarten

More: English Language Learner enrollment jumped 33%. What's that say about Hagerstown?

This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: There's a long list of candidates for Congress from Maryland