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Race at a glance
Maryland’s 5th District U.S. House race has drawn 23 candidates for the 2026 election. The field consists of 20 Democrats, one Republican, one independent and one candidate identified with another affiliation. Steny Hoyer, a Democrat, is the incumbent.
The general election is scheduled for Nov. 3, 2026. The size of the field and the number of candidates sharing the Democratic affiliation are central features of the contest. No winner can be determined from the number of candidates or their party labels.
Democratic candidates
Twenty Democrats are running in the District 5 contest. Each is seeking the same U.S. House seat:
- Mark Arness — Democrat: A candidate in the Maryland District 5 U.S. House contest for 2026.
- Rushern L Iii Baker — Democrat: A candidate in the Maryland District 5 U.S. House contest for 2026.
- Quincy Bareebe — Democrat: A candidate in the Maryland District 5 U.S. House contest for 2026.
- Wala Blegay — Democrat: A candidate in the Maryland District 5 U.S. House contest for 2026.
- Adrian Boafo — Democrat: A candidate in the Maryland District 5 U.S. House contest for 2026.
- Reuben Burton II Collins — Democrat: A candidate in the Maryland District 5 U.S. House contest for 2026.
- Harry Dunn — Democrat: A candidate in the Maryland District 5 U.S. House contest for 2026.
- Arthur Carr Ellis — Democrat: A candidate in the Maryland District 5 U.S. House contest for 2026.
- Steny Hoyer — Democrat: A candidate in the Maryland District 5 U.S. House contest for 2026.
- Terry Antonio Mr. II Jackson — Democrat: A candidate in the Maryland District 5 U.S. House contest for 2026.
- Harry Jarin — Democrat: A candidate in the Maryland District 5 U.S. House contest for 2026.
- Walter Kirkland — Democrat: A candidate in the Maryland District 5 U.S. House contest for 2026.
- Jerry Lightfoot — Democrat: A candidate in the Maryland District 5 U.S. House contest for 2026.
- Heather Marie Luper — Democrat: A candidate in the Maryland District 5 U.S. House contest for 2026.
- Leigha Michele Messick — Democrat: A candidate in the Maryland District 5 U.S. House contest for 2026.
- Kenneth Simons — Democrat: A candidate in the Maryland District 5 U.S. House contest for 2026.
- Alexis Solis — Democrat: A candidate in the Maryland District 5 U.S. House contest for 2026.
- Tracy Starr — Democrat: A candidate in the Maryland District 5 U.S. House contest for 2026.
- David Sundberg — Democrat: A candidate in the Maryland District 5 U.S. House contest for 2026.
- Nicole Williams — Democrat: A candidate in the Maryland District 5 U.S. House contest for 2026.
Candidates with other affiliations
Three candidates are running under affiliations other than Democratic. They represent three different affiliation categories in the race:
- Michelle Talkington — Republican: A candidate in the Maryland District 5 U.S. House contest for 2026.
- Brian Stephen Jordan — Independent: A candidate in the Maryland District 5 U.S. House contest for 2026.
- Mildred Marie Hall — Other: A candidate in the Maryland District 5 U.S. House contest for 2026.
What is being contested
The office at stake is the U.S. House seat representing Maryland’s 5th District. The contest includes an incumbent and 22 other candidates, making it a contested race rather than one with a single candidate.
Party affiliation is one way voters can distinguish the candidates. The field’s composition is uneven: most candidates are Democrats, while the Republican, independent and other categories each have one candidate. The next process questions are which candidates complete the steps required to appear on the ballot and how the field develops before the Nov. 3 general election. Those developments will determine the set of choices presented to voters.
