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March 30, 2023

The Talbot Spy

The nonprofit e-newspaper for the Talbot County Community

News Maryland News

Report: Analysts Say New Map May Not be Enough to Flip First District as Three Democrats Seek Nomination Against Harris

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From The Washington Post comes this analysis of the First District congressional race following the approval of new congressional districts for the state:

“Flipping the 1st District to blue in 2022 became an urgent priority of Maryland Democrats,” Meagan Flynn writes in the Post.

Democratic leaders were outraged by Harris objecting to certifying the 2020 presidential election results following the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol as well as his vote against awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to the police agencies that responded to that attack.

Two Democratic challengers, Heather Mizeur and Dave Harden, cited his “actions in the aftermath of the insurrection” as factors in their decisions to run. Jennifer Pingley, the third Democrat in the race, is seeking the Democratic nomination for the second time.

The Maryland General Assembly recently approved “a new congressional map that will put the conservative Eastern Shore-anchored 1st District in play for Democrats in the 2022 midterm elections,” Flynn writes. However, she notes that Harris is still considered the favorite according to many political analysts.

The new congressional map already faces two legal challenges, but the U.S. Supreme Court has been reluctant to interfere with partisan gerrymandering of congressional districts.

Drawn Out of 1st District, Harden Mulling a Move to the Eastern Shore

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Maryland’s 1st Congressional District underwent a vast transformation in the most recent round of redistricting: It once extended through northern Harford County into parts of Carroll and Baltimore counties, it now includes a southern section of Harford as its northern terminus and extends across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge to include parts of Anne Arundel County.

That means the district will be significantly more competitive in 2022. It also means that some running for that congressional seat have been drawn out of the district, including incumbent U.S. Rep. Andrew P. Harris, the state’s lone congressional Republican who lives in Cockeysville, which is now split between the 2nd and 7th congressional districts.

The U.S. Constitution requires representatives to live in the state they represent, but not the same district.

R. David Harden, one of three Democratic contenders vying for a chance to unseat Harris in 2022, said he’s looking to move anyway. Harden’s current home is near Westminster in Carroll County. The previous map put Harden, a foreign policy strategist, in the 1st District, but the new one puts him in the 8th District. He said in an interview that he’s “actively looking for a place on the Eastern Shore.”

But he said that he wants to see whether litigation might shake up the newly drawn district lines before making a move. Fair Maps Maryland, an anti-gerrymandering group with ties to Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R), vowed legal action against the General Assembly’s congressional map just moments after it passed the state Senate during last week’s special session.

“The uncertainty of that, though, is weighed against the fact that this district is perfect for me,” Harden said.

Harden sees opportunity in the newly drawn 1st District. The district was redrawn in 2012 to be heavily conservative, allowing for a Democratic-leaning 6th District in Western Maryland, and Harris handily won reelection. But the new lines have put the 1st District into toss-up territory, and Harden hopes that he’ll be able to capture votes from both Republicans and Democrats by positioning himself as a moderate.

The congressional map adopted by the General Assembly. Screenshot.

Harden expects to face Heather R. Mizeur in the Democratic primary next year. Mizeur, formerly a state delegate from Montgomery County, now lives in Chestertown on the Eastern Shore. She has already broken early fundraising records in the 1st District. Jennifer Pingley (D), a registered nurse who lives in Cecil County, also is vying for a chance to unseat Harris.

The new 1st District includes more than 200,000 residents of central Anne Arundel County. Harden hopes that area’s proximity to military bases and government contracting firms will allow him to flex his foreign service experience and appeal to voters there.

“They’re moderate folks,” Harden said. “They care about education, they care about economic opportunity, they care about crime, security and stability.”

Harden hopes to use his rural upbringing and ancestral ties to the several parts of the district to appeal to voters. He said both of his parents trace their family history back to the Eastern Shore, and that his father’s side of the family later moved to Anne Arundel County near the Severn River.

Harden noted that Democrats have struggled to win rural districts in recent years. 2022 is showing signs that it could be a particularly tough year for Democrats in rural areas after Republican Glenn Youngkin swept rural counties in Virginia during that state’s November gubernatorial election.

“Whatever the Democrats have been doing in rural America, the Democratic strategy for rural America has failed,” Harden said. “We need to be competitive in rural counties. And that means that we have to understand the hopes and aspirations, the challenges and the grievances of rural counties.”

Mizeur is a prominent progressive who had garnered a significant backing before the district was redrawn — and she has been endorsed by Wayne Gilchrest, a moderate Republican and longtime 1st District representative.

And Mizeur’s farming background isn’t anything to write off, either: She grew up in Blue Mound, a village in rural Macon County, Illinois, and now lives on an organic farm in Chestertown. According to her campaign, her family has been farming for seven generations.

“Winning – and representing the people here – requires an ability to build coalitions, work with people across the political spectrum, and solve problems with pragmatic solutions,” Mizeur said in a statement. “That has been my calling card for years, and it’s the reason my campaign has garnered support from a wide range of leaders – from former Republican Congressman Wayne Gilchrest to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, or from local leaders like Salisbury Mayor Jake Day to former Queen Anne’s County Republican Commissioner David Dunmyer, just to name a few.”

Harden said he thinks the Democratic challenger to Harris in 2022 will need to garner votes from “centrist Democrats, independents and Hogan Republicans” to have a realistic chance of winning.

Appealing to rural voters, including watermen and farmers, is set to be a key aspect of both Harden’s and Mizeur’s campaigns. Mizeur recently rolled out a “Farmers for Mizeur” group and outlined a plan to include farmers in the fight against climate change. Harden has said the Eastern Shore and the Chesapeake Bay should be a proving ground for technologies that, likewise, will combat climate change.

The 2022 primary election will be held on June 28, 2022. Learn how to register to vote here.

By Bennett Leckrone

Once-in-a-Decade Congressional Redistricting Effort Will Be the Focus at Special Session

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Lawmakers will take swift action on new congressional district boundaries when the General Assembly convenes today in Annapolis for a rare December special session.

Partisan tension is expected to run high, as legislators deliberate maps crafted by commissions convened by Republican Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) and Democratic legislative leaders — and consider whether to override the governor’s vetoes of more than 20 bills passed earlier this year.

Democrats hold wide majorities in the legislature, and are likely to have enough support to enact their preferred congressional map, even over a likely veto from Hogan — though an override of the redistricting plan may not happen until the 2022 regular legislative session begins in January.

Republican lawmakers have charged that the redistricting map released by the Legislative Redistricting Advisory Commission created by Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) and House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones (D-Baltimore County), is a partisan gerrymander. Their complaints have been bolstered by Hogan, online ads from his political action committee, and Fair Maps Maryland, an advocacy group populated with Hogan allies.

The proposal from the legislative advisory committee — a Democratic-majority panel that included leaders from both parties in Annapolis — would smooth the edges of some of the state’s currently twisty and contorted district lines, and set districts with the possibility of electing only Democrats to Capitol Hill.

In the proposed map, the 1st Congressional District, home to the state’s sole Republican in Congress, Rep. Andrew P. Harris, would shift from solidly Republican to tossup territory by crossing the Chesapeake Bay at the Bay Bridge and incorporating part of Anne Arundel County.

The Princeton Gerrymandering Project — which graded the legislative panel’s proposal as an ‘F’ and Hogan’s as an ‘A’ — said the legislature’s congressional map would create a near-equal partisan split, with 50.9% Democrats and 49% Republican, for the 1st District.

The map created by the Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission and favored by Hogan would likely create a 6-2 Democratic partisan advantage.

The map approved by lawmakers this week will guide congressional elections in the state for the next decade. And lawmakers will decide which map to approve against a backdrop of a slim Democratic majority in the U.S. House and an evenly divided U.S. Senate. Throughout the country, maps in Republican-controlled states have strengthened that party’s advantage. Republicans are in control of more than 180 districts nationwide, compared to about 75 districts controlled by Democrats, according to Nathan L. Gonzales, the editor and publisher of Inside Elections, which provides nonpartisan political analysis of state and national campaigns.

Maryland Democrats are under some pressure to add to the party’s congressional tally, while Hogan has vowed to veto the legislative commission’s “disgracefully gerrymandered” maps.

Dozens of residents signed up to testify during a brief 35-hour sign-up period last week.

A joint hearing on two congressional redistricting plans is set for 12:30 p.m.

For the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, members of the public will be allowed to watch floor sessions in the State House galleries, though seating is limited. Committee hearings will remain virtual during the special session.

While redistricting is the marquee topic for the special session, the General Assembly’s days will be full. Lawmakers have been told to prepare for long days on the floor on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The session is expected to end by Friday, though extended deliberation could push the meeting into the weekend.

Among the vetoed bills under consideration are measures that would remove the governor from the state’s parole process, allowed tiered county-level income tax rates, expand collective bargaining rights for community college professors and employees.

Lawmakers are unlikely to pass emergency bills proposed by Hogan that he said are intended to curb violence in the city of Baltimore.

The brief session could also bring substantial change to the legislative chamber – Economic Matters Chair Dereck E. Davis (D-Prince George’s) is favored to win a secret ballot election as the state’s new treasurer, following the retirement of Nancy K. Kopp, who has held the position for nearly two decades.

Davis was recommended for the position by a Special Joint Legislative Committee to Select the State Treasurer that met late last month.

By Danielle E. Gaines

Marylanders Urge Redistricting Commission To Draw More Competitive 1st Congressional District

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Marylanders said the state’s solidly Republican 1st Congressional District should be redrawn to be more competitive at a Monday evening Legislative Redistricting Advisory Commission hearing, citing U.S. Rep. Andrew P. Harris’ vote earlier this year against certifying the 2020 presidential election results.

Harris, the state’s lone Republican in Congress, was among a majority of U.S. House Republicans who objected to certifying the 2020 presidential election results after the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. People who testified at Monday’s meeting cited that vote, alongside Harris’ vote against awarding Congressional Gold Medals to police officers who protected the Capitol that day, as reasons to draw a more competitive 1st District.

The Legislative Redistricting Advisory Commission (LRAC) released four “concept” congressional maps last week. While two of those maps would likely maintain Democrats’ current 7-1 advantage in the state, two would combine the Eastern Shore with portions of Anne Arundel County to create a more competitive 1st District.

“The existing congressional map has empowered an extremist to represent us with little fear of retribution for any of his actions or comments,” Queen Anne’s County resident Peter Behringer said at a statewide virtual LRAC hearing Monday.

Behringer said lawmakers should draw up a 1st District that is “competitive and balanced” and empowers people of color.

Those who testified overwhelmingly supported Plan 3, boundaries proposed by the commission that include a large portion of Anne Arundel County with the Eastern Shore and is the closest to an 8-0 Democratic map. That plan would include a 1st District that would favor Democrats 55%-45%, according to an analysis by the Princeton Gerrymandering Project.

Plan 2, which includes a smaller portion of Anne Arundel County with the Eastern Shore, would favor Democrats 51% to 49%, according to the analysts at Princeton. The Princeton Gerrymandering Project gave all four maps a failing grade after researchers rated them based on “partisan fairness,” “competitiveness” and “geographic features.”

Harris has handily won re-election bids in the 1st District since he ousted Democratic Rep. Frank Kratovil by a wide margin in the 2010 election, and garnered 63.4% of the vote against challenger Mia Mason’s 36.4% in the 2020 election. His current Democratic challengers include former state Del. Heather R. Mizeur and foreign policy strategist R. David Harden.

The 1st District currently includes the entire Eastern Shore before looping north to include parts of Harford, Baltimore and Carroll counties.

“He can lean extremely far to the right since the current map stacks Republicans together in District 1,” Felicia Martin, a Harford County resident, said. “Districts should be drawn so that representatives can contemplate a spectrum of issues and be willing to work with both parties.”

Judy Wixted, an Eastern Shore resident, said Plan 3 is “somewhat acceptable,” but added that she doesn’t think the plan goes far enough to challenge Harris.

“This district, as it was drawn ten years ago, packed MD-1 in such a way that only the most radical Republican could win a primary,” she said.

Mason likewise urged lawmakers to draw a more competitive 1st District at the meeting, and also noted the vast geographic size of the district as it’s currently drawn, comparing it to “two Delawares.”

Some who testified at the meeting said it makes sense to combine the Eastern Shore with Anne Arundel County, since the regions are connected by the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Marnette Finn, an Anne Arundel County resident, said the Eastern Shore is linked “culturally and economically” with Anne Arundel County because of the bridge. She said it makes more sense to connect the Eastern Shore with the rest of Maryland at the bridge rather than by going north through Harford County.

“Both regions have the same economic and environmental interest in protecting the Bay,” Finn said.

Paul Berman noted that Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) has said he wants the planned third span of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge to be built at the current site.

“Governor Hogan’s insistence on expanding the connection between the Eastern Shore and Anne Arundel County offers clear confirmation of this commission’s [Plan 3]. Linking the Eastern Shore with Annapolis and a large portion of Anne Arundel County would provide the best configuration for Maryland’s 1st Congressional District,” Berman said.

The congressional map proposed by Hogan’s Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission (MCRC) keeps the Eastern Shore linked with parts of northern Maryland. That map received high marks from the Princeton Gerrymandering Project for partisan fairness, and Hogan has said he will oppose any maps from the General Assembly that differ from the MCRC’s proposal.

While Hogan could veto congressional maps, Democrats hold a veto-proof majority in both the House of Delegates and the State Senate and have complete control over the redistricting process in Maryland. Lawmakers are set to tackle congressional redistricting at a special session beginning Dec. 6.

Maryland’s current congressional district map was challenged as an illegal partisan gerrymander in federal court and considered by the Supreme Court twice, with justices ultimately decided not to set a standard for what constitutes extreme gerrymandering.

By Bennett Leckrone

Mia Mason Withdraws, Endorses Heather Mizeur In 1st District Race

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Mia Mason, the veteran who challenged Rep. Andrew P. Harris (R) in 2020, endorsed former Del. Heather R. Mizeur (D) to take on Maryland’s lone congressional Republican Tuesday.

Mason secured the Democratic nomination to take on Harris in 2020 and had planned to run against him again in 2022, but recently dropped out of the race to focus on her family.

R. David Harden, a foreign policy strategist, is also seeking the Democratic nomination in the district.

Mia Mason

Mason threw her support behind Mizeur in a Tuesday Inside Out LGBT Radio interview, according to a press release.

“I have had a chance to witness Heather Mizeur up close and behind the scenes,” Mason said. “While we were competitors in this primary, she always shared my values of friendship and collaboration together, staying focused on our common goal of defeating Andy Harris and showing me and my wife extraordinary kindness and encouragement.”

Mason, a U.S. Army veteran, secured the Democratic nomination and ran against Harris last year, taking 36.4% of the vote against Maryland’s lone congressional Republican in the Nov. 3, 2020 election. Mizeur praised Mason as a “pillar of grit, determination, courage, and selfless sacrifice” in a Tuesday release.

Mason joins a slew of high-profile Maryland politicians in endorsing Mizeur, including U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D), U.S. Reps. Jamie B. Raskin (D) and Anthony G. Brown (D), State Treasurer Nancy Kopp (D), Baltimore County Executive John A. Olszewski Jr. (D), and former 1st District Congressman Wayne Gilchrest (R).

So far, Mizeur has outpaced Harris in fundraising. In the second quarter of 2021, she raised $357,000 — nearly double Harris’ $185,795, according to Federal Election Commission data. She has raised $717,445 since entering the race in January compared to the $425,122 Harris has raised in this cycle.

Mizeur reported $560,533.31 cash on hand as of June 30. Harris, who is seeking his seventh term in the House of Representatives, had more than $1.29 million cash on hand as of June 30.

Mizeur’s campaign said in a release last week that 87% of her donations from the second quarter of 2021 were from individuals who gave $100 or less. Harris has used Mizeur’s high fundraising figures in his own campaign materials. He called Mizeur a “prolific fundraiser” in a campaign letter after her strong first quarter tally.

By Bennett Leckrone

Mizeur: Harris Stands with Violent Mob, Not Heroic Police Officers

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Heather Mizeur, Democratic candidate for Congress in Maryland’s First District, today issued the following statement in response to Rep. Andy Harris’ (R-MD) vote on awarding Congressional Gold Medals to the Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Departments:

“Yesterday, the House of Representatives voted to award Congressional Gold Medals — one of our country’s highest civilian honors — to the Capitol Police and the DC police, in gratitude for their heroic work on January 6.

“The vote was overwhelmingly bipartisan, with 413 members voting to honor the officers who defended members of Congress and our Capitol building against insurrectionists on that terrible day.

“Andy Harris voted no.

“Maybe this shouldn’t surprise us since he refused to acknowledge the outcome of the presidential election and instead repeated the ‘Big Lie’ that incited the attack on our democracy.

“But by any measure, this is an extremist position that disgraces our district. Many of those Capitol Police officers are Marylanders. All of them are heroes.

“Harris is picking sides here, and he has chosen to stand with a violent mob of insurrectionists over those on the front lines who defended his own life that day.

“Like any true patriot who loves and will defend this country and its values, I watched the events of January 6 in horror. The anger I felt that day propelled me into this race. The anger I feel in this moment tells me it was the right decision.

“We need a change. Anger, when coupled with wise action, can fuel important transformations.

“I’m in this race to shift the culture and language of our political discourse and to give people an opportunity to vote for dignified representation that reflects the best of who we are.”

“I’ve long disagreed with Andy Harris’s priorities, but the last few months have taken that to a new level.

“While families and small businesses struggle to recover from the pandemic, he continues to prioritize this sort of extremist behavior, rather than putting Marylanders first.”

Report: Harris Voted Against Honoring Officers Who Responded to Deadly Jan. 6 Capitol Riot

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Axios reports: “The House voted 413-12 on Wednesday to honor police officers who responded to the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol riot with Congressional Gold Medals, among the highest of civilian honors.

“If passed by the Senate, the legislation would award one medal to the U.S. Capitol Police, another to the Metropolitan Police Department of the District Columbia and a third to the Smithsonian in recognition of the officers who responded to the siege.”

The 12 congressmen voting no, Axios reports, were all Republicans and included Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md.-1st, and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia.

According to HuffPost, those voting against the measure primarily objected to two words: “The language that describes the Capitol as a ‘temple’ of American democracy and another line that categorizes the mob of pro-Donald Trump supporters that stormed the building as ‘insurrectionists.'”

The Washington Post reports that Harris, in a statement, said:

“The men and women on the thin blue line, including the brave men and women of the United States Capitol Police, should never be used as props for politically charged publicity stunts like this bill.

“I truly commend the Capitol Police for their actions on January 6th, and am very grateful for their service in keeping us safe each day. But I cannot support partisan charged language found in this bill.”

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md.-5th, in a statement, said:

“It is deeply unfortunate that a number of House Republicans opposed this action as they attempt to erase the events of January 6 and deny the responsibility of a far-right, insurrectionist mob incited by former President Trump.

“The alternative resolution they have proposed insults the memory of the officer who was killed defending the Capitol and the two others who died as a result of the attack in its immediate aftermath, using language implying that the three officers did not lose their lives in the line of duty.

“Such disrespect for the heroes who courageously tried to protect the American people’s Capitol is disgusting.”

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POLITICO reported that: “A competing bill circulated by Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) named the fallen officers but made no mention of Jan. 6 or the Capitol attack,” according to a copy of the bill it had obtained.

CQ Roll Call reported that: “Capitol Police officers stationed outside the chamber during the vote were overheard questioning which members voted against the bill.”

The Senate had previously voted to award a Congressional Gold Medal to Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman, who led rioters away from senators who were still in the Senate chamber, actions widely seen in video footage from a Huffington Post reporter.

Van Hollen Endorses Mizeur in First District

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Heather Mizeur, Democratic candidate for Congress in Maryland’s First District, today announced the endorsement of Senator Chris Van Hollen.

“I’m proud to have earned Senator Van Hollen’s endorsement,” Mizeur said in a statement. “During my time in the Maryland General Assembly, I worked closely with then-Congressman Van Hollen as we combined forces to serve our constituents — ensuring that the people who most needed their government to work for them didn’t fall through the cracks.

“Since then, I’ve watched proudly as Chris has championed in the U.S. Senate so many of the causes I care most about: stronger environmental protections, affordable health care, and an economy that works for everyone,” Mizeur said.

“Heather Mizeur is the bold, innovative leader we need in Congress for Maryland’s First District,” Van Hollen said in a statement. “Throughout her career, she has led the charge on policies that have made Maryland a fairer, stronger, more equitable state by building consensus and bringing people together.

“Heather successfully fought to move our state forward on issues like marriage equality, affordable health care for our children and families, and protecting our environment,” Van Hollen said. “She is a tenacious fighter for Maryland and can take on Andy Harris to flip the First. Heather is in this race to win, and I’m proud to stand by her.”

Senator Van Hollen’s endorsement is the first major show of support for any Democrat running to challenge Andy Harris, and comes on the heels of Mizeur’s announcement that she had raised nearly $250,000 in the opening weeks of her campaign. Van Hollen will headline a fundraiser for Mizeur on March 17.

Mizeur spent a decade working in the U.S. Congress, including four years as domestic policy director for U.S. Senator John Kerry. A former Takoma Park city councilmember and small business owner, she was elected to the General Assembly in 2006. Mizeur was known for her work to expand health care for children and families, reform the criminal incarceration system, advance civil rights protections, safeguard the environment, and bring new technology jobs to Maryland.

In 2014, Mizeur ran a spirited campaign for the Democratic nomination for governor, building a statewide grassroots movement. In 2017, she founded Soul Force Politics, a non-profit organization working to bridge the divisions in American political and civic life. Heather and her wife, Deborah, live and work on their farm in Chestertown.

Mizeur Reports Fast Fundraising Start in Her Bid for Congress

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Heather Mizeur, the former state delegate and gubernatorial contender who recently announced that she’s seeking the 1st District congressional seat in 2022, said Tuesday that she’s raised $225,000 in the first two weeks of her campaign.

Mizeur, who has been fairly quiet on the political front since her 2014 bid for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, joined the race against U.S. Rep. Andrew P. Harris (R-Md.) on Jan. 28, citing the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and Harris’ votes against certifying President Biden’s election and against impeaching former President Trump.

“So far in 2021, Andy Harris has disputed the results of a free and fair presidential election, refused (to disastrous ends) to certify those election results, voted against holding Donald Trump accountable for the deadly attack on our U.S. Capitol and was caught trying to carry a gun onto the House floor,” Mizeur said in a statement Tuesday. “Something deep within me was awakened by this.”

Mizeur said she has received about 1,400 campaign contributions since her announcement, averaging $158. The first fundraising quarter of the 2022 election cycle ends on March 31, and candidates’ campaign finance statements are due with the Federal Election Commission on April 15.

Harris, who will be seeking his seventh term, reported $1,043,179 in his campaign account as of Dec. 31.

The 1st District, which takes in the Eastern Shore and portions of Baltimore, Harford and Carroll counties, has a very conservative electorate. But Mizeur, if she becomes the Democratic nominee, would be the highest profile general election challenger that Harris has had since he won the seat in 2010.

Mia Mason, the 2020 Democratic nominee, also plans to try again, and other Democrats may be eyeing the race. Harford County Executive Barry Glassman has said he’s considering challenging Harris in the Republican primary.

By Josh Kurtz

Heather Mizeur to Challenge Congressman Harris

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Heather Mizeur, the former state delegate who ran a surprisingly strong bid for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 2014, announced Thursday morning that she plans to challenge U.S. Rep. Andrew P. Harris, the lone Republican in the state’s congressional delegation, in 2022.

In a four-minute video announcement, Mizeur said she felt compelled to run following the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

“The events of Jan. 6 have forever changed us, Mizeur said in the video. “Witnessing a treasonous insurrection against the citadel of our democracy, with the express encouragement of those bound by a Constitutional oath to protect it, is an unforgivable betrayal.”

Mizeur went on to condemn Harris’ actions that night ― when witnesses say he almost got into a fistfight with a Democratic colleague ― and more recently, when he attempted to bring a gun onto the U.S. House floor. Capitol police say they are investigating that incident.

“These behaviors have stirred within me a conviction that we must present an alternative choice,” Mizeur said. “We deserve representation that reflects the very best qualities of who we are and where we are from. That is why, today, I am launching my campaign for Congress.”

Following a stint on the Takoma Park City Council, Mizeur spent eight years in the House of Delegates, launching a longshot, grass-roots campaign for governor that became a sensation in many progressive circles. Despite being heavily outraised by her two better-known opponents, who already held statewide office, Mizeur finished a surprisingly strong third in the 2014 Democratic primary.

Mizeur then largely faded from public view, moving with her wife Deborah to a farm in Chestertown and eventually launching a nonprofit called Soul Force Politics, a political training organization that seeks to bridge the divide in political and civic life.

Prior to her own career in politics, Mizeur worked on Capitol Hill, as a policy adviser on health care to then-U.S. Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.).

In her announcement video, Mizeur said her experience “has prepared me for this unique moment in history.”

Challenging Harris could be quite the undertaking, however. The 1st District, which covers the Eastern Shore plus portions of Harford, Baltimore and Carroll counties, is mostly conservative territory, and Harris, who is seeking his seventh term, has never had to sweat reelection.

But the district lines could change before the 2022 election ― and Harris could potentially face a tough Republican primary challenge next year, possibly from Harford County Executive Barry Glassman or state Sen. Stephen S. Hershey Jr.

In her announcement, Mizeur did not offer specific policy prescriptions, but promised to deliver “dignified, heart-centered collaborative leadership” along with “smart and innovative policy thinking.”

“I ask one thing of all the people who join me in this journey ― that you bring your best self to this race,” she said. “We are not running against someone. We are running for our dedication to a better tomorrow.”

By Josh Kurtz