Incumbent Steny Hoyer (D), Quincy Bareebe (D), Andrea Crooms (D), and Mckayla Wilkes (D) are running in the Democratic primary in Maryland’s 5th Congressional District on May 14, 2024.
The Longview News-Journal‘s Matt Wynn wrote that the challengers are “taking on the monumental task of beating one of Congress’s most senior members.” Hoyer was a member of House Democratic leadership from 2003 through 2023, serving as majority leader or minority whip throughout that period. Since Ballotpedia began covering primary elections for this district in 2012, the closest Democratic primary was in 2020, when Hoyer defeated Wilkes 64.4% to 26.7%.
First elected in 1981, Hoyer says he is running to continue his work on the Appropriations Committee, including overseeing the construction of a new FBI headquarters in Greenbelt, Maryland, and securing funding for early childhood education centers. Hoyer says that “during this coming election, the values, character, and very soul of America are at risk. Freedom, which makes our nation exceptional, will be on the ballot.”
Bareebe is the president and CEO of a home healthcare agency and an accountant. Bareebe says she is running “to get someone in representation that understands what it means to be late on your mortgage, understands what it means for a mother to be out there and working three jobs and their paychecks are not enough.” Bareebe says her priority is addressing the cost of living in the district.
Crooms is an attorney and the director of the Prince George’s County Department of the Environment. Crooms says she is running “because my generation and those that follow need strong representation who will help build a better tomorrow.” Crooms says her priorities are improving living conditions for working families, protecting the environment, and promoting fairness and equity.
Wilkes is a community organizer and the founder of Schools Not Jails, a group describing itself as “a grassroots, community-based organization fighting for a dismantling of the school-to-prison pipeline and broader carceral state.” Wilkes says her priorities are “criminal justice and public education reform, affordable housing, healthcare, economic and racial justice.” Wilkes has challenged Hoyer twice before, winning 26.7% of the vote in 2020 and 19.1% in 2022.
As of April 9, 2024, The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter, Inside Elections with Nathan Gonzales, and Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball each rated the general election Solid/Safe Democratic. Hoyer defeated Chris Palombi (R) 65.9%–33.9% in the 2022 election.
All 435 seats are up for election. Republicans have a 218 to 213 majority with four vacancies. As of March 2024, 42 members of the U.S. House had announced they were not running for re-election.
Daily Kos calculated what the results of the 2020 presidential election in this district would have been following redistricting. Joe Biden (D) would have received 67.4% of the vote in this district and Donald Trump (R) would have received 30.9%.