Tag: Steny Hoyer

Former police officer, Prince George’s Co. Council member join race to replace Steny Hoyer – WTOP News

Harry Dunn and Wala Blegay are officially joining the race to replace Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer, who’s retiring after more than 40 years in Congress.

Two more candidates are officially joining the race to replace Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer, who’s retiring after more than 40 years.

The latest to announce they’re running for the 5th District seat are two fellow Democrats: Prince George’s County Council member Wala Blegay and former U.S. Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn, who defended the building during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot.

Both made their intentions official Wednesday.

Blegay was appointed in December to fill a vacant at-large seat on the Prince George’s County Council.

Dunn ran for Congress in 2024 in Maryland’s 3rd District, but lost the Democratic primary.

At least 10 other Democrats and two Republicans have already joined the race for Hoyer’s seat.

Primaries will be held June 23.

Hoyer has endorsed his former campaign manager, Maryland Del. Adrian Boafo, to replace him.

The deadline to file for candidacy is about three weeks away, on Feb. 24.

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Michelle Basch

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February 4, 2026
Crowded primary expected in Maryland’s 5th District, as candidates aim to replace Hoyer – WTOP News

Only hours after Maryland congressman Steny Hoyer announced he wasn’t running again, Democrats in Prince George’s County were being surveyed about who they might support to replace him.

Only hours after Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer announced he would not be running again, Democrats in Prince George’s County were being surveyed about who they might support to replace him.

For months, there had been whispers that Hoyer was ready to give up his seat, and politicians in lower offices have been planning and organizing behind the scenes so they would be ready if it happened.

The Board of Elections already shows a handful of Democrats and Republicans who have filed, and while some of them are former federal employees, none of them have a lot of experience in the local elected landscape. That will change between now and Feb. 24, the deadline to run.

“I think it is likely that you wind up with someone more progressive than Hoyer, and because this is not a particularly competitive district, it’s not like voters will be thinking strategically,” St. Mary’s College political science professor Todd Eberly said.

“‘Who can we find that might appeal to independents or maybe some moderate Republicans?’ This is a safe Democratic seat, which means they don’t have to worry so much, the way that you might have to in a more competitive district,” Eberly added.

The 5th District includes all of Southern Maryland, southern Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties, and parts of central Prince George’s and western Anne Arundel counties.

“Just because of numbers, the politics of Prince George’s County and Charles County are more likely to have an influence on who ultimately wins the Democratic nomination and claims the seat,” Eberly said.

While some of those areas are represented by conservative Republicans at the state and county level, the amount of Democrats who live in the more populated areas of the counties overwhelm them when it comes to the race for Congress.

“It is interesting that St. Mary’s is the county (Hoyer) calls home, but it’s probably, politically speaking, the place where he’s least at home,” he said.

Who would run?

At least one poll that’s already circulating asks voters their thoughts about Rushern Baker, Quincy Bareebe, Wala Blegay, State Del. Adrian Boafo, Harry Dunn, Harry Jarin and Nicole Williams.

Bareebe and Jarin have already filed to run. Boafo is a state delegate from Bowie. Williams is a state delegate from Hyattsville and the chair of the county’s delegation this year. Dunn is a former U.S. Capitol Police officer who grew up in the county but also ran in the adjacent 4th District in 2024. Blegay is an at-large member of the Prince George’s County Council, and Baker is the former county executive in Prince George’s County.

Boafo and Blegay have made clear that they’re considering a run, and Williams’ name has been mentioned several times by others who are connected to politics.

A source with ties to Baker told WTOP he’s also looking to run for the seat, though that hasn’t been officially confirmed.

Other names are also being mentioned, and Maryland Del. C.T. Wilson told WTOP he’s considering a run.

“It is a safe Democratic seat, so whoever wins that Democratic primary knows that they’ll probably be able to hold on to that seat as long as they wish. And I think that’s going to make it hard for a lot of people to pass up,” Eberly said.

But he added that anyone who currently serves in Annapolis or at the county level will have to weigh a run for the congressional seat at the expense of not being able to return to the seat they have now.

“In order to run in the primary for that seat, you’re not going to be able to run in the primary for what may be a seat that you currently hold,” Eberly said. “Do you want to give that up for the chance at winning this?”

Which means it’s possible the list of names mentioned above will see some subtractions, as well as additions, in the weeks ahead.

John Domen

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January 9, 2026
Maryland leaders applaud Hoyer’s ‘immeasurable’ impact after retirement announcement – WTOP News

In the hours after Rep. Steny Hoyer announced his retirement, the praise coming from elected leaders at all levels in the state of Maryland was like a tidal wave.

In the hours after Rep. Steny Hoyer announced his retirement, the praise coming from elected leaders at all levels in the state of Maryland was like a tidal wave.

Democrats, and especially the ones from Prince George’s County, couldn’t stop gushing over the impact Hoyer had as a lawmaker and as a person.

“Steny Hoyer’s impact is immeasurable on the state of Maryland, on the United States of America, to all of us personally,” Gov. Wes Moore said.

He then told a story about his first interaction with Hoyer, which came well before the governor entered politics.

“I remember when I was deployed to Afghanistan,” Moore said. “I received a care package … one of the things in the care package was a flag, a Maryland flag, that was sent to me from Steny Hoyer. I did not know Steny Hoyer at that point. He just knew that a Marylander was protecting the country overseas. So he asked for a flag to be sent to that Marylander, who happened to be me.”

“He’s someone who has shown us what public service looks like,” Moore added, joking that Hoyer will get some “very well deserved time off. And frankly, knowing Steny Hoyer, I have no idea what retirement actually looks like. I’ll believe it when I see it.”

Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, a longtime friend of Hoyer’s, credited him with changing her life.

“He said to me years ago, ‘no matter what you run for, I am always going to be basically the first to support you. I will support any endeavor you undertake,’” Alsobrooks said in an interview with WTOP. “And that’s the penultimate of trust and belief is he felt that I was talented enough, and that I offered the kind of service that he felt he could support.”

She also noted how strong his support was among African American voters in Prince George’s County, and how much he treasured that trust Black voters put into him.

“Steny Hoyer is popular all around the state and the country, but he is beloved among African Americans,” she said. “You can see it in his annual Bull Roast that, routinely and without effort, calls out over 1,000 people, and many of them are African American families from Prince George’s County who have supported him in all 20 plus of his elections. And he noted that, and he thanked specifically the African American community for their solid support. And I think that was classy.”

She said because of that support, Maryland could count on Hoyer to deliver for the state.

“We always knew that in Steny, we had a staunch advocate,” Alsobrooks told WTOP. “We knew we had a person who would not only appear on our behalf, but would be prepared for whatever the issue was, that he would build whatever relationships were necessary for us to be successful.”

In a statement, Sen. Chris Van Hollen praised Hoyer.

“He never wavered in his focus on delivering results for his district and our state,” Van Hollen wrote. “From his efforts to secure federal support for important military bases like Naval Air Station Patuxent River to our institutions of higher learning, like the University of Maryland, to so much more — Steny is Team Maryland through and through.”

Rep. Glenn Ivey, whose district is adjacent to Hoyer’s, called Hoyer one of the “greats of all time” during an interview with WTOP.

“He’s had a huge impact, certainly on Prince George’s County in Maryland, but really the nation,” Ivey said. “There’s a lot to show for it within the congressional district. The federal courthouse, for example, was something that he put in place, helped to build out the University of Maryland. There’s a lot of activity that he’s done with respect to WMATA, building out the Metro system. The list goes on and on. So it’s a huge loss for not just Maryland, but for the nation.”

Ivey also noted the depth that Hoyer’s roots extend through the region.

“Three of my kids went to Judy P. Hoyer Elementary School,” Ivey said. “When they first met him, they called him Mr. Judy P. Hoyer, because his family’s had that kind of an impact across the board too.”

Maryland Third District Rep. Sarah Elfreth said her career in politics began with an internship in Hoyer’s office.

“From millions of dollars of investment in Prince George’s County and Southern Maryland to his work to uphold democratic values around the globe, you would be hard-pressed to find an issue he hasn’t led on,” she said.

Hoyer was born and raised in Prince George’s County and graduated from Suitland High School.

“He’s just been amazing with the resources that he’s been able to bring back to Prince George’s County and to the state of Maryland,” said Del. Nicole Williams, who chairs the Prince George’s County delegation in Annapolis. “We are really going to miss his leadership, but we’re also very happy for him in his retirement and wish him a lot of rest for all of his years of service.”

Prince George’s County Council member Wala Blegay, who may be interested in succeeding Hoyer in Washington, credited him with helping her make the contacts needed to get her political career off the ground, too.

“He just showed me what true constituent services (looked like) and how you how you actually go and meet people’s needs,” she said.

John Domen

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January 8, 2026
Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer to retire after nearly 50 years in Congress and decades in Democratic leadership

Democratic Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland will not seek reelection next year, a source familiar with his plans confirmed to CBS News — ending a career in Congress that stretches back to the early 1980s and included decades in Democratic leadership.

Hoyer plans to formally announce his retirement in a speech on the House floor Thursday morning, the source said.

Hoyer confirmed his planned retirement in an interview with The Washington Post, saying he “did not want to be one of those members who clearly stayed, outstayed his or her ability to do the job.”

The 86-year-old lawmaker has represented Maryland since 1981, covering a House district that stretches from the eastern suburbs of Washington, D.C., to southern Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay.

For two decades, Hoyer was the House Democratic caucus’s second-in-command, behind House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi of California. He served as House majority leader for a total of eight years, including the first two years of the Obama and Biden administrations, when he played a role in the lower chamber’s passage of legislation like the Obama-era Affordable Care Act and the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act.

He was also vocal during the first impeachment of President Trump in 2019.

Hoyer and Pelosi both stepped away from Democratic leadership after the 2022 midterms, with Pelosi saying she wanted to clear the way for a “new generation.”

At the time, Hoyer explained his decision by joking on CNN: “Have you heard I was 83?”

Hoyer has been active in politics since 1966, when he was elected to the Maryland state Senate at the age of 27, according to his official biography. He was elected to the U.S. House 15 years later, and began taking on roles in Democratic leadership in the late 1980s.

At certain points, Pelosi and Hoyer were seen as rivals vying for the speakership — a role that only Pelosi ended up securing. But the two have lauded each other in recent years.

More from CBS News

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January 7, 2026
Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer will retire after 60 years in elected office – WTOP News

Hoyer will not seek reelection and will retire at the end of his current term. After nearly 60 years in public office, the 86-year-old congressman stated he wanted to “pass the baton” while still in good health.

Multiple sources reported Wednesday evening that Maryland 5th District Rep. Steny Hoyer will be retiring from the House.

The Washington Post first reported that in a sit-down interview, 86-year-old Hoyer said he reached the decision over the holidays with his family. He stated that he wanted to pass “the baton” while still in good health.

Washington Post reporter Paul Kane told WTOP’s Nick Iannelli that Hoyer is still “pretty darn sharp,” though the longtime Maryland Democrat suffered a stoke in August 2024.

“He didn’t want to be one of those people who stuck around and ended up being pushed around in a wheelchair or getting too forgetful. There’s been a lot of those in recent years, Democrats and Republicans alike in Congress,” Kane said.

Hoyer is the third-longest serving member of the House of Representatives, having held his seat since 1982.

“I think that Steny Hoyer has basically come to a peaceful point in his life where he has decided he accomplished everything he possibly could have, and that now is the time to finally step away from politics after close to 60 years,” WTOP Capitol Hill Correspondent Mitchell Miller said.

Hoyer and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi both worked together for the same lawmaker when they first got to Congress decades ago. The two rose through the ranks together, with Hoyer serving as the No. 2 leader among House Democrats for many years.

He served as House Majority Leader when Pelosi became the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House. While they had a longtime rivalry, they also had a healthy respect for each other.

Hoyer has acknowledged that he would have liked to have become House Speaker, but it was not meant to be.

He stepped down from his role as House Majority Leader in 2022, endorsing Hakeem Jeffries as his successor. Hoyer continued his role as a Maryland representative and member of the House Appropriations Committee.

The veteran lawmaker has still had a major impact on Maryland politics in recent years. He provided an early endorsement to Wes Moore, who now serves as governor and is seen as a rising star within the Democratic Party. He also endorsed Angela Alsobrooks, who is now Maryland’s junior U.S. senator.

Hoyer’s departure could lead to a shake-up on the Prince George’s County Council, setting off a contested primary. In Prince George’s County, at least one member of the county council and one state delegate were waiting to see what Hoyer decides to do, with the intention of jumping in if the longtime incumbent decides to retire.

“It’s going to cause a ripple effect,” Kane said. “You’ll probably end up with people in small city councils who end up getting seats for the first time in their life in politics because of the ripple effect that this creates throughout the region.”

In terms of the 5th District race, Miller said it will very likely be a competitive race with many candidates vying for the seat.

“I think it’s just going to be a very, very difficult position to fill. Obviously, you have a change in the generations moving forward, but Steny Hoyer has just had a profound impact on Maryland politics,” Miller said.

While he’s leaving Congress after a storied political career, Hoyer seems content with all he has accomplished.

A spokeswoman for Hoyer only told WTOP that he will speak on the House floor at 10 a.m. on Thursday.

WTOP’s Mitchell Miller contributed to this report.

Ciara Wells

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January 7, 2026
Maryland Democrats hear from federal workers at Bowie town hall – WTOP News

Two Democratic members of Congress from Prince George’s County held a roundtable meeting Thursday in Bowie to talk about the government shutdown.

Two Democratic members of Congress from Prince George’s County held a roundtable meeting Thursday in Bowie to talk about the government shutdown, which is now well into its third week with no end in sight.

Maryland Reps. Steny Hoyer and Glenn Ivey want the Republican-controlled House to get back into session and end the long government shutdown.

“It’s dumb and it’s wrong, and we ought to be making a deal,” said Hoyer, who has been a member of Congress since 1981 and has experienced 11 government shutdowns during his 44 years in the House of Representatives.

“This (dispute) could be solved with one vote. And that vote would be a bill that opens up the government and continues what the current law is.”

Hoyer pointed out that as a young member of Congress, President Ronald Reagan’s administration and Democrats in Congress experienced eight government shutdowns. The longest shutdown, in 1983, lasted three days because both sides of the political spectrum saw the urgency of making a deal and keeping the government running.

“Shutting down the government is a policy that ought not to be pursued ever. That’s the bottom line,” Hoyer said.

Hoyer and Ivey are sticking to the Democratic Party line that House Speaker Mike Johnson and the Republican leadership are to blame for the partial shutdown by not negotiating on the Affordable Care Act’s subsidies, which keep health care premiums down to a manageable level for millions of Americans.

Hoyer said tens of thousands of Maryland residents will see their health care premiums substantially increase in the coming weeks if an agreement to restart the federal government does not include an extension of the tax credits.

“What we’re trying to do is make sure that 20 million people don’t lose their insurance, which we believe is a humanitarian thing to do and in the best interest of all America,” he said.

Rep. Ivey blames Republicans and Speaker Johnson for having the House in recess, and not voting, while the government remains shutdown.

“They’ve been absent without leave. They need to get their butts back to Washington and get back to work,” Ivey told WTOP. “I think the wake-up call is coming now that the notices have gone out to the public, that their premiums are going to double and triple, and they’re starting to get on the phone now and the Republicans are starting to get an earful.”

Effect on Maryland residents

Officials from the state of Maryland told the Congressmen that the state has been especially hard hit since the Trump administration returned to Washington in January, because Maryland has tens of thousands of federal government workers living there.

According to the state of Maryland, more than 150,000 residents were employed by the federal government earlier this year. The Maryland Department of Labor estimates 10%, or 15,000 people, have been laid off nationwide, with the most coming from Maryland.

First, there were cutbacks from the Department of Government Efficiency, instituted by billionaire Elon Musk and his team. Now, there are furloughs and threats of firings from the Office of Management and Budget.

Federal workers speak

One man, who wished not to be identified, told WTOP that he’s been working in the federal government for over 30 years but he’s never faced instability like this.

He said he and his colleagues are struggling with the shutdown, especially as the next scheduled federal payday is coming and this will be the first one where a complete paycheck is missed.

“It’s disheartening being a federal employee, knowing that every few months you have to go through this pain, whether the government is going to be open, whether it’s going to be funded,” he said. “So, it’s kind of devastating, very difficult.”

He said he pays more attention to his bills and how he can meet “the needs of our family, providing food, mortgage.”

As the shutdown lingers, this worker said he and his colleagues want Republicans and Democrats to find a solution where the government funding is restored and the health care subsidy issue is also resolved.

He said the sooner, the better.

“I have, or we have, no idea. We’re looking for different resources to help me as a federal employee, looking for companies that provide food services or any type of help to federal employees. And we’re just doing the best that we can,” the man said.

While many federal workers have weathered shutdowns before, another longtime employee says this one feels different.

“I’ve lived through many furloughs in my military and government civilian career, and this one just feels different,” the worker told WTOP anonymously.

The retired military veteran, now working at the Department of Health and Human Services, said 2025 has been a year of upheaval.

“We were ordered back to the office full time. … Then a month later, we got the RIFs,” they said. “Now, we’re furloughed again. We’re not getting paid and they’re doing more RIFs. It’s just insane.”

The worker still has their job, but is dipping into savings while paychecks don’t come in — and they worry about younger colleagues who might not have an emergency fund.

“Back when we were very junior enlisted … it was tough, especially in the D.C. region,” they recalled.

They said the agency is handing out letters to furloughed employees asking creditors to remain patient and show compassion toward federal workers who have bills due. But the biggest concern this time around is whether a reduction in force, or RIF, notice could come during the shutdown.

“There’s just the question of, if this continues to go on, will I be fired, as opposed to just being furloughed and being brought back?”

After all this, the worker said the big question for them is: Is it time to move on?

“I’m looking at whether I really want to be part of this government anymore — I’ve dedicated 40 years of my life to it, and I’m just tired,” they said.

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Dan Ronan

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October 24, 2025
Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer hosts annual luncheon with longtime friend and colleague, Nancy Pelosi – WTOP News

Whenever Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-5th) walks into a room, he’s usually greeted with hugs, handshakes, kisses on the cheek and gratitude for his more than 40 years in Congress.

This article was republished with permission from WTOP’s news partners at Maryland Matters. Sign up for Maryland Matters’ free email subscription today.

Whenever Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-5th) walks into a room, he’s usually greeted with hugs, handshakes, kisses on the cheek and gratitude for his more than 40 years in Congress.

But one longtime colleague stood out when she offered those same accolades Friday during the congressman’s 23rd annual Women’s Equality Day Luncheon in College Park attended by a few hundred people.

“Thank all of you for being here and supporting Steny Hoyer over the years,” said former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, (D-Calif.), who served as keynote speaker at the event. “When I talk about things that relate to women in the world … [and] having fairness in our society, we can be sure that Steny will be on the forefront.”

Without mentioning President Donald Trump (R) and other Republican leaders by name, Pelosi said there’s been efforts to restrict the women’s right to choose and to appoint women to leadership positions.

“Know that there’s nothing more wholesome for our country, whether it’s in politics and government, whether it’s in the academic world, whether it’s in the military, nothing is more enhanced than by the increased leadership and participation of women,” Pelosi said. “When women succeed, America succeeds.”

Women’s Equality Day is celebrated Aug. 26, to commemorate the 19th Amendment that granted women the right to vote and was ratified in 1920.

Hoyer has three daughters and two of his three grandchildren and three of his four great grandchildren are females. After the death of his first wife, Judy Pickett Hoyer, he remarried two years ago to Elaine Kamarck.

“I have been blessed with a lot of women in my life,” Hoyer said to some laughs and applause in the audience.

Hoyer, who turned 86 on June 14, and Pelosi, 85, have served in Congress together since the 1980s, but have known each other even longer, briefly working together in the early 1960s for U.S. Sen. Daniel Brewster (D-Md.). So when Hoyer makes an appearance these days, he is inevitably asked whether he plans to seek a to 24th term in Congress next year.

“We’re thinking about it,” Hoyer said in a brief interview after the luncheon. “I’m in this fight. This is a fight that is worth having. What is being done in Washington is making America less fair, [there’s] less investment in our future. I’m very concerned about it.”

But those concerns stop at violence, said Hoyer, reflecting on Wednesday’s shooting death of 31-year-old conservative activist, Charlie Kirk during an event at Utah Valley State University.

“We know that there are people who think violence is an alternative — violence is an alternative that will cause chaos and death and diminish our democracy,” Hoyer said. “We need every one of us [to] reject the use of violence, particularly when it comes to political speech. Our democracy believes that debate resolves our differences, not violence.”

In the wake of Kirk’s death, bomb threats were made Thursday to Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City), House Speaker Adrienne Jones (D-Baltimore County) and several historically Black colleges and universities. On the same day, the U.S. Naval Academy was locked down after false reports of a gunman on campus led to the accidental shooting of a midshipman. Morgan State University said Friday that it received a bomb threat, that it determined was not credible, but still informed the FBI “out of abundant caution.”

Rep. Sarah Elfreth (D-3rd) — who once. interned for Hoyer — attended Friday’s luncheon and also reflected on the recent events, including a school shooting Wednesday in Colorado.

“I don’t want to keep going down this course, and I just ask everybody to reflect on this moment and the choice that we have here,” said Elfreth, who plans to go forward with an open telephone town hall Monday that was scheduled before the Kirk shooting. “The only way to get through this is to recognize that we all have a part to play in fixing this.

Valerie Bonk

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September 14, 2025
Primaries in Maryland and West Virginia will shape the battle this fall for a Senate majority

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Voters across Maryland and West Virginia will decide key primary elections Tuesday with big implications in the fight for the Senate majority this fall.

At the same time, Democratic President Joe Biden and Republican rival Donald Trump hope to project strength in low-stakes presidential primaries, while further down the ballot, two congressional candidates on opposite sides of the 2021 Capitol attack serve as a stark reminder that the nation remains deeply divided over the deadly insurrection.

In all, three states are hosting statewide primary elections on Tuesday — Maryland, Nebraska and West Virginia — as Republicans and Democrats pick their nominees for a slate of fall elections. None are more consequential than Senate primaries in Maryland and West Virginia, where Republicans are eying pickup opportunities that could flip control of Congress’ upper chamber for at least two years.

A TRUMP CRITIC VIES FOR MARYLAND’S GOP NOMINATION

In Maryland, Republican former Gov. Larry Hogan expects to dominate the state’s GOP Senate primary despite his years-long criticism of Trump, whom Hogan describes as a threat to democracy. The former two-term governor would be the blue state’s first Republican senator in more than four decades.

It’s unclear whether Trump loyalists will ultimately embrace Hogan. In all, six other Republicans are challenging the 67-year-old former governor.

In a message to supporters before polls closed, Hogan avoided any mention of Trump as he cast himself as the underdog in the fall election should he claim the GOP nomination on Tuesday.

“I’m in this Senate race because I am sick and tired of the division, partisan bickering, and inaction of many of our politicians in Washington today,” Hogan wrote. “I CANNOT stand by and watch the dysfunction continue without doing everything in my power to fix the broken politics.”

On the Democratic side, Rep. David Trone has been locked in a contentious — and expensive — battle with Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks.

Trone, the co-founder of the Total Wine & More national liquor store chain, has put more than $61 million of his own money into the race. That’s just shy of the national record for self-funding a Senate campaign, with much of it going to a months-long TV ad blitz. The three-term congressman says he’s better positioned to beat Hogan in November as a progressive Democrat not beholden to special interests.

Race has been an issue in the primary, with Alsobrooks working to become Maryland’s first Black U.S. senator. Trone apologized in March for what he said was the inadvertent use of a racial slur during a budget hearing.

Alsobrooks, who serves as chief executive of Maryland’s second-largest jurisdiction with the state’s largest number of registered Democrats, has been endorsed by many of the state’s top officials, including Gov. Wes Moore, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Rep. Steny Hoyer and a long list of state lawmakers.

She has campaigned on growing economic opportunity, investing in education and protecting abortion rights.

THE WEST VIRGINIA BATTLE TO REPLACE MANCHIN

Meanwhile, in West Virginia, the Republican Senate primary is likely to decide retiring Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin’s replacement given the state’s overwhelming Republican tilt.

Republican Gov. Jim Justice and U.S. Rep. Alex Mooney are the leading GOP candidates. With Manchin gone, the seat is almost guaranteed to turn red come November.

The Trump-endorsed Justice, a former billionaire with a folksy personality that’s made him wildly popular in the state, is the front-runner against Mooney and five other lesser-known Republicans. A former Democrat, Justice switched to the Republican Party in 2017. He announced the change at a Trump rally.

Mooney has tried to win over conservatives by labeling Justice a “RINO” — which stands for “Republican in name only” — who would support Democratic policies. Justice did support Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure law, saying West Virginia couldn’t afford to turn away the money offered in the bill. Mooney voted against it.

On the other side, Democrats are choosing between Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott, who has Manchin’s endorsement, and Marine Corps veteran Zach Shrewsbury, who has support from the Progressive Democrats of America. Also in the Democratic primary: former Republican Don Blankenship, who was convicted of violating safety standards after 29 people died in a 2010 coal mine explosion.

West Virginia is also deciding its candidates for governor.

Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, the Republican nominee in the 2018 Senate race against Manchin, is running for the Republican nomination. He’s up against the sons of two members of West Virginia’s congressional delegation: car dealer Chris Miller, whose mother is Rep. Carol Miller, and former state Rep. Moore Capito, whose mother is Sen. Shelley Moore Capito. West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner is also in the GOP race.

On the Democratic side, Huntington Mayor Steve Williams is unopposed.

TESTS OF STRENGTH IN THE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY

There’s far less drama in Tuesday’s presidential primaries.

Biden and Trump have already amassed enough delegates to claim the presidential nominations at their respective national conventions this summer. Yet voters on both sides hope to register a significant protest vote Tuesday that will demonstrate their dissatisfaction with the Biden-Trump rematch.

Maryland progressives especially unhappy with the Biden administration’s support for Israel in its war against Hamas are encouraging voters to select “uncommitted to any presidential candidate” instead of Biden. There is no uncommitted option in West Virginia or Nebraska.

Everett Bellamy, a Democrat who voted early in Annapolis, said he voted “uncommitted” instead of Biden as a protest against the killing of women and children and noncombatants in Gaza.

“I’ve got to make a decision come November, but for now while the violence is raging in Gaza and people are being killed every day and starving to death, I wanted to send a message,” Bellamy, 74, said after leaving an early voting center. “Hopefully, I have a better choice come November.”

Meanwhile, Trump’s Republican critics cannot choose “uncommitted,” but they can choose his former GOP rival Nikki Haley, who will appear on the ballot in Maryland, Nebraska and West Virginia despite formally suspending her campaign more than two months ago. Last week in Indiana, Haley earned nearly 22% of the Republican primary vote.

Trump has shrugged off his Republican critics, yet his weakness with the party’s moderate wing could threaten him in the general election.

TWO SIDES OF THE INSURRECTION

Tuesday’s elections also include two candidates who were intimately involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

In West Virginia, a former member of the House of Delegates, Derrick Evans, is running for the Republican nomination in the 1st Congressional District. The 39-year-old Trump loyalist served a three-month jail sentence after livestreaming himself participating in the storming of the U.S. Capitol. He calls himself the only elected official who “had the courage” to stand behind efforts to temporarily halt certification of Biden’s 2020 election victory.

Evans is trying to oust incumbent Republican Rep. Carol Miller.

In Maryland, former Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn is among nearly two dozen Democrats running in the state’s 3rd Congressional District. The 40-year-old Democrat was in the Capitol working to repel the violent mob on Jan. 6.

Also on Tuesday, in North Carolina, voters will finalize their pick in what has become a one-person Republican primary in the state’s 13th Congressional District. Trump endorsed Brad Knott this month, leading his opponent to suspend her campaign.

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This story has deleted an incorrect reference to a California election being Tuesday. The California election is next week.

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Willingham reported from Charleston, West Virginia. Peoples reported from Washington.

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Follow the AP’s coverage of the 2024 election at https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Brian Witte, Leah Willingham And Steve Peoples, Associated Press

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May 14, 2024
Democrats evicted from hideaway offices after Kevin McCarthy’s ouster

Two longtime Democratic leaders, Reps. Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer, have been evicted from their hideaway offices in the aftermath of Kevin McCarthy’s ouster as House Speaker.

Pelosi, who stepped down as Democratic leader last year after being in leadership since 2003, confirmed on Tuesday night that Rep. Patrick McHenry, the new speaker pro tempore, had ordered she “immediately vacate my office in the Capitol.”

“This eviction is a sharp departure from tradition,” Pelosi said. “As Speaker, I gave former Speaker Hastert a significantly larger suite of offices for as long as he wished. Office space doesn’t matter to me, but it seems to be important to them. Now that the new Republican Leadership has settled this important matter, let’s hope they get to work on what’s truly important for the American people.”

The secret hideaway offices are unofficial, unlisted offices throughout the Capitol building, identified only by a room number. They’re generally given to senators, but a few higher-ranking House members have them, too. They vary in size, with the grandest hideaways going to the most senior lawmakers.

Pelosi is currently in San Francisco for the funeral of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who died Sunday at the age of 90. As a result, Pelosi said, “I am unable to retrieve my belongings at this time.”

WRep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) speaks at a press conference on the reintroduction of the Freedom to Vote Act, outside the U.S. Capitol Building on July 20, 2023 in Washington, DC.

Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images

Hoyer, who served as House majority leader and is one of the most senior members of Congress, was also evicted from his hideaway office, a senior staffer confirmed to CBS News.

It’s not clear why the two Democrats were tossed out of their offices Tuesday night, but the evictions came just hours after the historic vote that removed McCarthy as speaker, the first time in history a speaker has been removed by a vote. Eight Republicans voted against McCarthy, joining all of the Democrats, whom McCarthy blamed Tuesday night for not giving him support.

“I think today was a political decision by the Democrats,” McCarthy said. “And I think the things they have done in the past hurt the institution.”

In an appearance on “Face the Nation” on Sunday, McCarthy said Rep. Matt Gaetz — who led the rebellion against him — had reached out to Democrats to oust him.

But McCarthy had relied on Democrats’ support just a few days earlier when he put forward a continuing resolution to fund the government until Nov. 17, averting a government shutdown at the last minute. Despite getting support from every Democrat in the House on that continuing resolution, McCarthy said on “Face the Nation” that “Democrats tried to do everything they can, not to let it pass.”

That appearance on “Face the Nation” may have played a role in his downfall. Ahead of the vote to oust him, Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar said that a clip of his interview on “Face the Nation” was played at the Democratic caucus meeting.

“It is that continuation of being a fraud being somebody who lies; somebody who clearly does not have a hold on reality,” Omar said Tuesday. “We know that we offered more of the votes as Democrats to pass the CR than his own conference. He couldn’t deliver votes for his own CR. Democrats saved the day. And he goes on TV hours later and says Republicans did it, Republicans were leading, which is insane.”

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October 4, 2023
Updated criteria for new FBI headquarters announced, boosting Maryland locations

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — The General Services Administration announced changes in criteria for choosing a location for a new FBI headquarters on Friday, boosting two potential places in Maryland, which has been competing with Virginia for the bureau’s new home.

The new criteria give more weight to cost and social equity concerns than proximity to the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

Maryland officials, including Gov. Wes Moore, were encouraged that the announcement “corrects the flawed approach released in September that ignored taxpayer costs and the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to equity,” they said in a statement.

Police in Maryland say five people leaving a cemetery after a funeral were wounded by gunfire after someone shot into their car from another vehicle.

More than one third of all U.S. energy consumption, and thus a significant source of climate change, is from heating and cooling homes and buildings.

A Maryland board has approved a settlement of more than $13 million to resolve claims of unpaid wages due to the changing of timecards at the state’s corrections department, after an investigation by the U.S.

A Maryland board has approved $2.9 million in compensation for a man who was wrongly imprisoned for 32 years for two killings he did not commit.

“Today’s revised guidelines are a critical step in the right direction,” said Maryland officials, including Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen. “This update is in line with the language we secured in last year’s omnibus funding bill that both delegations supported.”

Maryland officials, including Rep. Steny Hoyer and six other members of the state’s congressional delegation, remain confident that two locations in Maryland, either Greenbelt or Landover in the suburbs of the nation’s capital, “provide the best operational and cost-effective options for the new, consolidated FBI Headquarters,” they said.

“These sites meet and exceed the criteria laid out by GSA,” the officials said. “They are shovel-ready with exceptional access to transportation and will spur greater equity and opportunity, in line with the Biden-Harris Administration’s executive orders. We will continue working with GSA to ensure these factors are taken into consideration.”

Virginia Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner expressed concern about the changes in a joint statement of their own.

“The GSA didn’t pluck its initial criteria out of thin air — it spent years talking to experts and carefully deliberating on what is best for the mission of the FBI,” the senators said. “While we are concerned that these changes to the criteria will further delay what has already been a drawn-out, decade-long process to select a new site to replace the dilapidated headquarters downtown, we remain confident that Virginia continues to be a home run in every category, and encourage the GSA to draw this process to a close sooner rather than later.”

The General Services Administration announced it had reduced the significance of the new headquarters being near other FBI facilities to 25% from 35%. It also increased cost and social equity to 20% each.

Nina Albert, the administration’s commissioner of the Public Buildings Service, said consultations with the two state’s delegations “provided valuable feedback, and helped us refine our plan to maximize the value for the FBI and the public.”

“While the core elements of the site selection plan remain the same, we have updated the plan to incorporate new government-wide directives and to increase the consideration of cost to deliver better value for taxpayers,” Albert said in a statement. “We believe these adjustments will support a process that results in a site that best serves the FBI and the public for years to come.”

The General Services Administration said the three sites under review — Greenbelt and Landover in Maryland, and Springfield, Virginia — were selected in 2014 by the administration because they all met the baseline requirements of the FBI, including being able to accommodate the size of a new headquarters facility and meet the federal government’s unique security requirements.

The administration anticipates making a site selection in the coming months, it said in a statement.

Plans to replace the FBI’s J. Edgar Hoover Building in Washington, D.C., built in 1974, have been under discussion for 15 years. Momentum to pick a new site stalled during Donald Trump’s presidency, when plans to move the headquarters to the suburbs were scrapped in favor of a proposal to rebuild at the existing site.

Roughly 7,500 jobs are tied to the new facility, budget documents estimate.

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July 14, 2023
‘Have you heard I was 83?’: Hoyer on stepping back from House leadership | CNN Politics

CNN
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The top three House Democrats who are stepping back from their leadership spots did not coordinate on their decisions to do so, outgoing Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said Sunday, adding that “the timing was right.”

“Have you heard I was 83?” Hoyer quipped about his age in an interview with CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union.”

Hoyer’s departure from his leadership post, as well as the decisions by Nancy Pelosi and Jim Clyburn, both 82, to step down as House speaker and majority whip, respectively, represent a generational change for the Democratic Party in the chamber.

“I think all of us have been around for some time and pretty much have a feel for the timing of decisions. And I think all three of us felt that this was the time,” Hoyer told Bash.

Hoyer noted that the trio has led the House Democratic Caucus “for a long time.”

“In that capacity, I think each of us made an individual decision. The timing was right,” he said.

House Democrats chose current Caucus Chair Hakeem Jeffries of New York, 52, to replace Pelosi as top Democrat in the chamber. Massachusetts Rep. Katherine Clark, 59, who will serve as minority whip, and California Rep. Peter Aguilar, 43, who will lead the caucus, are a generation younger than their predecessors.

The octogenarians, however, are still expected to have a presence in the incoming Congress. Clyburn will serve in a slightly demoted leadership role as assistant leader (the party’s No. 4 position), while Pelosi was recently designated “speaker emerita.” Hoyer said Sunday that he expects to still advise the new Democratic leaders.

“Mr. Jeffries and I have talked. I think he wants me to continue to give advice and counsel and to be involved in decision making – albeit not as majority leader,” the Maryland Democrat told Bash.

Reflecting on his career in leadership, Hoyer praised two people who he said will be remembered by history as giants: the late civil rights icon and longtime congressman John Lewis and Pelosi.

“I think we have a very respectful relationship,” Hoyer said of Pelosi, with whom he has worked for years. “I think we have a business-like relationship but I like Nancy and I admire Nancy greatly. She is an extraordinary human being. She’s indefatigable. She has extraordinary energy.”

He added: “And I think she’s probably the most effective political leader that I’ve worked with over the years.”

Reminiscing on interning with the Baltimore-born Pelosi in the office of Maryland Rep. Daniel Brewster in the 1960s, Hoyer told Bash: “I think that story doesn’t get enough play.”

“Nancy was sitting in the front office as receptionist, and I was sitting right behind her in sort of a little divided half wall handling academy appointments, opening mail, doing things that interns do or part-time employees do, and we were there together. Some 40 years later, we became the speaker and the majority leader,” he said.

The two lawmakers, however, have not always had a straightforward relationship.

Hoyer remarked that he was “obviously disappointed” when Pelosi endorsed Pennsylvania Rep. John Murtha over him to become majority whip in 2006, though Hoyer won that race “pretty handily,” he recalled.

A few years earlier, in 2001, Pelosi had defeated Hoyer to become House Democratic whip.

Asked whether he would’ve liked to have become speaker had Pelosi not been in the picture, Hoyer replied: “Who wouldn’t? What politician in the House of Representatives would not like to be the speaker? Of course, I would.”

“But very frankly, as I remarked to one reporter, I said I’m not sure I could have done a better job than Nancy and maybe not as good a job as Nancy,” he told Bash.

Hoyer said he has not ruled out running for Congress in 2024: “I may. I may.”

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January 2, 2023
Guest lineups for the Sunday news shows

WASHINGTON — ABC’s “This Week” — Gov. Asa Hutchinson, R-Ark.; Rep.-elect Maxwell Frost, D-Fla.

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NBC’s “Meet the Press” — Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.; Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis.; Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen.

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CBS’ “Face the Nation” — Michael Gapen, managing director and chief U.S. economist, Bank of America; Kristalina Georgieva, managing director, International Monetary Fund; John Sullivan, a former U.S. ambassador to Russia; Michele Flournoy, a former defense undersecretary; H.R. McMaster, a former national security adviser; Michael Morell, a former acting director and former deputy director of the CIA; Kevin Book, managing director at Clearview Energy Partners.

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CNN’s “State of the Union” — Gov.-elect Wes Moore, D-Md.; Reps. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., and Steny Hoyer, D-Md.

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“Fox News Sunday” — Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas; Michael Allen, a former national security aide to President George W. Bush.

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December 30, 2022
House approves referendum to ‘decolonize’ Puerto Rico

WASHINGTON — The U.S. House passed a bill Thursday that would allow Puerto Rico to hold the first-ever binding referendum on whether to become a state or gain some sort of independence, in a last-ditch effort that stands little chance of passing the Senate.

The bill, which passed 233-191 with some Republican support, would offer voters in the U.S. territory three options: statehood, independence or independence with free association.

“It is crucial to me that any proposal in Congress to decolonize Puerto Rico be informed and led by Puerto Ricans,” said Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz., chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, which oversees affairs in U.S. territories.

The proposal would commit Congress to accept Puerto Rico into the United States as the 51st state if voters on the island approved it. Voters also could choose outright independence or independence with free association, whose terms would be defined following negotiations over foreign affairs, U.S. citizenship and use of the U.S. dollar.

Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, who has worked on the issue throughout his career, said it was “a long and torturous path” to get the proposal to the House floor.

“For far too long, the people of Puerto Rico have been excluded from the full promise of American democracy and self-determination that our nation has always championed,” the Maryland Democrat said.

After passing the Democrat-controlled House, the bill now goes to a split Senate where it faces a ticking clock before the end of the year and Republican lawmakers who have long opposed statehood.

Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi, of the pro-statehood New Progressive Party, traveled to Washington for the vote. He called it a historic day and said the 3.2 million U.S. citizens who live on the island lack equality, do not have fair representation in the federal government and cannot vote in general elections.

“This has not been an easy fight. We still have work to do,” he said. “Our quest to decolonize Puerto Rico is a civil rights issue.”

Members of his party, including Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González, cheered the approval of the bill, although reaction in the U.S. territory was largely muted and tinged with frustration since it is expected to be voted down in the Senate.

The proposal of a binding referendum has exasperated many on an island that already has held seven nonbinding referendums on its political status, with no overwhelming majority emerging. The last referendum was held in November 2020, with 53% of votes for statehood and 47% against, with only a little more than half of registered voters participating.

The proposed binding referendum would be the first time that Puerto Rico’s current status as a U.S. commonwealth is not included as an option, a blow to the main opposition Popular Democratic Party, which upholds the status quo.

Pablo José Hernández Rivera, an attorney in Puerto Rico, said approval of the bill by the House would be “inconsequential” like the approval of previous bills in 1998 and 2010.

“We Puerto Ricans are tired of the fact that the New Progressive Party has spent 28 years in Washington spending resources on sterile and undemocratic status projects,” he said.

González, Puerto Rico’s representative in Congress, praised the bill and said it would provide the island with the self-determination it deserves.

“Many of us are not in agreement about how that future should be, but we all accept that the decision should belong to the people of Puerto Rico,” she said.

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Coto reported from San Juan, Puerto Rico.

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December 15, 2022
House votes on bill to prevent rail workers strike

Washington — Congress is moving swiftly to prevent a looming U.S. rail workers strike, reluctantly intervening in a labor dispute to stop what would surely be a devastating blow to the nation’s economy if the transportation of fuel, food and other critical goods were disrupted.

The House is voting on Wednesday after President Biden asked Congress to step in. The bill lawmakers are considering would impose a compromise labor agreement brokered by his administration that was ultimately voted down by four of the 12 unions representing more than 100,000 employees at large freight rail carriers. The unions have threatened to strike if an agreement can’t be reached before a Dec. 9 deadline. They are also considering a separate measure to provide workers with paid sick days.

Lawmakers from both parties expressed reservations, but the intervention was particularly difficult for some Democratic lawmakers who have traditionally sought to align themselves with the politically powerful labor unions.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent who caucuses with Democrats, announced that he would object to fast-tracking the president’s proposal until he can get a roll-call vote on the amendment that would guarantee seven paid sick days for rail workers. Some of the more liberal lawmakers in the House such as Reps. Jamaal Bowman of New York and Cori Bush of Missouri tweeted that they couldn’t support the measure.

And a handful of Senate Republicans have expressed their opposition to Congress intervening.

“I’m not going to vote to impose this on them against their will with the force of law,” said Sen. Josh Hawley on Wednesday.

Still, the bill is expected to receive a significant bipartisan vote. That show of support began when the Republican and Democratic leaders of the House and Senate met with Mr. Biden on Tuesday at the White House.

“We all agreed that we should try to avoid this rail shutdown as soon as possible,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Tuesday as he returned to the Capitol.

A letter from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Democratic colleagues promised two votes, reflecting the consternation she was hearing from members. The first vote will be on adopting the tentative labor agreement. The second will be on a measure to add seven days of paid sick leave for railroaders to the agreement.

“It is with great reluctance that we must now move to bypass the standard ratification process for the Tentative Agreement,” Pelosi wrote. “However, we must act to prevent a catastrophic strike that would touch the lives of nearly every family: erasing hundreds of thousands of jobs, including union jobs; keeping food and medicine off the shelves; and stopping small businesses from getting their goods to market.”

Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer address the media after a meeting about avoiding a railroad worker strike with President Biden at the White House on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022.

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

The compromise agreement that was supported by the railroads and a majority of the unions provides for 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses retroactive to 2020 along with one additional paid leave day. The raises would be the biggest rail workers have received in more than four decades. Workers would have to pay a larger share of their health insurance costs, but their premiums would be capped at 15% of the total cost of the insurance plan. But the agreement didn’t resolve workers’ concerns about demanding schedules that make it hard to take a day off and the lack of paid sick time.

Lawmakers from both parties grumbled about stepping into the dispute, but they also said they had little choice.

“The bottom line is we are now forced with this kind of terrible situation where we have to choose between an imperfect deal that has already been negotiated or an economic catastrophe,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, a Democrat from Massachusetts.

“This is about whether we shut down the railroads of America, which will have extreme negative effects on our economy,” said Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the No. 2 Democrat in the House. “We should have a bipartisan vote.”

Republicans needled the Biden administration and Democrats for Congress being asked to step in now to avert an economic crisis. But many indicated they were ready to do so.

“This has got to be tough for Democrats in that they generally kowtow to unions,” said GOP Sen. Mike Braun of Indiana.

“At this late hour, it’s clear that there is little we can do other than to support the measure,” said Republican Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma.

Business groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Farm Bureau Federation said earlier this week in a letter to congressional leaders they must be prepared to intervene and that a stoppage of rail service for any duration would represent a $2 billion per day hit to the economy.

On several past occasions, Congress has intervened in labor disputes by enacting legislation to delay or prohibit railway and airline strikes.

Railroad unions on Tuesday decried Mr. Biden’s call for Congress to intervene in their contract dispute, saying it undercuts their efforts to address workers’ quality-of-life concerns.

Conductor Gabe Christenson, who is co-chairman of the Railroad Workers United coalition that includes workers from all the rail unions, said Mr. Biden and the Democrats are siding with the railroads over workers.

“The ‘most labor-friendly president in history’ has proven that he and the Democratic Party are not the friends of labor they have touted themselves to be,” Christenson said.

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November 30, 2022