Former Hoyer Aide Adrian Boafo Secures Democratic Nomination for Congress in Maryland’s 5th District

Adrian Boafo, a 33-year-old state delegate, won the Democratic nomination for a heavily Democratic House seat in Southern Maryland on Tuesday, according to The Associated Press. The victory came after a competitive primary election where spending from pro-Israel and cryptocurrency lobby groups played a significant role.

Boafo defeated nearly two dozen Democratic opponents in the contest to succeed Representative Steny Hoyer, 87, who is retiring after 44 years in office. Hoyer, once the right-hand man to former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, endorsed Boafo in the race. Given the district’s strong Democratic leanings—voters supported Vice President Kamala Harris over President Trump by 33 percentage points in 2024—Boafo is very likely to win the general election in November.

The fifth Congressional District, which includes Prince George’s County and its large Black voter population, became competitive following Hoyer’s retirement. Boafo’s opponents included Harry Dunn, a former U.S. Capitol Police officer who testified before Congress about defending the Capitol during the January 6, 2021 attack, and Rushern Baker, a former state delegate who served as Prince George’s County executive from 2010 to 2018. Boafo also finished ahead of Quincy Bareebe, a businesswoman who loaned her campaign more than $5.7 million.

According to campaign finance filings, the main super PAC for the influential American Israel Public Affairs Committee and a super PAC tied to the cryptocurrency industry each spent more than $5.5 million supporting Boafo’s candidacy. Their advertisements highlighted his positions on immigration and the economy, as well as endorsements from Governor Wes Moore and Senator Angela Alsobrooks, without addressing Israel or cryptocurrency directly.

Senator Chris Van Hollen accused the groups of attempting to “buy this congressional seat” during a virtual news conference in early June. In the campaign’s final week, three of Boafo’s opponents called on him to reject the spending. “Voters deserve to know what is happening in this race,” Baker, Bareebe, and Dunn wrote in a joint statement on June 15. “When nearly $8 million in outside money floods into a congressional primary, the public has every right to ask why—and what those special interests expect in return.”

Candidates cannot prevent super PACs from spending on their behalf. However, while Boafo told Politico that he believes “big money has no place in Congress,” his campaign website featured a “red box” with messaging materials for outside groups to use in supporting his candidacy. Boafo declined to state whether he supported the groups’ objectives or spending efforts but said he was “proud to be helping lead the charge on this generational change we are seeing in our party and in our politics.”

In his victory statement to The New York Times, Boafo emphasized his agenda: “The work ahead is clear—to make things more affordable, stand up to this lawless president, and bring fresh ideas to Washington.”

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