Former U.S. Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn is running against Maryland state Del. Adrian Boafo, who is the preferred candidate of the Democratic Party to succeed retiring Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) in the Maryland's 5th Congressional District race. Dunn previously ran for Congress in 2024 but lost in the Democratic primary for Maryland’s 3rd Congressional District.
Dunn aims to establish his presence in the race for Hoyer's district, which Hoyer has represented for 45 years. Boafo, a former campaign manager for Hoyer, has received Hoyer's endorsement during the early voting period ahead of the June 23 primary.
The Democratic primary features approximately two dozen candidates, with Boafo currently leading in polls, followed by Dunn and former Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker III. Dunn gained recognition for his testimony regarding the January 6 Capitol riot and has been critical of former President Donald Trump's decisions related to the riot.
Recently, Dunn and another officer filed a lawsuit to prevent the federal government’s $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization” fund from compensating January 6 rioters, a fund that has faced legal challenges and was eventually abandoned by the Department of Justice.
Dunn resigned from the U.S. Capitol Police in December 2023 and launched his current campaign in February. He emphasizes his history of opposing the Trump administration, stating, "I already have a track record of going up against Donald Trump."
Boafo also presents himself as a strong candidate, claiming to be a “fighter” against Trump, and has received endorsements from over 35 elected officials, including Hoyer, Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), and Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD).
In the final week before the primary, Dunn criticized Boafo for benefiting from significant outside spending by groups associated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and the cryptocurrency industry. Dunn, along with other candidates, has called for Boafo to reject outside spending, while Boafo maintains his opposition to such funding.
Boafo has received $8.8 million in outside spending, while he has raised about $1.1 million for his campaign. In contrast, Dunn and another candidate, Quincy Bareebe, have raised $4 million and $5.9 million, respectively, surpassing Boafo's campaign funds.
The Democratic Party is expected to maintain control of the seat, as the district has a strong Democratic voting history, with voters supporting then-Vice President Kamala Harris by 33 points in 2024. Three Republican candidates are also running, but the Democratic nominee is anticipated to win in November, given the district's partisan voting index, which leans 17 points in favor of the Democratic Party.