Cheryl Riley, a Republican from Montgomery County, is running for the U.S. House of Representatives in Maryland's 8th Congressional District.

The general election is Nov. 3, 2026. Riley faces Democrat Jamie Raskin and Green Party candidate Nancy Wallace.

About the office

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives serve two-year terms. Representatives introduce bills and resolutions, offer amendments and serve on committees. The House is responsible for making and passing federal laws, according to the House's official guide.

Candidate background

Riley was born in Washington, D.C., according to Ballotpedia, and grew up in Germantown in Montgomery County. She attended Montgomery College in 1982 and the University of Maryland in 1983, according to her voter guide response. Riley has been founder and CEO of Cheryl Riley Public Relations since 2001, according to BallotReady.

She ran for Montgomery County Council in District 4 in 2022 and was the Republican nominee for U.S. House Maryland District 8 in 2024, according to the Montgomery County Republican Party and Ballotpedia.

On the issues

The following positions are drawn from Riley's campaign website and her iVoterGuide questionnaire. They reflect the candidate's own statements. Riley has not yet responded to the Surround Sound News candidate questionnaire.

Freedom and civil liberties

On her campaign website, Riley said she supports limited government, personal choice and personal responsibility. She said her focus in Congress would be promoting "freedom and liberty for all" and opposing what she called socialist policies.

Economy

Riley said on her campaign website that Maryland leaders have over-taxed and over-regulated businesses. She said she would push in Congress for pro-growth policies that protect American workers and prioritize American businesses.

Criminal justice and public safety

Through BallotReady, Riley said safety is her top priority, with a focus on protecting elderly residents, women and children. She said policymakers have failed to keep criminals off the streets and pledged to fight in Congress for the safety of Marylanders, especially vulnerable community members.

Issue positions were collected from Riley's campaign website, her iVoterGuide questionnaire and BallotReady. The Potomac Beacon presents these positions to help voters evaluate candidates in their own words. This profile does not constitute an endorsement.