Jamie Raskin, the Democratic incumbent in Maryland's 8th Congressional District, is running for reelection in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. This candidate record is provisional.

Republican Cheryl Riley and Green Party candidate Nancy Wallace are also running in the race, according to BallotReady election data.

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

Candidate information

  • Party: Democratic
  • Office sought: U.S. House of Representatives, Maryland 8th Congressional District
  • Education: High school diploma, Georgetown Day School (1979); bachelor's degree in government, Harvard College (1983); law degree, Harvard University (1987)

Experience and public service

Raskin has represented Maryland's 8th Congressional District in the U.S. House since 2017, according to BallotReady profile data. Before that, he served as a Maryland state senator for District 20 from 2007 to 2016.

Earlier in his career, he served as an assistant attorney general for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts from 1987 to 1989.

On the issues

The following positions are from Raskin's campaign statements recorded by BallotReady.

Healthcare: Raskin said he has fought to defend the Affordable Care Act and its coverage for people with preexisting conditions. He said he supports moving toward a single-payer universal healthcare system that would not exclude anyone and would save "hundreds of billions of dollars spent on insurance bureaucracy."

Environment and energy: Raskin said he supports policies to transition to a green economy, invest in clean energy technologies and help fossil fuel industry workers retrain for new jobs.

Guns: Raskin said he supports a universal background check, a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and barring violently dangerous people from possessing or purchasing firearms. He said he wants to hold the gun industry accountable for its role in deadly firearm-involved violence.

Education: Raskin said he supports efforts to provide student loan debt relief to millions of Americans and is working to defend and strengthen the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. He said he wants to make aggressive progress toward debt-free college for all.

Immigration: Raskin said he opposes the cruel and inhumane treatment of children and families at the border. He said he supports ending border wall funding, restoring protections for refugees and asylum seekers, and passing the Dream and Promise Act to provide a pathway to citizenship for DREAMers and families who have lived in the country for years because of disaster or conflict in their home countries. He said the country needs comprehensive immigration reform.

Wages and jobs: Raskin said he supports raising the minimum wage, promoting the right to organize and bargain collectively, lowering healthcare costs, providing paid family leave, promoting debt-free college and expanding affordable housing.

Social Security: Raskin said he believes Social Security should be preserved and strengthened without endangering the benefits seniors have earned.

Government reform: Raskin's campaign describes him as a champion of campaign finance reform, a defender of voting rights and a critic of the Citizens United decision.

Endorsements

The following endorsements were claimed by the endorsing organizations, according to BallotReady profile data:

  • Progressive Neighbors
  • Maryland State Education Association
  • Maryland State & DC AFL-CIO
  • American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Maryland, also known as AFSCME Maryland
  • AFSCME
  • Giffords
  • AFL-CIO
  • Freethought Equality Fund PAC
  • Humane Society of the United States
  • Friends of the Earth Action
  • National Education Association

This profile uses sourced public campaign information and BallotReady data. The Surround Sound News questionnaire is awaiting a response from the candidate.