Del. Adrian Boafo (D-Prince George’s) got an early, and important, leg up in the crowded field of 24 Democrats running to replace longtime Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-5th) when Hoyer endorsed Boafo as his successor.
But more than the endorsement were the millions of dollars of campaign support that flowed in for Boafo, from Hoyer and from political action committees and organizations that had long supported Hoyer.
On Tuesday, the money and the endorsements bore fruit as early returns showed Boafo with 32% of the vote with 66% of the votes counted. Boafo supporters the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 26 in Lanham cheered when AP called the race for their candidate around 9:30 p.m.
Boafo spoke for about 10 minutes at the Election Night watch party and thanked the other 23 Democrats in the race. He was joined by his parents who immigrated from Ghana and a few other family members who sported part of the country’s colors of yellow, red and green with a black star.
“The Democratic voters of the 5th Congressional district decided that it’s time to pass the torch to a new generation of leadership,” Boafo said to the dozens of supporters. “It is with great humility that I accept that responsibility.”
Hoyer introduced Boafo to the stage and said Boafo “has the courage and skill to do what is right for the people. Adrian lives and breaths public service.”
In early returns for the other Democratic candidates, businesswoman Qunicy Bareebe, who ran unsuccessfully against Hoyer in 2024, had 18% of the vote; former U.S. Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn had 13.5% of the votes; Wala Blegay had 10.7% and former Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker III had 10%.
Boafo will face Republican Chris Chaffee in the November general election. In early returns Chaffee, was leading opponents Bryan DuVal and Michelle Talkington, with 53% of the vote. AP called the race for Chaffee around 10:30 p.m.
There are also three independent candidates in the district, but they and the Republican nominee face an uphill climb in the district where almost 55% of voters were Democrats and 23% are Republicans in 2024.
The district includes all three Southern Maryland counties of Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s as well as parts of Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties.
Boafo, 32, would be one of the youngest members of Congress if elected. It’s one reason Cassie Brisbane of Prince George’s County said she voted for him. Brisbane was the first person in line to vote Tuesday morning at the Non-Traditional Program North school in Bowie.
Speaking outside, before it began to drizzle, Brisbane also said the fact that Boafo’s parents are Ghanaian would bring needed diversity to Congress.
“My husband’s Liberian, so I feel like that can also bring some mindsets that we don’t always tap in to, into some of the decision making,” said Brisbane, who does clinical research. “I feel like his [Boafo] voice will resonate in a different way, and it will help us in a positive way as well.”
Beth and Robert Hundley said they voted for Bareebe. Like her, Robert Hundley said he is “a business-minded person” who works a full-time job and is also an IT consultant.
When Hundley found out that Boafo worked for Oracle, which is co-founded by billionaire Larry Ellison and a company that has high-profile projects in building data centers, “That was a deal-breaker.”
But Baofo said in an interview with WAMU radio last month that he doesn’t know Ellison personally and insisted he has mostly focused on tech literacy as an Oracle lobbyist.
The Hundleys did smile after their 18-year-old daughter, Sasha, voted for the first time Tuesday. She couldn’t remember all the names on the ballot because it was “kind of surreal. It was a lot. But I did it [voted].”