Kweisi Mfume will keep representing parts of Baltimore City and Baltimore County in Congress after winning reelection to Maryland's 7th Congressional District. The race was called just before 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, with the Democratic incumbent defeating Republican challenger Scott Collier to secure another term in the U.S. House.
The Associated Press projected Mfume the winner at 9:27 p.m. Tuesday, according to Patch, which reported that Mfume faced off against Collier for the seat. As WBFF noted, Mfume's win keeps the district in Democratic hands, with the Associated Press reporting the outcome. The Baltimore Banner cautioned that the results it displayed, last updated Tuesday at 7:50 p.m. EST, are considered preliminary and subject to change as additional votes are counted and recounted.
A Return to Congress After Leading the NAACP
Mfume has held the 7th District seat since 2020, when he won a special election to fill the vacancy left by the death of Rep. Elijah Cummings. It marked a comeback for Mfume, who first served in Congress from 1987 to 1996 before leaving to become president and CEO of the NAACP, a position he held for nine years. Before his time in Washington, Mfume served on the Baltimore City Council from 1979 to 1986, where he led the council's Committee on Health Policy and worked to diversify city government, improve public safety and support business growth.
Born and raised in Baltimore, Mfume earned a bachelor's degree from Morgan State University and a master's degree in international studies from Johns Hopkins University. He has also worked as a radio and television personality, served as an adjunct professor at Morgan State, and held board roles with Research America and the National Medical Association. His résumé includes multiple awards and honorary doctorates, and he was once named Marylander of the Year by the Baltimore Sun.
Committee Work and Federal Funding for Baltimore
During his current tenure, Mfume has worked on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the Committee on Foreign Affairs. He helped pass the Henrietta Lacks Enhancing Cancer Research Act and has supported the Minority Business Development Agency, according to the seed reporting. He also helped bring federal funds to Maryland during COVID-19 relief efforts.
Since returning to Congress in 2020, Mfume said he has helped bring critical federal dollars back to the city, pointing to pandemic relief as a starting point, according to CBS News Baltimore. That funding, he said, extended to schools, community organizations and public safety programs. The station reported that Mfume has framed his priorities around affordability, saying he wants to focus on “the affordability of energy, gas, healthcare, and groceries.”
Foreign Policy Views and a Familiar Result
Mfume has also said he wants the United States to take a more measured approach to foreign affairs, favoring diplomacy over conflict, per the same CBS News Baltimore report. Tuesday's outcome echoes 2024, when the Associated Press also called the 7th District for Mfume and the state's vote count was later certified, according to the New York Times. Maryland's 2026 results are tallied by the state's Board of Elections, per the Banner, though final certification of this year's outcome has not yet been established in available results.
