Maryland’s 7th Congressional District: Who Wins the 2026 House Race?

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, seen as a potential 2028 presidential contender, headlined the Democratic Party of Illinois' annual fundraiser at Navy Pier in Chicago, criticizing President Donald Trump and Republicans while rallying Democrats ahead of the midterm elections. Moore accused Trump's administration of "lining their own pockets" on issues including the Iran conflict and economic policy.

Moore, introduced by Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker — who also has White House ambitions — recounted Pritzker's outreach after the 2024 collapse of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge, then drew parallels between Maryland and Illinois's civil rights legacies to applause from more than 800 attendees. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, and Senate nominee Juliana Stratton also spoke, with Durbin criticizing Trump's spending priorities.

The event underscores early jockeying among Democratic governors positioning themselves for 2028 while shoring up party support in battleground-adjacent states ahead of the midterms.

The Department of Justice has sued Maryland, Attorney General Anthony Brown, the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission, and Prince George's and Montgomery counties over laws banning law enforcement officers from wearing masks or face coverings while on duty. The state law, effective October 1, includes limited exceptions for undercover work, weather, and health reasons, and requires officers to display visible identification. Violations are treated as civil offenses carrying fines up to $1,500, a structure adopted after federal judges struck down similar criminal-penalty mask bans elsewhere. Montgomery and Prince George's counties passed comparable local laws in the spring.

The DOJ argues the laws unconstitutionally regulate federal officers under the Supremacy Clause and endanger ICE agents by exposing them to doxxing, harassment, and violence amid the administration's immigration crackdown. Officials including Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate said only the federal government can dictate equipment for federal officers on duty. Maryland officials, including House Speaker Joseline Pena-Melnyk and Montgomery County Councilmember William Jawando, say the laws promote transparency and accountability and vow to defend them. Maryland is the eighth state the DOJ has sued over similar laws, following suits in New York, Virginia, Connecticut, New Jersey, California, Philadelphia, and Milwaukee.

DOJ sues Maryland and two counties over laws barring masks for federal law enforcement, citing risks to ICE officers.

The Baltimore Sun and Capital Gazette have launched a voter guide ahead of Maryland's Nov. 3, 2026 general election, surveying nearly 500 candidates across major statewide and local races. The guide covers contests for governor, attorney general and comptroller, plus General Assembly seats and competitive county-level races for executive, council, school board, state's attorney and sheriff in the Baltimore area and in Wicomico and Worcester counties. Circuit court clerk, register of wills, and orphans' and circuit court judgeships are also on the 2026 ballot.

The questionnaire lets candidates describe their backgrounds, policy positions and platforms in their own words, including reflections on past decisions and where they diverge from their party base. The outlets say the project is intended to help voters compare candidates directly as the election cycle ramps up.

The guide underscores the scale of Maryland's 2026 down-ballot landscape, which includes several competitive executive and legislative races likely to draw attention from political forecasters and prediction markets tracking state-level outcomes.

President Trump visited Baltimore to announce a $3.7 billion investment by Anduril Industries in a new submarine-related shipyard, paired with a separate $2.9 billion deal between Anduril and the U.S. Navy. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and the state's congressional delegation did not attend after being told they would not be allowed to participate in the announcement, according to people familiar with the matter. Moore's office said he would "work with anyone" to help Marylanders but would "bow to no one" in standing up for them.

A White House spokesperson denied Trump barred Moore from the event, saying the governor was invited as a guest and accusing him of "throwing a tantrum" over not getting to speak. The White House and Maryland officials issued competing statements crediting their own roles in the project, which is expected to create more than 13,000 direct and indirect jobs. The episode follows Trump's earlier move to rescind Moore's invitation to a bipartisan governors' dinner.

Julian Curo-Churata, a 47-year-old Peruvian national who had lived in Laurel, Maryland for about 17 years, died on September 29 while in ICE custody at Richwood Correctional Center in Richwood, Louisiana. ICE arrested him on June 27 during a targeted enforcement operation and transferred him from Baltimore to New Orleans before he was held at the Louisiana facility. An immigration judge had denied his applications for relief and voluntary departure on September 18, though he reserved the right to appeal.

ICE said Curo-Churata was found in medical distress on September 28 and taken to Ochsner LSU Health Monroe Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead the following morning. The preliminary cause of death is unknown pending an autopsy. ICE said he received proper medical care throughout detention. Friends described him as a hardworking family man and handyman with a wife and two children. His death brings the official ICE detainee death count to at least 37 this year, intensifying scrutiny of conditions and oversight in immigration detention facilities.

Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) drew scrutiny after a combative Tuesday debate in Cambridge, Maryland, that included clashes with both an audience member and a reporter. During the debate, Harris told a laughing audience member she was "rude" after she interrupted his remarks blaming Democratic environmental regulations for rising diesel prices amid the U.S.-Iran conflict, prompting the moderator to ask both candidates' supporters to remain polite and respectful for the rest of the event.

After the debate, Harris accused Baltimore Banner reporter Pamela Wood of illegally recording him and called for an officer to intervene, citing Maryland's two-party consent law. Wood noted Harris had invited reporters to question him post-debate with cameras visibly rolling, meaning no reasonable expectation of privacy applied, since the law protects only private conversations, not public statements made to visible press.

Democratic opponent Dan Schwartz, who called for civility during the debate, criticized Harris's conduct as out of touch. Harris, chair of the House Freedom Caucus, is seeking a ninth term representing Maryland's 1st Congressional District.