MARYLAND - Republican Rep. Andy Harris, who has represented Maryland's First Congressional District since 2010, is seeking an eighth term in the U.S. House of Representatives. His Democratic challenger, Blane Miller, is aiming to unseat Harris in a district that has long leaned Republican.
Harris, elected during the GOP "red wave" of 2010, has focused his campaign on reducing energy costs and securing the U.S.-Mexico border. "What I'm running on is the platform to bring energy prices down," Harris said. "We know our agriculture community, energy prices, and the input costs of stopping natural gas production in the United States raises fertilizer prices. The other thing we have to do is secure our southern border."
Miller, who previously ran unsuccessfully for Harford County Executive in 2022, argues that Harris has become ineffective in Congress. “I wouldn’t be running for office if I didn’t think I could beat him," Miller said. "This is bigger than party politics because our district is a forgotten district."
Harris, currently the chairman of the Subcommittee on Agriculture Appropriations, highlighted his influence on issues critical to Maryland’s Eastern Shore. He was also recently elected to chair the conservative House Freedom Caucus. "This is a significant portion of the Republican conference, so we have the ear of the Speaker,” Harris noted. “I’m in contact with the Speaker on a number of issues: security, spending, the border."
Miller, however, promised he would not become a career politician and would prioritize results over re-election. “I will do more in two years than he’s ever done in twelve,” Miller stated. “If I’m not effective, I won’t run again because it’s a broken system. We need more people like me who can get out here, roll their sleeves up, and do the work."
Redistricting has made Maryland’s First District slightly more competitive, though Harris won re-election by 11 points in 2022.
