Jamie Raskin seeks reelection in Maryland's 8th District

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

Raskin faces Republican Cheryl Riley and Green Party candidate Nancy Wallace. Members of the U.S. House 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.

This profile is based on sourced public campaign information and BallotReady data, not a submitted Surround Sound News questionnaire response. The Surround Sound News questionnaire is awaiting a response from this candidate.

Candidate information

Party: Democratic
Education: High school diploma, Georgetown Day School (1979); bachelor's in government, Harvard College (1983); law degree, Harvard University (1987)

Experience and public service

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

He worked as an assistant attorney general for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts from 1987 to 1989.

On the issues

The following positions are drawn from campaign statements recorded by BallotReady.

Healthcare: Raskin said he has fought to defend the Affordable Care Act and the coverage it provides to millions of people with preexisting conditions. He said he supports moving toward a single-payer universal healthcare system that, in his words, "does not exclude anyone and saves 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. He said he is working to defend the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program and wants to make progress toward debt-free college for all.

Immigration: Raskin said he opposes the cruel and inhumane treatment of children and families at the border and wants to stop funding the border wall.

He said he wants to restore protections for refugees and asylum seekers. He also supports the Dream and Promise Act, which would 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 comprehensive immigration reform is needed.

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.