Why It Matters
A flood of outside money in Maryland’s 5th Congressional District Democratic primary is drawing national attention to campaign finance dynamics — and highlighting the Federal Election Commission’s diminished capacity to oversee spending in the final stretch of a competitive race.
What Happened
In the two weeks leading up to Maryland’s congressional primary, nearly $4 million in outside spending poured into the 5th District Democratic race, the bulk of it backing state Delegate Adrian Boafo. The seat opened after Rep. Steny Hoyer announced he would not seek reelection, ending a tenure of more than four decades in the U.S. House and triggering a 24-candidate scramble to replace him.
Boafo has secured high-profile endorsements from Gov. Wes Moore, U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, and Hoyer himself. His campaign spokesperson Chris Taylor said Boafo is “focused on talking to voters about his vision for Maryland and will stand shoulder to shoulder with Angela, Wes and Steny fighting for Maryland families in Congress.”
Three of his Democratic rivals — former U.S. Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn, businesswoman Quincy Bareebe, and former Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker — have been critical of the money flowing into the race on Boafo’s behalf. The criticism carries a particular edge given that Boafo’s own campaign platform calls for overturning the 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court ruling and curtailing the influence of unlimited corporate money in elections.
By the Numbers
The two largest outside contributors since the June 3 candidate reporting deadline are Protect Progress, a crypto-aligned super PAC, which spent approximately $1.9 million supporting Boafo, and the United Democracy Project — an AIPAC-affiliated PAC — which contributed roughly $1.5 million. Two additional PACs, Project 218 and Rolling Sea Action Fund, each spent $250,000 in the same window.
In total, outside groups have committed approximately $8.8 million in support of Boafo throughout the entire election cycle. Protect Progress registered with the FEC in August 2023; the United Democracy Project has been active since January 2022. The primary field itself includes 24 Democratic candidates — an unusually large number even for an open-seat race in a competitive district.
FEC Oversight at a Standstill
The spending surge is unfolding against the backdrop of a dysfunctional Federal Election Commission. The agency requires at least four commissioners to achieve a quorum for official action, out of a normal complement of six. As of this year, only two commissioners remain seated.
The FEC lost its quorum after the start of President Donald Trump’s second term. Trump removed Democratic FEC Chair Ellen Weintraub in February 2025 and, in the same month, nominated two Republican replacements. Those nominations have not yet been confirmed by the Senate, leaving the agency largely unable to enforce campaign finance rules or take formal action on complaints. Senate Republicans have also been focused on other legislative priorities, leaving the confirmation timeline unclear.
Zoom Out
The 5th District race reflects broader national trends in outside political spending. So-called “pop-up PACs” — organizations formed shortly before an election with no prior spending history — now account for roughly one in every ten dollars of outside spending in congressional primaries across the country this year.
Jacob Rubashkin, deputy editor at Inside Elections, noted that the dynamics playing out in Maryland are relatively recent. “This is all kind of a 2022 and onwards development,” he said. “We’re still relatively early in the post-Citizens United era.” The ruling, handed down in 2010, opened the door to unlimited independent expenditures by corporations, unions, and other outside groups in federal elections.
Democrats are navigating difficult terrain nationally as they attempt to retake the Senate while defending competitive seats in battleground states — making down-ballot primary outcomes like Maryland’s 5th District consequential for the party’s longer-term positioning.
What’s Next
Maryland’s congressional primary is set to conclude the race among its 24 Democratic candidates. The outcome will determine which candidate advances to the general election to succeed Hoyer in a district that has long leaned Democratic. Whether the FEC regains a quorum before or after the election may influence how much scrutiny the late-cycle spending ultimately receives from federal regulators.