Maryland's 8th District: A Nonpartisan Guide to the Nov. 3 Election

How to use this guide

1. Pick the issues you care about. Identify the two or three that matter most to you before comparing candidates.
2. Find which office handles them. The U.S. House of Representatives has 435 voting members elected to two-year terms; it votes on every federal law and the federal budget, and bills raising revenue must start there. Ballot measures on this guide change the Maryland Constitution and are decided by state voters, not Congress.
3. Compare the candidates. Read where each candidate stands on your top issues, then check their own words, endorsements, and funding.

The 2022 congressional map remains in force for the 2026 general election; Maryland's State Board of Elections says the General Assembly adopted new congressional districts on March 30, 2022, and Ballotpedia identifies that enacted map as Maryland's current congressional boundaries. District 8's lines for 2026 do not differ from those used in 2024. ​

On the official Montgomery County ballot, the District 8 House candidates appear in this order: Jamie Raskin, Cheryl Riley, Nancy Wallace. Maryland law groups general-election candidates by party, listing the majority-party candidate first, then the principal-minority-party candidate, then other parties by statewide registration. This guide follows that ballot order throughout.

The U.S. House Race

What This Office Does

House members serve two-year terms and vote on every federal law and the federal budget; all bills that raise taxes must start in the House. District 8 covers part of Montgomery County. The 270toWin consensus rates the race Solid Democratic.

Candidates in brief

| | Jamie Raskin | Cheryl Riley | Nancy Wallace |
| -------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Party | Democrat | Republican | Green |
| Incumbent? | Yes | No | No |
| Background | U.S. representative for Maryland's 8th District since January 2017; former Maryland state senator for District 20 (three terms, majority whip); taught constitutional law at American University's Washington College of Law for 25 years | Grew up in Montgomery County; attended Montgomery College and the University of Maryland, College Park; career in public relations; Republican nominee for MD-8 in 2024 and for Montgomery County Council District 4 in 2022 | Data coordinator for Commerce Department ecological-restoration projects; environmental affairs and activism, including lobbying on Capitol Hill and co-founding Sustainable Montgomery; Green Party nominee for governor in 2022; mentored at-risk children for 21 years |
| Top priorities | Constitutional accountability, voting rights, campaign finance reform, climate policy, expanding rental assistance and affordable housing, lowering prescription drug costs | Safety, pro-growth business policies, limited government, personal choice and responsibility; America First agenda: sealed borders, energy for jobs, lower costs, parents' rights in education | Climate change, women and girls' survival, economic justice, healthcare for all; renewable energy and green jobs as an emergency economic transformation |
| Campaign website | jamieraskin.com | cheryl4maryland.com | nancywallace.us |

Where They Stand

| Issue | Jamie Raskin | Cheryl Riley | Nancy Wallace |
| ------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Cost of living | Would expand rental assistance and affordable housing, lower prescription drug costs, support childcare subsidies and family tax credits, raise the federal minimum wage, and strengthen oversight of government spending | Would cut spending and taxes, reduce housing rules, and support domestic oil, gas, and nuclear energy to lower costs | Supports universal healthcare, free early-childhood education and childcare, local organic agriculture, a wealth tax, and stable rent control |
| Healthcare | Supports lowering prescription drug costs and capping out-of-pocket expenses; says Medicare should negotiate with pharmaceutical companies | Supports healthcare price transparency and market competition | Supports free universal healthcare |
| Housing | Fighting to expand federal rental assistance and affordable housing programs | Would cut housing rules to lower property taxes and make homes more affordable | Supports fair, stable rent control |
| Immigration | Opposes the administration's current enforcement approach; supports a bipartisan path to rebuild the system and provide meaningful pathways to lawful immigration | Supports halting immigration until dangerous individuals already in the country are identified and removed; stricter vetting for future legal immigration | Opposes current federal approaches; says ICE should be disbanded and replaced with a new federal enforcement agency that partners with state and local governments |
| Abortion | Not found | Does not personally support abortion; considers it a state matter; opposes federal funding | Supports reproductive healthcare for women in U.S. international assistance and positions in international organizations |
| Climate and energy | Not found | Supports energy independence through domestic oil, gas, and nuclear power | Supports an emergency economic transformation to renewable energy and green jobs to address climate change |
| Foreign policy | Says the United States should be a beacon of strong democracy, freedom, justice, human rights, and opportunity | America First means strength through leadership rather than isolationism; calls for NATO allies to meet their 2% defense-spending commitments | U.S. assistance and positions internationally should center women's empowerment; focus on peace rather than war and arms sales |
| Elections | Supports legislation to expand voter access, strengthen oversight of voting systems, prevent voter suppression, promote transparent election administration, and reduce dark money in politics | Supports making Election Day a federal holiday, requiring REAL ID for voter identification, and limiting mail voting to overseas active-duty military and citizens with documented disabilities | Would support federal funding for voter-verified paper audit trails, independent audits, and nationwide same-day voter registration while respecting states' role in elections |
| Public safety and cost of living | Not found | Says safety is a priority and would work to keep Marylanders safe; would cut taxes and housing rules for affordability | Supports taxing the ultra-rich to fund public services and reducing military spending to finance social safety-net programs |
| Potomac Interceptor sewage spill | Not found | Not found | Not found |

In Their Own Words

Jamie Raskin, in response to an election-integrity question in Maryland Matters' 2026 general-election voter guide:

"I believe that voting rights and free and fair elections are the cornerstone of a healthy democracy."

Cheryl Riley, in a candidate statement on her campaign website:

"America First means sealed borders, unleashed energy for jobs and lower costs here in Maryland, and parents' rights to real education"

Nancy Wallace, in response to an international-affairs question in Maryland Matters' 2026 general-election voter guide:

"We should focus on the building blocks of peace, and use climate change to inspire the world to work together."

Questionnaires and Debates

No debates were found for this race.

Endorsements

| Candidate | Endorser | Type | Source |
| ------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------ | ---------------------- |
| Jamie Raskin | Wes Moore | Statewide official | wesmoore.com |
| Jamie Raskin | Maryland State & DC AFL-CIO | Labor union | mddclabor.org |
| Jamie Raskin | American Federation of Government Employees | Labor union | afge.org |
| Jamie Raskin | National Education Association | Labor union | educationvotes.nea.org |
| Jamie Raskin | Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689 | Labor union | atulocal689.org |
| Jamie Raskin | American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 3 | Labor union | afscmemd.org |
| Jamie Raskin | Service Employees International Union Local 500 | Labor union | seiu500.org |
| Jamie Raskin | United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1994 MCGEO | Labor union | mcgeo.org |

No endorsements were found for Cheryl Riley or Nancy Wallace in the sources reviewed.

Who Is Funding Them

| Measure | Jamie Raskin | Cheryl Riley | Nancy Wallace |
| --------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------- | ------------- | --------------------- |
| Total raised (through Oct. 14, 2026) | $9.3 million | $22,000 | No FEC report on file |
| Small donors (under $200) | 55% | 45% | No FEC report on file |
| Larger donors (over $200) | 41% | 55% | No FEC report on file |
| PACs and other committees | 5% | 0% | No FEC report on file |
| Party committees | 0% | 0% | No FEC report on file |
| Self-funding | $0 (0%) | $0 (0%) | No FEC report on file |
| Transfers from joint fundraising or other authorized committees | $283,000 | $0 | No FEC report on file |
| Cash on hand (as of Oct. 14, 2026) | $7.9 million | $2,691 | No FEC report on file |
| Larger-donor dollars from Maryland | $1.2 million (34%) | $11,000 (91%) | No FEC report on file |
| Outside spending for / against | For $4,155 / Against $0 | None reported | No FEC report on file |

Top PACs for Jamie Raskin: American Association for Justice Political Action Committee (AAJ PAC) $10,000; American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees P E O P L E $10,000; BMI Political Action Committee (BMI PAC) $10,000; Deloitte Political Action Committee $10,000; Machinists Non Partisan Political League of the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers $10,000. No PAC donors were reported for Cheryl Riley or Nancy Wallace.

Outside spending in support of Jamie Raskin totaled $4,155, led by the NEA Advocacy Fund at $3,971, followed by the Unity & Justice Fund at $174 and Sierra Club Independent Action at $10; no outside spending was reported for or against Cheryl Riley, and Nancy Wallace has no FEC report on file.

Donors who give more than $200 in a cycle are listed by name in Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings. Smaller gifts are reported only as a lump total, so small donors' names are not public.

The incumbent's record

Votes listed here were selected by one rule applied to every incumbent: final passage of each spending, budget, or defense bill that became law, every vote on a war powers resolution, and every vote against the majority of the member's own party, from the official House and Senate roll calls.

Jamie Raskin serves as Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee and is a member of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission in the 119th Congress. Raskin has served nine years in the House and is a member of more than 100 caucuses.

Key Votes Since June 2026

| Date | Measure | Question | Raskin's vote | Outcome | Broke with party? |
| -------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------- | ------------- | ------- | ----------------- |
| June 3, 2026 | Directing removal of U.S. forces from hostilities with Iran (War Powers Resolution) | On Agreeing to the Resolution | Yes | Passed | No |
| June 4, 2026 | Directing removal of U.S. forces from Lebanon (War Powers Resolution) | On Agreeing to the Resolution | No | Failed | No |
| June 4, 2026 | Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA, and Related Agency Appropriations Act, 2027 | On Passage | No | Passed | No |
| June 30, 2026 | Directing removal of U.S. forces from hostilities in Lebanon (War Powers Resolution) | On Agreeing to the Resolution | Yes | Failed | No |
| July 22, 2026 | Making continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2027 | On Passage | No | Passed | No |
| July 22, 2026 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027 | On Passage | No | Passed | No |
| July 23, 2026 | Directing removal of U.S. forces from hostilities with Iran (War Powers Resolution) | On Agreeing to the Resolution | Yes | Passed | No |
| Sept. 1, 2026 | Extending North Atlantic right whale regulations | On Passage | No | Passed | No |
| Sept. 16, 2026 | Directing removal of U.S. forces from hostilities with Iran (War Powers Resolution) | On Agreeing to the Resolution | Yes | Passed | No |
| Sept. 16, 2026 | Early childhood educator expense deduction (Senate amendments) | On Motion to Concur in the Senate Amendments | Yes | Passed | Yes |

Party breaks: Jamie Raskin voted against the majority of the Democratic Party on one roll-call vote since June 2026. That vote was on Sept. 16, when Raskin voted Yes on the motion to concur in Senate amendments to a bill allowing early childhood educators to take the educator expense deduction; the measure passed.

Attendance: Raskin missed zero of 123 roll-call votes since June 2026.

Bills sponsored: In the 119th Congress, Raskin sponsored 35 bills or resolutions: 29 remain at the introduced stage, four are in committee, and two passed the House. The two that passed the House are H.R. 5210, a technical amendments bill updating statutory references in federal law, and H.R. 6310, a bill to designate the U.S. Postal Service facility at 3570 Olney Laytonsville Road in Olney, Maryland, as the "Edward L. Ramsey Olney Post Office Building." Raskin has cosponsored 312 bills.

Contested Claims:

Cheryl Riley, as reported by Maryland Matters, said Raskin's repeated campaigning outside Maryland meant he was not spending time and attention on District 8 constituents and their issues. Raskin, as quoted by Maryland Matters, said he traveled to campaign for Democrats to help them win a congressional majority, which he said was needed to pursue policy goals. No fact-check was found.

Cheryl Riley, as reported by Maryland Bay News, criticized Raskin's votes against the Protect Children's Innocence Act and the Laken Riley Act, presenting them as votes against child protection and immigration enforcement. Raskin, as quoted by Maryland Bay News, argued the Protect Children's Innocence Act would criminalize medical care and intrude on family and doctor decision-making, and said the Laken Riley Act could allow detention based on an arrest even if charges were later dropped. No fact-check was found.

Challengers' Records

Cheryl Riley was the Republican nominee for Montgomery County Council District 4 in 2022 and lost the general election. No elected or appointed public office held by Riley was found.

Nancy Wallace has worked in environmental affairs and activism, including lobbying on Capitol Hill and co-founding Sustainable Montgomery, and she was the Green Party nominee for governor in 2022.

Scorecards Readers Can Check

Several interest groups publish annual or Congress-long scorecards rating members on their voting records. For Jamie Raskin in the current Congress or most recent session available:

| Group | Score | Period |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- | ------------------------------------- |
| Heritage Action for America | 0% | 119th Congress (2025/2026) |
| AFL-CIO legislative scorecard | 100% | 2025 |
| League of Conservation Voters | 100% | 2025 |
| National Taxpayers Union | 21% | 118th Congress, Second Session (2024) |
| Lugar Center Bipartisan Index | -1.66 | 118th Congress, First Session (2023) |

Different groups select different sets of votes for their ratings, so each scorecard measures a different slice of the record. Heritage Action for America rates members on a conservative-policy scale; the AFL-CIO and League of Conservation Voters rate members on labor and environmental votes, respectively; the National Taxpayers Union rates members on fiscal votes; and the Lugar Center Bipartisan Index measures how often a member's sponsored bills attract cosponsors from the other party. No scorecard ratings were found for Cheryl Riley or Nancy Wallace, neither of whom has served in Congress.

Also On Your Ballot

The Montgomery County ballot includes three statewide questions, Questions 1, 2, and 3, and no county or city measures.

| Designation | Topic | What Yes does | What No does |
| ----------- | --------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Question 1 | Collective bargaining for state employees | Requires the Governor's budget to fund state-employee agreements, including those reached through binding arbitration | Leaves current law on funding state-employee agreements unchanged |
| Question 2 | Commission on Judicial Disabilities vacancies | Allows temporary substitute appointments or term extensions when a member is recused, disqualified, or a term expires | Leaves current membership rules in place with no provision for those circumstances |
| Question 3 | Congressional redistricting criteria | Limits constitutional districting standards to state legislative districts; establishes no Maryland Constitution criteria for congressional boundaries; allows the General Assembly to grant the state Supreme Court original jurisdiction over congressional-map challenges | Leaves the Constitution unchanged on these points |

Question 1 — Arbitration Reform for State Employees Act of 2026

The official ballot question reads: "Providing that each budget submitted by the Governor shall include proposed expenditures necessary to implement wages, hours, fringe benefits, health benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment in each collective bargaining memorandum of understanding with State employees, whether the State and State employees reached those terms and conditions by mutual agreement or through a neutral decider's order."

A Yes vote requires the Governor's proposed budget to include money for state-employee agreements, whether reached through negotiation or a neutral decision-maker. A No vote leaves the law on funding agreements between the State and its employees unchanged.

The Department of Legislative Services estimates State expenditures would increase annually, "likely by at least $150,000, if not significantly more," beginning in fiscal year 2028 for arbitration services and additional labor-relations and human-resources personnel; effects on State personnel and other expenditures could be significant but cannot be reliably estimated.

HB 604 passed the House 93–35 and the Senate 35–11; the legislative record does not give those tallies by party.

For: The Maryland State & DC AFL-CIO argues that a defined neutral-arbitration process can resolve certain bargaining disputes and that agreements should be accounted for in the proposed State budget. Against: No organized opposition was found in the sources reviewed.

Question 2 — Temporary Appointments on the Commission on Judicial Disabilities

The official ballot question would authorize "temporary substitute appointments to the Commission on Judicial Disabilities when a member is recused or disqualified, or when a member's term expires" (Maryland State Board of Elections).

A Yes vote allows the Commission chair to recall a former member or request that the Governor appoint a temporary substitute or extend a current member's term when a member is recused, disqualified, or a term expires without replacement. A No vote leaves current membership rules in place, without temporary appointments for those circumstances.

The Commission on Judicial Disabilities is the body that receives and investigates complaints about Maryland judges. Current law has no provision for commission membership when a term expires without replacement, or when a member is recused or disqualified, which can leave the commission short-handed during those periods.

SB 933 passed the Senate 41–0 and the House 134–0; the legislative history page does not give the tallies by party. No fiscal impact was found in the sources reviewed.

For: Maryland Matters' pro-amendment argument says a backup method for vacancies could help the Commission continue handling complaints and prevent backlogs when appointments are slow. Against: Maryland Matters' con-amendment argument says a commission with authority to recommend judicial removal should have vacancies filled through the Governor and Senate, not by the Commission chair.

Question 3 — Election Districts: General Assembly and Representatives in Congress

The official ballot question reads: "FOR the purpose of clarifying that certain requirements apply only to districts for the election of members of the Senate of Maryland and the House of Delegates; authorizing the General Assembly to grant original jurisdiction to the Supreme Court of Maryland to review the congressional districting plan of the State; and providing that nothing in the Maryland Constitution provides applicable criteria for the boundaries of a congressional districting plan."

A Yes vote limits specified constitutional districting requirements to state legislative districts, establishes that the Maryland Constitution provides no criteria for congressional district boundaries, and allows the General Assembly to grant the Supreme Court of Maryland original jurisdiction to review the State's congressional plan. A No vote leaves the Constitution unchanged on these points.

The amendment would specify that Article III districting standards apply only to state Senate and House of Delegates districts, and that the Maryland Constitution sets no applicable criteria for congressional boundaries. It would also authorize the General Assembly to grant the state Supreme Court original jurisdiction over congressional-map challenges, creating a state-court avenue for redistricting lawsuits that does not currently exist in the Maryland Constitution.

The Department of Legislative Services says the amendment is not anticipated to materially affect State operations or finances. How the measure reached the ballot was not found in the sources reviewed.

For: Sen. Clarence Lam, speaking at a Question 3 support rally, argued that Maryland should use available tools to respond to redistricting efforts elsewhere. Against: Senate Minority Leader Stephen Hershey Jr. said the amendment's ballot language remained confusing and questioned changing the Constitution as part of a political strategy.

Before you go

  • Early voting ran Oct. 22–29, 7 a.m.–8 p.m. Early voting has ended; find your Election Day polling place at the Maryland State Board of Elections.
  • Election Day hours: Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. on Nov. 3. (Maryland State Board of Elections)
  • Voter ID: Some first-time Maryland voters may be asked for ID if they did not previously meet the ID requirements. Acceptable ID includes a current, valid photo ID or a qualifying document showing name and address, dated within three months of the election. If asked and you do not provide ID at the polling place, vote provisionally and provide acceptable ID to your local board before 10 a.m. on the second Wednesday after Election Day for the ballot to count. (Maryland State Board of Elections)
  • In the booth: You may bring any printed material, including a marked specimen ballot. Cell phones, pagers, cameras, and computer equipment are not allowed for use in a polling place, except for translation, proof of residency or ID, reviewing election information, or recording an image of your marked ballot for personal use before casting it. (Maryland State Board of Elections)
  • Registration: The online or mail registration deadline was Oct. 13. Same-day registration is available in person on Election Day; bring a document proving where you live. (Maryland State Board of Elections)
  • Mail ballots: Mail the ballot so it is postmarked by Nov. 3, or hand-deliver it to an approved drop box or local board of elections by 8 p.m. Election Day. (Maryland State Board of Elections)
  • Polling place lookup: voterservices.elections.maryland.gov/PollingPlaceSearch
  • Hotlines: Maryland State Board of Elections: 800-222-8683 (toll-free). Election Protection: 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683), call or text. (866ourvote.org)

Sources

Official records

Campaign finance

Candidate statements and questionnaires

News and fact-checks

Advocacy groups

  • Heritage Action for America — Raskin scorecard
  • AFL-CIO — Raskin scorecard
  • League of Conservation Voters — Raskin scorecard
  • National Taxpayers Union — 2024 ratings
  • Lugar Center Bipartisan Index
  • Maryland State & DC AFL-CIO — Question 1 argument
  • Governor Wes Moore — endorsement announcement
  • American Federation of Government Employees — endorsements
  • Election Protection hotline

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