This article was republished with permission from WTOP’s news partners at Maryland Matters. Read the story at Maryland Matters.
Del. Nicole Williams (D-Prince George’s) suspended her campaign Tuesday to replace longtime Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-5th), citing the costs of competing in a crowded primary where two dozen Democrats were seeking the nomination.
“Perhaps it’s a bit of tragic poetry that, in the midst of an affordability crisis, that even the cost of running to represent the people of Maryland’s Fifth Congressional District is too high,” Williams said in a social media post Tuesday afternoon.
“I believe in earnest that I remain the best candidate to fight and work for Marylanders in Washington, to speak truth to power, and to be a tireless progressive voice for women, immigrants, and marginalized communities,” she wrote. “Alas, the reality is that winning this fight would require resources that this campaign simply doesn’t have, and keeping pace with our opponents’ spending is an impossible hurdle to clear.”
The timing of the announcement also means that Williams, an attorney with the firm Rees Broome in Tysons Corner, Virginia, will lose her seat in the House of Delegates in January, since the deadline for her to file for reelection to that seat passed in February.
Williams does not plan to endorse any of the 23 Democrats remaining in the race to succeed Hoyer, who is stepping down after 45 years.
One of those candidates is fellow Prince George’s County Democratic Del. Adrian Boafo, who became the candidate to beat after he was endorsed by Hoyer endorsed in January.
David Karol, an associate professor of government and politics at University of Maryland, College Park, said Boafo “is probably favored” based on the money he has — he reported having $401,080 in the bank as of March 31, according to his Federal Election Commission report — and major endorsements, from Hoyer and both the national and state teachers’ unions.
Karol said “it’s possible” a few more candidates decide to drop out of the race as early voting in the primary election approaches, from June 11-18. Election Day is for the primary is June 23.
“In a crowded field, it’s hard to get attention and break through,” Karol said. “Some candidates will feel like there’s no point to sticking it out to the end with several weeks to go. They would spend more money at a time they don’t see a realistic path.”
The other two candidates to pay attention to, Karol said, are former U.S. Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn and businesswoman Quincy Bareebe. Dunn has raised more than $2 million and Bareebe has self-funded most of her $3 million campaign.
But there is no shortage of other candidates. Besides Boafo, other elected officials in the race are Sen. Arthur Ellis (D-Charles), Prince George’s County Councilmember Wala Blegay and Charles County Commission President Reuben Collins II.
In addition to Dunn and Bareebe, other Democrats in the race are former Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker III, Mark Arness, Ellis Colvin, Elldwnia “Ella” English, Terry Antonio Jackson II, Harry Jarin, Walter Kirkland, Jerry Lightfoot, Heather Luper, James Makle Jr., Leigha Messick, Keith Salkowski, Kenneth Simons, Alexis Solis, Tracy Starr, Dave Sundberg and Harold Tolbert.
There are also three Republicans in that primary race — Chris Chaffee, Bryan DuVal and Michelle Talkington — and three independents who plan to run in the November general election — Mildred Marie Hall, Jonathan Burruss and Brian Jordan.
But the Democratic nominee will be a strong favorite in the 5th District, where registered Democrats outnumbered Republicans by a more than 2-to-1 ratio in 2024. The he includes the three Southern Maryland counties of Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s with portions of Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties.
“The primary is going to choose the next Congress member in that district,” Karol said. “There’s no path for a Republican in that district. The Democratic primary is the ball game.”
‘Courageous leader’
Williams was appointed to the House from legislative District 22 in December 2019 to replace former Del. Tawanna Gaines (D), who resigned earlier that month. Williams was elected to the seat in 2022 and has earned praise for several pieces of legislation she sponsored this year.
That included the bill to ban so-called 287(g) agreements between local law enforcement agencies and the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Gov. Wes Moore (D) signed that bill into law during the first month of the 90-day legislative session.
It was the second year for her 287(g) legislation, which died in the last minutes of the 2025 legislative session.
Also this year, Williams served as lead sponsor of House Bill 155 to prohibit law enforcement officers, including ICE agents, from wearing face coverings when working in the state. That will was a response to ICE sweeps around the country by masked agents often without identification. Her bill did not advance beyond a House committee, but the Senate version sponsored by Sen. Malcolm Augustine (D-Prince George’s) did pass and is expected to be signed by the governor this month.
Williams has served as the chair of the Prince George’s County House delegation since 2024.
With the departure of Williams and Del. Anne Healy (D), who isn’t seeking reelection after more than 35 years in the House, Del. Ashanti Martinez (D-Prince George’s) is the only current District 22 lawmaker who will return in January, if he is reelected this fall.
“It’s bittersweet,” Martinez, 30, said of the departuers of both Williams and Healy. “Both of them have really shown what leadership looks like for our district.”
Martinez called Williams a “courageous leader.”
“I am just really proud in her time that she has … been able to cement herself in the law and been able to really put her stamp on shaping policy and ensuring that our values are not just something that we speak, but what we live, and that’s the work she has done,” he said.
