Maryland
Mizeur vows to ‘bring dignity and leadership’ back to 1st Congressional District
Former state delegate to face Andy Harris in November
QUEENSTOWN, Md. — Former Maryland state delegate and gubernatorial candidate Heather Mizeur won the Democratic primary in the state’s 1st Congressional District on Tuesday.
With 310 of 312 precincts in the district reporting as of Wednesday, Mizeur had garnered nearly 69 percent of the primary vote in the district, defeating former U.S. Agency for International Development official David Harden.
At an election night gathering at the Ten Eyck Brewing Company in Queenstown on the Eastern Shore, Mizeur gathered with supporters to celebrate her victory.
“You have chosen me to be your nominee to bring dignity and leadership back to the 1st District,” Mizeur said. “You said that you trust me to represent you to be your voice and your vote in Congress and this is an immense honor, and I can’t tell you how much it means to me.”
Cheers erupted among her supporters as Mizeur went on to describe a campaign atmosphere heavily aligned with the attitudes espoused by those gathered.
“There’s an old saying among activists when things are tough: ‘Don’t mourn. Organize,’” Mizeur told her supporters while standing next to her wife. “And that’s what we’re doing here — all of us — with a spirit of energy, optimism and even joy. We’re organizing a movement for change — a movement that says the way things are isn’t good enough, one that insists that we can do better — better than a congressman who disgraces himself at every turn, who doesn’t show up for his district, who puts loyalty to a political cult ahead of loyalty to his own country.”
After succeeding in her bid for the Democratic nomination, Mizeur now faces incumbent Republican Congressman Andy Harris in a reliably Republican district. Mizeur would be the first openly lesbian member of Congress from Maryland if she were to win.
Mizeur has criticized Harris over revelations of his involvement in the events of Jan. 6.
“And now, now that we know, thanks to the Jan. 6 Committee, just how deeply Andy Harris was involved in the plot against our democracy,” Mizeur reiterated on Tuesday night. “He is a traitor. He violated his oath of office, his oath to defend the Constitution of this country. I believe he is unfit to serve.”
Despite the potential challenges posed to her campaign by the district’s political demographics, Mizeur told the Washington Blade that, going forward, the campaign will maintain a similar election strategy aimed at converging support from voters across the ideological spectrum.
“We have been in all 11 counties of this district, working the vote, running a unity coalition campaign to get Republicans and Democrats and Independents to join together to get rid of a congressman who has failed us,” Mizeur said. “And that work just continues.”
Encouraged by her primary victory, Mizeur expressed confidence that she would be able to succeed over Harris, who has represented the district since 2011.
“We’ve got this,” Mizeur said. “Mark my words, friends: I am the woman who’s going to defeat Andy Harris in November.”
Maryland
Supreme Court ruling against conversion therapy bans could affect Md. law
Then-Gov. Larry Hogan signed statute in 2018
By PAMELA WOOD, JOHN-JOHN WILLIAMS IV, and MADELEINE O’NEILL | The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled against a law banning “conversion therapy” for LGBTQ kids in Colorado, a ruling that also could apply to Maryland’s ban on the discredited practice.
An 8-1 high court majority sided with a Christian counselor who argues the law banning talk therapy violates the First Amendment. The justices agreed that the law raises free speech concerns and sent it back to a lower court to decide whether it meets a legal standard that few laws pass.
Justice Neil Gorsuch, writing for the court’s majority, said the law “censors speech based on viewpoint.” The First Amendment, he wrote, “stands as a shield against any effort to enforce orthodoxy in thought or speech in this country.”
The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
Maryland’s legislative caucuses outlined their legislative priorities heading into the final weeks of the 2026 General Assembly during a joint press conference on March 24.
The press conference was titled “We are Maryland,” where a representative for each of the legislative caucuses outlined priorities.
State Del. Kris Fair (D-Frederick County) of the LGBTQ+ Caucus opened the press conference with a statement on the unity of Maryland’s caucus.
“Together we can show our state and our community a different world, one where we mutually support one another and through that support uplift every Marylander,” he said.
In a press conference on March 5, the LGBTQ+ Caucus outlined its top legislative priorities. Fair highlighted two of those bills again during the “We are Maryland” press conference.
The first of the two highlighted pieces of legislation was Senate Bill 626 and House Bill 1589.
The bills would simplify the process of updating an individual’s birth certificate and align the Department of Health and DMV systems to reflect those changes. The bill is being led by state Sen. Clarence Lam (D-Anne Arundel and Howard Counties) and state Del. Ashanti Martinez (D-Prince George’s County).
The second piece of legislation is Senate Bill 950 and House Bill 1209, which would update and modernize laws and regulations around so-called conversion therapy. The bills have failed to pass either chamber thus far. They are being led by state Sen. Cheryl Kagan (D-Montgomery County) and state Del. Bonnie Cullison (D-Montgomery County).
(The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled against a Colorado law that bans so-called conversion therapy for minors. Maryland is among the U.S. jurisdictions that prohibit the widely discredited practice for anyone under 18.)
Martinez and Lam have introduced bills in their respective chambers that would expand PrEP access in Maryland. Martinez did not attend the press conference, and Fair did not mention it when he spoke.
State Del. N. Scott Phillips (D-Baltimore County) represented the Black Caucus during the press conference. State Del. Dana Jones (D-Anne Arundel County) spoke on behalf of the Women’s Caucus, State Del. Teresa Woorman (D-Montgomery County) represented the Latino Caucus, and State Del. Lily Qi (D-Montgomery County) represented the Asian-American and Pacific Islander Caucus. State Del. Jared Solomon (D-Montgomery County) represented the Jewish Caucus, and state Del. Sean Stinnett (D-Baltimore County) represented the Muslim Caucus during the press conference.
Solomon ended the press conference by explaining the importance of all the caucuses coming out together.
“We are stronger when we’re together, and many of these issues that we have talked about, again, impact all of us,” said Solomon.
Cameroon
Gay Cameroonian immigrant will be freed from ICE detention — for now
Ludovic Mbock’s homeland criminalizes homosexuality
By ANTONIO PLANAS | An immigration judge on Friday issued a $4,000 bond for a Cameroonian immigrant and regional gaming champion held in federal immigration detention for the past three weeks.
The ruling will allow Ludovic Mbock, of Oxon Hill, to return to Maryland from a Georgia facility this weekend, his family and attorney said.
“Realistically, by tomorrow. Hopefully, by today,” said Mbock’s attorney, Edward Neufville. “We are one step closer to getting Ludovic justice.”
The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
Vance speaks at Orbán rally in Hungary
White House ends protections for trans students in multiple school districts
Amendments to India’s transgender rights law criticized
Cuba under pressure and without answers
Police mental health struggles gain growing attention
Belarusian lawmakers approve bill to crackdown on LGBTQ rights
How new barriers to health care coverage are hitting D.C.
Kenyan advocacy groups launch LGBTQ voter mobilization campaign
Calendar: April 3-9
