Crypto and Pro-Israel Money Propel Adrian Boafo to Victory in Maryland Democratic Primary
Del. Adrian Boafo, D-Md., clinched the Democratic nomination Tuesday for the congressional seat held for 45 years by retiring Rep. Steny Hoyer, defeating roughly two dozen challengers after crypto-aligned and pro-Israel outside groups poured more than $10 million into the race on his behalf. Boafo, 32, turned back former U.S. Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn, who had campaigned with the backing of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. Given the district's significant Democratic lean, Boafo is not expected to face a meaningful Republican opponent in the November general election.
Del. Adrian Boafo, D-Md., clinched the Democratic nomination Tuesday for the congressional seat held for 45 years by retiring Rep. Steny Hoyer, defeating roughly two dozen challengers after crypto-aligned and pro-Israel outside groups poured more than $10 million into the race on his behalf. Boafo, 32, turned back former U.S. Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn, who had campaigned with the backing of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. Given the district's significant Democratic lean, Boafo is not expected to face a meaningful Republican opponent in the November general election.
The Outside Money Behind Boafo's Win
The crypto-aligned super PAC Protect Progress and the United Democracy Project — an outside spending group linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee — together spent more than $10 million supporting Boafo, according to the Washington Post. The combined outlay from those two sources made outside spending a defining feature of the contest and a flashpoint for opponents of both the cryptocurrency industry and AIPAC's electoral involvement. Boafo also drew on the Maryland Democratic establishment, earning endorsements from Hoyer, Gov. Wes Moore, D-Md., Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md., and the state's largest teachers union.
Dunn's Anti-Trump Campaign Falls Short
Dunn, who gained national recognition defending the U.S. Capitol during the January 6, 2021 riots before resigning from the Capitol Police force in 2023, centered his campaign on opposition to President Donald Trump. He criticized Trump's pardons of January 6 defendants and the president's now-defunct $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund. Pelosi called Dunn a "true American hero" in endorsing him, breaking with Hoyer's preferred candidate. Dunn's campaign faced an additional complication: he resided in Wheaton, Md., outside the 5th Congressional District he sought to represent, and said he would relocate only if he won. He had previously mounted an unsuccessful primary bid for an open Maryland House seat in 2024. Former Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker and businesswoman Quincy Bareebe also ran.
Boafo's Background and Path to the General
Before winning a seat in the Maryland House of Delegates in 2022, Boafo worked as a campaign aide to Hoyer and as a federal lobbyist for Oracle, the software and technology company. Hoyer, 86, announced his retirement in January after representing southern Maryland for more than four decades, triggering the crowded primary scramble. Boafo's win delivers the Democratic establishment a nominee aligned with its institutional priorities heading into a November race the party expects to hold comfortably.