Maryland State Sen. Clarence Lam joins large field in race for John Sarbanes’ congressional seat

State Sen. Clarence Lam of Howard County has announced his candidacy for the congressional seat being vacated by Democrat John Sarbanes, who has held the position since 2007. Lam joins Democratic delegates Vanessa Atterbeary and Terri Hill of Howard County, as well as state Sen. Sarah Elfreth and Del. Mike Rogers of Anne Arundel County in the race. The U.S. House district includes portions of Howard and Anne Arundel counties, as well as a piece of Carroll County.

Lam, a physician and preventive medicine specialist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, has emphasized his efforts in Annapolis to improve health care access, including expanding abortion care and sponsoring a measure to limit insulin costs for Marylanders with diabetes.

Republican contenders for the seat include Yuripzy Morgan, a lawyer and former WBAL-AM political talk show host, and Berney Flowers, a Howard County Republican.

Other candidates in the race include Democrats Lindsay Donahue and Kristin Anne Lyman Nabors of Anne Arundel County, as well as Republicans Jordan Mayo, Robert J. Steinberger, and Naveed Mian of Howard and Anne Arundel counties. The filing deadline for the primary is February 9, with the primary election scheduled for May 14.

Sarbanes announced his retirement to pursue other interests, and he does not plan to endorse a successor.

Historically, the congressional seat in Maryland’s 3rd District has been held by Sarbanes since 2007. With the upcoming election, several candidates from both the Democratic and Republican parties have entered the race to succeed him.

For the most up-to-date information on the congressional race, visit the Maryland Board of Elections website.