When you announce you’re retiring from Congress after almost 45 years, there’s going to be a long line of people waiting for their chance to replace you.

That’s the case in Maryland’s 5th Congressional District, after U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer said last week he won’t seek reelection.

The halls of power soon echoed with whispers of likely candidates interested in running for his open seat representing portions of Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties and all of Charles, Calvert and St. Mary’s counties.

The district strongly favors Democrats, according to voter registration data, and the race will likely be decided in the primary. It could reveal just how progressive Maryland Democrats are leaning during President Donald Trump’s second term.

The list of contenders includes current and former elected officials who have represented parts of Prince George’s and Charles counties, two majority-Black Democratic voting blocs Hoyer credited with putting him in office.

Some said they’re delaying their decision and giving Hoyer’s retirement news time to settle before filing their candidacy. Sources familiar, and some with direct knowledge, of the candidates’ plans have confirmed a growing list of those considering a run.

The roster of known politicos? Former Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker; state Dels. Adrian Boafo and Nicole Williams; state Sen. Arthur Ellis; Harry Dunn, retired U.S. Capitol police officer and former 3rd Congressional District candidate; and Wala Blegay, Prince George’s County Council member at large.

Since Hoyer won in 1981, the district’s boundaries have expanded from Fort Meade south through affluent, predominantly Black suburbs in Prince George’s and Charles counties, and have added Southern Maryland.

Maryland’s 5th Congressional District is home to a trove of federal military assets and key agencies, such as Naval Air Station Patuxent River and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. Their presence and the district’s proximity to Washington make it home to the state’s largest population of residents employed by the federal government.

Hoyer handily swept the Democratic primary in 2024. Prince George’s, Charles and Southern Anne Arundel counties delivered him the general election with nearly 68% of the vote. The Republican candidate won in St. Mary’s and Calvert counties.

Here are the candidates who say they’re all in and some considering whether to join.

Rushern Baker

Baker, a former Prince George’s County executive, is “seriously looking” at the race, according to sources with direct knowledge. He’s considering what a run would mean for him and his family.

The veteran politician and attorney represented Prince George’s County in Maryland’s House of Delegates, last serving on the state’s powerful budgeting committee, and previously ran for governor.

Wala Blegay

Blegay, a council member at-large for the Prince George’s County Council, worked for Hoyer as a constituent liaison. She credits him with kicking off her political career and emphasizing the importance of constituent services.

“I am strongly considering running for that seat,” Blegay said.

She recalled Hoyer telling his team, “‘Do not let a constituent walk away upset. Make sure they are heard.’”

Adrian Boafo

Hoyer’s former campaign manager, Boafo launched his campaign Monday. In the hours after he announced, he raised just over $100,000 in campaign donations and secured a host of endorsements from local officials and state lawmakers representing each county in the 5th District, according to his campaign spokesperson.

“Our nation is yearning for a new generation of leadership that can tackle the challenges of today — from being able to afford basics like rent and groceries to addressing the climate crisis," he said in his campaign announcement.

Boafo said he was driven to political life after serving as the first Black president of the University of Baltimore’s Student Government Association.

Boafo served as field manager for the campaign starting in 2018, which could provide him an advantage in understanding where the race is won and lost.

Boafo was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 2022 and represents a section of Prince George’s County.

Before that, he was a Bowie City Council member and served as mayor pro tem during his four-year term.

Harry Dunn

Dunn has been considering a campaign for Maryland’s 5th District since he lost the Democratic primary for the neighboring 3rd District in 2024.

Because Hoyer has stepped down, “it’s no longer a hypothetical,” he said. “And I now have to make a decision.”

The former U.S. Capitol Police officer gained national attention when he testified before Congress during its investigation of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.

Dunn’s 2024 campaign swiftly raised millions of dollars from donors nationwide drawn to his compelling story of fighting off a mob at the Capitol that day. He remains an outspoken figure symbolic of resisting the Trump administration.

“My desire has always been to fight against this administration and fight for people that are suffering because of this administration,” he said.

Sen. Arthur Ellis

Sen. Arthur Ellis said the outpouring of messages from constituents urging him to run has him considering throwing it. But he has not yet made a decision.

His experience representing Charles County for seven years in Maryland’s state Senate strengthens the political case he could make to voters, he said.

Ellis acknowledged the “big shoes to fill” left behind by Hoyer.

“He’s like the gold standard of success in being an elected official,” Ellis said.

Del. Nicole Williams

“I’m giving it really strong consideration at this time,” said Williams, who has represented Prince George’s County in the House of Delegates since 2019.

Jumping into the race would mean surrendering the state legislative seat.

During the first 24 hours after Hoyer stepped down, Williams said, she started receiving calls from people telling her to run. She said she’ll decide in the weeks to come.

Hoyer leaves behind a storied legacy in the district, she said — “It’s going to be hard for anyone to fill.”

A handful of Democrats filed to run prior to Hoyer’s announcement. Already competing are former federal employee and health care CEO Quincy Bareebe; Elldwnia English of St. Mary’s County; a veteran and former federal employee, Terry Antonio Jackson of Prince George’s County; and small-business owner and firefighter Harry Jarin, according to candidates’ campaign websites and social media accounts.

Maryland’s primary election is June 23.