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U.S. Representative · Congressional District 8 · Maryland · 2026 Primary
A U.S. Representative serves as your district's voice in Congress, where they vote on federal laws, national budgets, and policies that impact daily life. They are responsible for securing federal funding for local infrastructure and helping residents resolve issues with federal agencies, such as the Social Security Administration or the Department of Veterans Affairs. This office matters because it ensures your community’s specific needs and priorities are represented in the national government.
View all candidates in this raceBoris Kabel Velasquez is a Marine veteran and national security analyst running as a Progressive Democrat for Maryland's 8th Congressional District. He is the son of immigrants—his mother left El Salvador with a college degree to clean office buildings at night in Virginia, while his father came from homelessness after arriving with nothing. He spent over twelve years serving in uniform, federal agencies, and at national security levels across three administrations. Velasquez describes himself as Indigenous American and frames his candidacy around defending the American promise against what he calls oligarchic exploitation of wages, benefits, and democratic rights.
Sources: Campaign website
"I'm Boris Velasquez. Marine veteran. Indigenous American. National security analyst. Son of immigrants. Progressive candidate running as a Democrat for Maryland's 8th Congressional District."
"Seventy-nine trillion dollars have been redistributed from the bottom 90 percent to the top 1 percent since 1975. Over half of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. Forty-two million people need federal assistance just to eat."
"I am running this campaign with zero donations and zero PAC money. Not a dollar. This is not a gimmick. This is a strategy and a proof of concept."
"Ideas are speech. Conviction is speech. A neighbor knocking on a neighbor's door is speech. I refuse to let this campaign be shaped by anyone's wallet, including yours."
"I fight for an 80 percent corporate tax on profits over one billion dollars and a 10 percent rate on the first $100,000, a 52 percent tax cut for small businesses. A 90 percent rate on individual income over four million dollars."
Source: borisvelasquez.com
Tax Policy
Velasquez proposes progressive tax reforms including an 80 percent corporate tax on profits over one billion dollars, a 10 percent rate on the first $100,000 of income, and a 90 percent rate on individual income over four million dollars.
“"I fight for an 80 percent corporate tax on profits over one billion dollars and a 10 percent rate on the first $100,000, a 52 percent tax cut for small businesses. A 90 percent rate on individual income over four million dollars."”
Healthcare
He advocates for universal healthcare and universal childcare as commitments owed to the People.
“"Universal healthcare. Universal childcare. Free public college and vocational school.""These are not aspirations. These are commitments owed to the People."”
Economic Development
Velasquez supports a four-day work week, full body autonomy, and protecting collective bargaining rights from nurses and scientists.
“"They are stripping collective bargaining rights from nurses and scientists. I am running to build the coalitions that fight back. With unions. With neighbors. With families.""A four-day work week. Full body autonomy."”
Government Ethics
He runs with zero donations and zero PAC money, rejecting Citizens United's notion that money is speech.
“"I am running this campaign with zero donations and zero PAC money. Not a dollar. This is not a gimmick. This is a strategy and a proof of concept.""Citizens United told us that money is speech. I reject that. Ideas are speech. Conviction is speech."”
Infrastructure
He notes American infrastructure is graded a C by engineers who inspect it.
“"Our infrastructure is graded a C by the engineers who inspect it. And the oligarchs who caused all of it are no longer bothering to pretend they care about you."”
Education
Velasquez supports free public college and vocational school.
“"Free public college and vocational school.""My mother was a college graduate who left everyone and everything she knew to clean office buildings at night in Virginia so her son could have a future during the day."”
External news coverage from Yahoo News and MDBayNews identifies Velasquez as a Democratic candidate who filed to run in Maryland's 8th Congressional District during the February 25, 2026 deadline for candidates deciding whether to run in the 2026 elections. The Yahoo article notes that MD-8 is one of several congressional races with significant primary challenges and mentions he appears on a list of Democratic contenders alongside incumbent Rep. Jamie Raskin. MDBayNews lists him among Democratic candidates for MD-8, which covers Montgomery County's inner suburbs.
“"I fight for an 80 percent corporate tax on profits over one billion dollars and a 10 percent rate on the first $100,000, a 52 percent tax cut for small businesses. A 90 percent rate on individual income over four million dollars."”
Source“"Universal healthcare. Universal childcare. Free public college and vocational school."”
Source“"I am running this campaign with zero donations and zero PAC money. Not a dollar. This is not a gimmick."”
Source