On January 6th, a police officer will face off against veteran representatives in the race for the at-large House of Representatives

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Democratic voters in Maryland’s state capital and wealthy suburbs south and west of Baltimore face a difficult decision when electing their likely next member of Congress on Tuesday.

They can choose a former police officer who rose to national fame after defending the Capitol during the deadly riots on January 6, 2021, or one of their state legislators who has passed bills that address local bread-and-butter issues like Health Care and Environment Focus Jobs, Flooding and Chesapeake Bay Restoration.

After January 6, Harry Dunn became one of the faces of the hundreds of police officers who risked their lives to protect the Capitol when it was attacked by supporters of then-President Donald Trump who were preventing the certification of Joe Biden’s 2020 election wanted election victory. Dunn gave emotional testimony during the televised investigative committee hearings on Jan. 6, became a fixture on cable news and wrote a book last fall about the ordeal and his life.

“I would be lying if I didn’t tell you that I’m worried and a little stressed about this whole process. I mean, I literally walked away from a long-term career in the federal government,” Dunn, 40, said in an interview with NBC News on Friday.

“But at the end of the day, I couldn’t live with myself if I had the opportunity to do something to stop Donald Trump’s agenda,” Dunn continued, adding, “He said he wanted to be a dictator .”, and you have members of Congress who will support him. That’s why I think we need fighters at this moment and I think I’m the right person for the job.”

Maryland native Dunn doesn’t live in the state’s deep blue 3rd Congressional District — he says he lives about 9 miles outside of it and has family that lives there — but the former police officer’s national prominence and celebrity have helped boost his fundraising breathtaking levels. The political newcomer has raised about $4.6 million since announcing his bid in January to replace outgoing nine-term Democratic Rep. John Sarbanes, surpassing the earnings of his two main primary rivals, state Sens. Sarah Elfreth and Clarence Lam the shadow.

As Trump seeks a political comeback this fall, Democratic voters here are grappling with the question of whether they want to be represented by a man who has literally fought against rioters seeking to keep Trump in power or whether they will choose an experienced one Lawmakers want to decide who has a track record of implementation in the district.

Elfreth “has a lot of goodwill. She worked really hard in the General Assembly, so she’s kind of an insider,” said former Rep. Donna Edwards, D-Md. “And then there is Harry Dunn, who captured the national imagination. And he has to figure out how to turn this into a political victory.”

“I voted for her, not against him”

Outside an early voting site at the Broadneck Library in Annapolis, Kathryn Schulke said she and her husband cast their votes for Elfreth, who had been trying to help her family find vaccines during the pandemic.

“One day I actually called and she actually answered the phone, which completely surprised me,” Schulke, a retired nurse, said Thursday. She had difficulty getting a vaccine for her son, who had cystic fibrosis.

“She couldn’t really solve the problem for me,” Schulke continued, “but her compassion and her ability to listen and her ability to understand and then continue to tell me what she did, I’m probably a Sarah Elfreth voter.” Life.”

“I voted for her, not against him,” she added.

Moments later, Elfreth arrived at the library with a campaign worker to thank voters for coming out. There was little foot traffic at the early voting site, but a mother and her two young daughters spotted Elfreth and walked over. The mother noted that protecting the environment was one of Elfreth’s priorities, and the state senator pointed out that Democratic Gov. Wes Moore had signed her bill to expand solar energy in Maryland that day.

“The people I talk to along the way…really want someone who has a track record of getting things done. Making laws is not easy. It’s an art form to negotiate and cooperate with others who oppose you,” Elfreth, 35, said in an interview.

These are “people who are on different sides of an issue, and how do you bring them together, work through the details, find common ground and make things happen on behalf of your constituents?” It’s not an easy task, and I love this part of the job; I’m doing it well. I pass more bills in the Statehouse than any of my colleagues.”

Lam, 43, a lecturer at Johns Hopkins University, is the only doctor and only Asian American in the state Senate. He also touts his legislative work, particularly his work on health policy, including limiting insulin costs and expanding Medicaid to ensure all mothers have greater access to prenatal and postnatal care.

“Most of my work has been in healthcare and public health,” Lam said.

Pro-Israel group spends a lot

Elfreth has raised nearly $1.5 million as of the end of April, while Lam has raised around $736,000. The 19 other candidates in the crowded field, including state delegates Mark Chang, Terri Hill and Mike Rogers, are far behind.

Despite Dunn’s huge fundraising advantage, the spending dynamic has shifted in recent weeks. United Democracy Project, a super PAC affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a powerful pro-Israel group, has pumped more than $4 million into the race in support of Elfreth – most of it in television ads , which aired at the Baltimore market.

“To be honest, it sucks,” said Dunn, who has repeatedly expressed support for Israel. “Because yes, I did the work. I was out there and got grassroots support.”

“It is disheartening to see that our democracy is now up for sale to any interest capable of throwing millions of dollars behind their preferred candidate,” Lam added.

Under federal law, Elfreth cannot coordinate with the super PAC, and she said she had no idea why she was receiving air support from the UDP, which did not respond to a request for comment.

She said that her and Dunn’s positions on Israel and the Gaza war are not very different: “I believe in a long-term two-state solution, a permanent two-state solution, an end to the violence, a return of the hostages, very similar to everyone else.”

In a recent ad titled “Choice,” Dunn’s campaign criticized Elfreth for receiving support from a “right-wing super PAC funded by Trump donors” and for “voting with Republicans 44 times.” Some of the UDP’s biggest donors typically donate to Republican campaigns and groups.

Elfreth said she makes no apologies for her bipartisan record and her work on the other side of the aisle. “It’s funny because I’ve been called a lot of names in my life,” she said. “But MAGA Republican is not one of them.”

“Is this America?”

For 15 years, Dunn was a familiar face in the halls of the Capitol, and at 6-foot-3, it was hard to miss. But he gained national prominence after giving powerful testimony to Congress on Jan. 6.

The bipartisan panel that investigated the riot held an initial hearing with four law enforcement officials, including Dunn, to mark the start of its investigative mission.

“I sat on a bench with a friend of mine who is also a Black Capitol Police officer and told him about the racial slurs I had endured,” Dunn told the panel, recalling his experiences during the Capitol riots . “I got very emotional and started screaming, ‘How the hell can something like this happen?’ Is this America?’”

Dunn subsequently attended almost every committee hearing. Over the course of the process, he grew closer to members of the panel and Democratic members of House leadership — several of whom supported his candidacy, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland.

But Dunn said there’s more to his candidacy than just his actions on Jan. 6.

“I care about, you know, affordable health care. I care about affordable housing, I care about banning assault rifles and AR-15s. I’m interested in these things. Voting rights are important to me. I care about codifying Roe v. Wade in federal legislation is at heart,” he said. “There are so many things more than just ‘Jan’. 6 Harry Dunn.’”

Dunn added that he surprised “a lot of people” during the campaign. “When they say, ‘Oh, wow, you’re more than just a Trump hater’ — I mean, I wear that as a badge of honor,” he joked.