(BALTIMORE – June 10, 2026) – Boy, this has been one heck of an election season in Baltimore. The level of political activity is something to marvel at as it all comes to a head in a few hours. The election is finally here, and I’m sure candidates have a whole lot on their minds as reality settles in.
This year is a statewide election. All 24 Maryland jurisdictions are choosing their state senators and delegates, along with county executives, state’s attorneys, and sheriffs. While everybody is locked in on the June 23rd primary, there’s also a general election in November. In a 2‑to‑1 Democratic state, whoever wins the primary usually wins the general.
On the federal side, House seats are up every two years, and U.S. Senators run in staggered terms for six years. In other words, people running for office are always looking for the next rung up the ladder. Some will try just about anything to move up a step faster.
In Baltimore, a 9‑to‑1 Democratic city, the line for seniority is long. So it makes perfect sense that Baltimore City Councilman Mark Conway would attempt his Hail Mary pass straight over a national hero, right?
Baltimore City’s 4th Councilmanic District sits in the city’s north and northwest. We’re talking Mount Washington, Cold Spring, Cylburn, Pimlico, parts of Roland Park, and other nearby communities. It is not Baltimore’s inner city. It doesn’t carry the same level of challenge as the “Black butterfly.” This is the “white L” — different demographics, different priorities, different politics.
Given that their current councilman is out here running for Congress, the next logical question is simple: who’s got next?
And before you push back, let’s be honest. If you’re a City Councilman out here hurling hand grenades at a national hero, you clearly see yourself as above the Council. If not, why else are you running for Congress after one term and a cakewalk re‑election?
Is this Conway’s version of Mayor Brandon Scott’s 50‑fakeout campaign for lieutenant governor with Jim Shea? Maybe. But he sure presents himself as ready to handle national politics in one of the most spiteful political climates we’ve ever seen.
One concern I have is this: just who does he represent?
The people I see around him don’t look familiar to the communities that built this city. They call themselves “progressives.” They seem perfectly aligned with bike lanes, “traffic calming,” and those little plastic sticks that can turn a simple right turn into a calculus equation. That might play in some circles, but it’s not the whole of Baltimore.
In 2022, Conway ran unopposed and pulled in over 16,500 votes. That kind of easy win can give a man a serious appetite for more power. Clearly, in his mind, he’s doing such a great job on the City Council that he’s ready to head to Washington representing the 7th Congressional District.
Conway stepped into Baltimore politics when Bill Henry moved up to become City Comptroller. Since then, Conway has chaired the Public Safety and Government Operations Committee and held seats on other important committees. On paper, that’s experience. But paper doesn’t tell you everything.
Because this isn’t just about a résumé. It’s about temperament. It’s about respect.
At that Thurgood Marshall Center debate, he and his crew didn’t just challenge Kweisi Mfume on policy. They showed their character. Mfume is not just another name on the ballot; he is a national civil rights figure and one of Baltimore’s most accomplished sons. When you disrespect that kind of legacy, you tell voters a lot about how you see yourself — and how you see them.
If you’re running for Congress, you are also telling your district something else: you’re already looking past the job you have. You’re halfway out the door.
Which brings us right back to the question: who’s got next?
If Conway wins this congressional race, the 4th District Council seat becomes the next big prize. This seat covers some of Baltimore’s most prominent communities. It will not sit open for long. And whoever wants it will have just two years to get ready before the next citywide election.
So who is already doing the work?
Who is walking Mount Washington and Cold Spring?
Who is listening to residents around Pimlico and in and around Roland Park?
Who already knows the block captains, the pastors, the school advocates, the coaches, the small‑business owners?
In other words: who’s got next in the 4th?
Because if Mark Conway sees himself as above the Council, if he’s willing to throw elbows at a national hero to move up the ladder, then the people of the 4th District have every right — and every responsibility — to prepare for what comes after him.
Do you know the names of the people who want that seat? Have they knocked on your door? Have they shown up when your neighborhood needed help? Have you seen them anywhere other than at election time photo ops?
If not, then maybe the real work in the 4th District doesn’t end with tomorrow’s primary. Maybe it starts with a simple, urgent question:
Who’s got next in Baltimore’s 4th Councilmanic District — and are they truly ready to serve you?
