Harry Dunn
DemocraticQ1 Maryland residents are facing sharply rising electricity bills driven by a combination of power plant retirements, surging market prices, and rapidly growing demand (including from the proliferation of data centers across the region). If elected, what specific steps will you take to address the causes of high energy costs for Maryland residents and businesses, including data centers?
“Not only is investing in clean technology and green energy the right thing to do, it will save money while creating good-paying union jobs. In Congress, I will address the utility affordability crisis caused by President Trump’s attack on clean energy and misadventure in Iran. I am skeptical of data centers, and I want to see more concrete evidence of their long term jobs and the environmental impacts. I am open to the potential job growth created by data centers, but I will not support the further consolidation of wealth that leaves average families behind. My primary concern is making sure that the constituents of District Five and across the state have opportunities that make their quality of life better, not billionaires who are already doing well.”
Q2 Since early 2025, Maryland has lost nearly 25,000 federal jobs (more than any other state) as funding cuts to federal agencies including the NIH, NASA, and NIST take effect. How would you approach strengthening Maryland’s economy, and what steps would you take to ensure that workers across different roles and education levels benefit from those efforts?
“I believe we live in one of the wealthiest nations in the world, yet it doesn’t feel that way when millions of Americans are struggling just to get by. Because of Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” the wealthy continue to prosper while working families face growing challenges. We need to have an economy that works for everyone. All Americans deserve to be financially secure and share in the success of our nation. That’s why in Congress, I will:
Fight for tax cuts for the middle class, restore the Child Tax Credit, and raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour
Close corporate tax loopholes
Support and protect unions to ensure good paying and fair jobs are available to Americans by passing the PRO Act.
Eliminate the income cap for Social Security taxes
Expand federal investment in affordable housing by increasing support for construction, preservation, and rental assistance
Fight to close the gender wage gap
Support innovation and work to modernize digital asset regulation by establishing clear rules of the road by backing bills like the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act and the GENIUS Act
Work to overturn President Trump’s attack on food assistance, including the largest cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in history”
Q3 Maryland faces public health challenges ranging from stark socioeconomic health disparities, a behavioral health and opioid crisis that disproportionately impacts communities of color, gaps in rural mental health access, and a strained public health infrastructure. What evidence-based policies do you support to improve community health for your constituents?
“Healthcare is a human right, and I will fight to achieve that right for my constituents in Congress. Too many Americans are stuck with unpayable hospital bills, or don’t even risk going to seek care for fear of financial instability. The most important thing we can do for our communities is to ensure they’re healthy and have accessible resources to take care of themselves. In Congress, I will:
Support Medicare for All
Fight to reduce the prices of prescription drugs
Protect and expand the Affordable Care Act and fight to reinstate the subsidy funding that President Trump and the Republicans eliminated
Support the Maryland Total Cost of Care Model so that everyone is receiving equal care in quality and affordability
Support increased federal investment in scientific research so the United States can drive innovation, strengthen public health, and stay competitive in a rapidly changing world”
Q4 Across the state of Maryland, science and STEM education cultivate interest at a lower rate than intended, too few community-college students successfully transfer and complete bachelor’s degrees, and college affordability remains vulnerable to shifts in federal student aid and support. What evidence-based policies do you support to build a strong science and STEM pipeline from public schools and K-12 programs through colleges and universities for the next generation of Marylanders?
“I am a proud product of Maryland public schools, where I learned the values of diversity, service, empathy, and hard work from his peers and teachers. My sister teaches in the public school system and his daughter also attends public school, so this is personal to him. From personal experience, I am committed to strengthening public education for everyone. I will work to:
Fully fund public schools so that everyone can have access to a quality education Reverse President Trump’s attacks on students and colleges, and restore financial assistance and forgiveness to the most needy among us
Support teachers by increasing their wages and paying them what they deserve
Make higher education more affordable and invest in alternatives to universities for students like community college, trade schools, and more. Harry supports the College for All Act which would eliminate tuition and fees at public universities, colleges, and community colleges and double the maximum Pell Grant over 5 years
Provide federal funding to expand public Pre-K and Kindergarten access, particularly for low-income communities
Stand for teachers so that politicians like Ron Desantis aren’t putting their far-right ideology over educating our youth
Support the Fight Book Bans Act, to protect our education system from Republican attacks and ensure our kids are getting the education they deserve
Protect black history from attempts at whitewashing by supporting the Black History is American History Act”
Q5 What policies, if any, do you support or envision for managing land-based resources in your district (i.e. water, open-space preserves, parks)?
“President Trump’s policies and budget proposals have continued to cut funding for environmental services, including tens of millions of dollars towards restoration of the Chesapeake Bay, while also shaving away protections for our State’s natural resources. I will work in Congress to:
Protect Maryland’s natural resources and federal funding
Support Senator Van Hollen and former Congressman Sarbanes’s legislation to designate a unified Chesapeake National Recreation Area as part of the National Park System
Fund clean-up and protection efforts for the Chesapeake Bay
Improve access to the Bay for all Maryland residents.
Support Maryland’s diverse marine economy and workers”
Q6 What advisory mechanisms will you implement to ensure that evidence and scientific findings play a crucial role in your policymaking process?
“In Congress, I will maintain a policymaking process that is supported by evidence-based analysis and scientific findings. I will make sure my staff is well-equipped to support this goal, and I will always listen to scientists and the experts.”
Q7 What initiatives will you take to support investment in innovation via federal science funding?
“We need to fully fund the budgets for science and research. You would have a strong supporter in Congress.”