Heather Luper
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?
“I would require any proposal from a data center to include their method for mitigating environmental harm and financial burden to our communities. I also support transparency and oversight so that consumers are protected from unfair spikes in energy cost.”
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 support raising the minimum wage and strengthening labor unions that defend Maryland’s workforce. As a member of AFGE Local 17 and a former federal worker of 23 years, I saw firsthand the devastating effect of the Administration’s dismantling of our federal agencies. I will defend the rights and dignity of our federal workforce and Unions across industries.”
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?
“As a Black woman and a clinical social worker who worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs for over 23 years, I know the value of evidence-based mental and behavioral heath approaches to treatment. Too many of our residents are incarcerated due directly to a lack of access to appropriate diagnosis and treatment for mental health and substance abuse needs. I support protecting and expanding the Affordable Care Act that makes mental health and substance abuse treatment essential and requires most insurance plans to cover these treatments. I also support legislation like the Safer Communities Act, which supports mental health treatment in schools and the community.”
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 support policies that provide better access to science instruction, demonstration, and age-appropriate experimentation starting in early grade-school. I also support expanded training and development opportunities for teachers in STEM.”
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)?
“Maintaining and improving the health of the Chesapeake Bay and its waterways is a top priority. The Bay is central to the 5th District’s identity and supports seafood, recreation, and tourism industries. I support evidence‑based policies that strengthen water quality and protect ecosystems in our communities. This includes addressing the spread of invasive ivy and other non‑native species that are damaging trees and disrupting local habitats throughout the region.”
Q6 What advisory mechanisms will you implement to ensure that evidence and scientific findings play a crucial role in your policymaking process?
“We have world-class scientific experts in the State of Maryland. I would establish an advisory council of accomplished scientists and other professionals from local universities including HBCUs, as well as mental health and public health clinicians from both government and private sector, experts from environmental organizations, and researchers to provide their expertise throughout the policymaking process.”
Q7 What initiatives will you take to support investment in innovation via federal science funding?
“I support restoring federal investment in universities and research agencies that conduct vital scientific research and innovation. Recent funding cuts have weakened research programs and slowed innovation. Reversing these cuts and fully reinvesting in these institutions is necessary to rebuild lost capacity, support the scientific community, and ensure that research programs can operate at high level.”