GREENBELT, Md. — Greenbelt Mayor Colin Byrd announced Monday morning that he is running for Congress and plans to challenge Congressman Steny Hoyer for his seat representing Maryland's Fifth Congressional District.
Byrd is an ambitious mayor who holds the title of the youngest mayor ever elected in Greenbelt history. He has been very outspoken about his opposition to the proposed D.C. to Baltimore Maglev train.
Known as a progressive Democrat, he most recently worked to prevent the SCMaglev project because he believed that only an elite commuter class would use the maglev, rather than a broad swathe of his constituents.
Byrd has served as a member of the Greenbelt City Council since 2017 and was the second African-American elected to the city council. He's a member of the Urban League and the youngest ever Regional Director for the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials.
He is currently the Chief of Staff for Maryland State Delegate Julian Ivey.
Congressman Hoyer, on the other hand, serves as the House Majority Leader in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is also the second-ranking member of the House Democratic Leadership. Congressman Hoyer previously served as House Majority Leader from 2007 to 2011, and as House Democratic Whip from 2003 to 2007 and from 2011-2019.
Congressman Hoyer has served as the U.S. Representative for Maryland's Fifth Congressional District since 1981 after he was first elected in a special election on May 19, 1981.
He is currently serving in his 20th term after being re-elected for his seat in the 2020 election.
