Braveboy switches endorsement to Bareebe in crowded 5th District race

Aisha Braveboy’s switch from Wala Blegay to Quincy Bareebe put a sharper spotlight on who is consolidating power in Prince George’s County ahead of the crowded Maryland 5th District primary. The county executive changed her endorsement after internal polling, a move that carries weight in a district where local alliances, donor money and turnout can decide which Democrat is best positioned for November.

The race to replace longtime Rep. Steny Hoyer is a sprawling one. Hoyer announced on January 8, 2026 that he would retire at the end of the term after more than 40 years in Congress, and 24 Democrats are on the primary ballot alongside three Republicans and three unaffiliated candidates. Because the district is solidly Democratic, the June 23 primary is effectively the main contest, not just a party contest. The district stretches across Prince George’s County suburbs and all of Southern Maryland, including Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s counties.

Braveboy’s endorsement matters because she is one of Prince George’s County’s most visible political figures and a newly elected county executive with countywide reach. She won the special election for county executive in June 2025 after Angela Alsobrooks left for the U.S. Senate, and Gov. Wes Moore backed her in that race. Until now, Braveboy had been aligned with Blegay, who also had support from several county council colleagues, including Vice Chair Edward Burroughs III and Krystal Oriadha. The switch signals that the local bloc around Blegay is no longer as unified as it looked.

Bareebe, a home health business CEO, has self-funded aggressively, loaning her campaign at least $3 million. That level of personal spending has become central in a race that has topped $8 million in fundraising, self-funding and spending. Former U.S. Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn has raised more than $2 million, giving the contest a financial arms race feel that has tested whether name recognition or local political backing matters more.

The money fight has also deepened the race’s internal divisions. Several candidates have criticized outside spending tied to AIPAC-aligned independent expenditures, arguing that opponents should reject those ads. In that environment, Braveboy’s move does more than shift an endorsement. It may help Bareebe with local organizers, donors and voters who look to county leadership for cues, while leaving Blegay with a harder path to rebuild momentum in Prince George’s County.

Early voting ran from June 11 through June 18, and Tuesday’s primary will show whether Braveboy’s late-stage switch helped Bareebe broaden her coalition or merely exposed how fractured the county’s political middle has become.