Prince George's Council Member Wala Blegay Announces Run for Congress

Prince George’s County at-large Councilmember Wala Blegay formally announced a campaign for Maryland’s 5th Congressional District at an event in Upper Marlboro on February 4, attended by county leaders. The announcement follows a county-backed program Blegay launched two days earlier aimed at assisting residents facing immigration enforcement.

Blegay unveiled the Community Defense Against ICE program on February 2 in partnership with C&J Migrant Solutions Foundation, with an initial $10,000 commitment to outreach, coordination, and direct assistance. The county news release quoted Blegay: "Community Defense Against ICE is about standing firmly for dignity, safety, and fairness." The release added, "Through collaboration with trusted organizations, we are strengthening our ability to protect families and ensure they are not left to navigate these challenges alone."

Blegay’s congressional bid arrives amid recent turnover and legal dispute in county government. Blegay was appointed to the at-large council seat in December after Calvin Hawkins resigned to accept a role in the executive branch as assistant deputy chief administrative officer for economic development. Blegay previously represented District 6 and joined the council in 2022, serving as vice chair. Danielle Hunter was appointed to fill the District 6 vacancy.

A group of county residents has filed a lawsuit challenging Blegay’s December appointment and seeking to overturn it. The plaintiffs contend the problem is not the council’s authority to appoint but the way the appointment was carried out. County code language on vacancies is clear: "According to county code, any vacancy that occurs during the last year of a term will be filled by someone appointed by a majority of the remaining members of the council." The complaint, as described publicly, asserts that the council’s process improperly allowed outside influence; a person identified as Wingfield said, "That was not the intent of this charter language. We want a process where individuals are actually considered. We definitely want to make sure that the county executive does not weigh in and put their thumb on the scale, as we have seen happen with the process that’s gone down the road with the recent vacancies." Blegay declined to comment when asked about the lawsuit.

Blegay has told local media that her at-large appointment "allows me to focus on the issues that I've been doing that's been beyond my district." Her stated priorities have included emergency room wait times, a "food is medicine" approach, electric vehicles, federal workers, data centers, and addressing a projected multi-million dollar budget shortfall the council must navigate. Under county rules, any council member appointed this year must run for election to hold the seat beyond December 2026: "Any Council Member appointed this year must run for election to hold the seat beyond December 2026."

For Prince George's County residents, Blegay’s congressional campaign raises two immediate considerations: the impact on representation in county government if the at-large seat remains contested, and how local policy initiatives such as Community Defense Against ICE may shape the campaign’s messaging and voter priorities. Next steps will include the formal launch of a congressional campaign structure and materials, ongoing legal proceedings over the December appointment, and an election cycle that will determine who holds the at-large council seat after December 2026.