Meet the Baltimore City Councilman pushing to lead Maryland's 7th Congressional District
A Baltimore City Councilman is vying for Maryland's 7th Congressional District seat.
Councilman Mark Conway, a Democrat, threw his hat in the ring for the seat back in October, running against incumbent U.S. Rep Kweisi Mfume.
Conway said he grew tired of watching the country regress.
"I decided to be the change I thought we needed," Conway said. "Watching our country spin toward fascism, the stakes are far too high."
From high prices to the war in Iran, he had originally thought to work with Congressman Mfume and other leaders to change the trajectory of Washington. However, Conway said he felt a lack of urgency.
"If we don't get it right in 2026, I don't think there's an opportunity in 2028," Conway said. "There's so much on the line."
So, he stepped out, hoping to be the change for Marylanders and bring new solutions to the 7th District.
Who is Mark Conway?
Councilman Conway represents Baltimore's 4th District. He was elected in 2020, serving on the city's Public Safety and Government Operations Committee.
Recently, he's backed Baltimore Inspector General Isabel Cumming in her fight to get access to records after she accused the Mayor's Office of not providing her with the information she needs to fight fraud.
Conway prides himself on hearing from the people and building trust between politicians and Maryland communities.
"I have seen how Washington policies shape the daily lives of Baltimore families, how City Hall too often fails to deliver, and how communities suffer when accountability breaks down," written on Conway's campaign website. "I know how to fight for resources, how to make government work, and how to stand up to powerful interests."
Campaign Promises
Conway is fighting to bring down high energy costs. He said he advocates for generating more power locally in order to tackle high bills.
"And not have to rely so heavily on transmission of energy from Pennsylvania and West Virginia," Conway said. "We don't have to spend so much money on transmission infrastructure."
It's not lost on him that Baltimore faces a housing crisis where there are thousands of vacant homes and lots across the city.
"Far too often, folks acquire these properties and don't fix them up because they can't get the capital," he said. "This is where I believe the federal government can be a huge, huge partner with either loan guarantees or a revolving loan program that can help families afford to fix up these properties."
Taking a look at public safety, he hopes to advance community policing as well as ensure repeat offenders are monitored and have access to wraparound services. Conway said he's even tapping into his plans to address Baltimore's open-air drug market. It's an initiative he presented to Baltimore City Council back in April.
Facing an incumbent candidate
"It is not easy to challenge someone that you admire and respect," Conway said. "As much as I admired him, I knew that something needed to change. And overwhelmingly, the conversations that I've had with people, the people of Baltimore and Baltimore County, they agree."
Conway is emphasizing campaign contributions that both he and the sitting congressman receive.
"In the last report, his biggest contributors were PACs," he said. "The Congressman only had donations in the district from eight people...I had well over 70. I think that's a big telltale sign of the kind of campaign I'm running."
Conway remains confident that 7th District neighbors want to see different leadership.
Throughout his campaign, Conway said he's reminded of former Congressman Parren Mitchell, who beat out an incumbent back in 1970. He hopes to mirror that history.
"I continue to look at his gumption to make sure that he was representing the people of Baltimore at that time," he said. I think it's forever changed the trajectory of the seat and I think people are still hungry for more."
Find WJZ's 2026 Primary Election Voter Guide here.
