Former Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn running for Congress

Former U.S. Capitol Police serviceman Harry Dunn, who emerged arsenic a nationalist fig and activistic aft the Capitol siege connected Jan. 6, 2021, announced a tally for Congress successful Maryland connected Wednesday.

Dunn, a Democrat, has rapidly transformed into a well-known look and sanction successful nationalist authorities successful the years aft helium appeared and testified publicly astatine nationally televised hearings for the House January 6th Select Committee.

This volition beryllium Dunn's 2nd tally for Congress, aft an unsuccessful attempt to unafraid the Democratic information for a spot successful Maryland's 3rd District successful 2024. This time, helium is moving successful the adjacent 5th District, which includes the eastbound and confederate suburbs of Washington, D.C.

The territory is being vacated by Rep. Steny Hoyer, a longtime Democrat who antecedently served successful leadership arsenic House Majority Leader. Several different Democrats are contending for the deep-blue seat, including a authorities lawmaker who was endorsed by Hoyer. 

Dunn was raised successful the 5th District, which includes Prince George's County, wherever Dunn was born, went to schoolhouse and was a prima athlete: "It's location and it made maine who I am," helium said.

"We request radical present successful Congress who are prepared to basal up and fight," Dunn told CBS News. "I'm proceeding the fearfulness of the radical successful the district, arsenic I talk astatine events successful Maryland.  People are frightened now."

Dunn said the Trump administration's wide layoffs of national workers had a disproportionate interaction connected the 5th District, wherever a ample fig of national employees unrecorded and immoderate national offices are based.

Other Democrats person previously utilized Dunn's governmental following by having him articulation fundraisers and governmental events to galvanize interest. 

Dunn has been particularly captious of President Trump, including his ongoing denial of the facts of the U.S. Capitol riot by Trump supporters.

"I person to respond to the rewriting of what happened that day," Dunn said, "We garbage to fto them happen."

Trump pardoned much than 1,500 of the riot defendants, including those who bushed and injured constabulary officers. Trump has since sought to change the past of Jan. 6, characterizing the prosecution of the convicted rioters arsenic a "grave nationalist injustice."

The White House posted a page connected its authoritative authorities website past period with mendacious claims astir the attack, including that the 2020 predetermination was "stolen" and that Capitol Police carnivore work for the violence. 

First elected successful the aboriginal 1980s, Hoyer is simply a stalwart fig for House Democrats. 

Maryland's 5th District is reliably Democratic, and Hoyer easy won re-election successful 2024 with much than 67% of the vote. But his upcoming status comes arsenic Democrats proceed to wrestle with tensions astir generational change.

The contention to win him already has notable dynamics connected Democratic broadside arsenic it draws a crowded field. And Dunn is entering the contention aft Hoyer already endorsed successful the contest. 

Among those already successful the contention are Quincy Bareebe, who mislaid a longshot superior tally against Hoyer successful 2024, and unpaid firefighter Harry Jarin, who started a superior tally for the spot past May and said successful an announcement quality merchandise astatine the clip that "Steny represents a bygone epoch of authorities that isn't moving for america anymore." 

After announcing helium wouldn't tally for different term, Hoyer came retired successful enactment of Adrian Boafo, a Maryland authorities delegate who had erstwhile worked arsenic his run manager, to regenerate him. 

"Adrian has proven his quality to present results," Hoyer said successful a societal media post.