US Congressional District 4

What’s the job: One of Maryland’s eight members in the 435-member U.S. House of Representatives. Responsible for introducing and voting on legislation, approving federal spending and providing oversight of federal government operations. Elected to a two-year term.

Find your congressional district here.

Democratic

Name: Joseph Gomes

Candidate did not respond to The Banner’s voter guide questionnaire.

Name: Shavonne N. Hedgepeth

Age: 40

Education: Bachelor’s degree, history, University of Maryland, Baltimore County; master of library and information science, legal informatics, University of Maryland, College Park; master of public administration, Cornell University.

Experience: Several roles with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (August 2020-present), including project manager, non-technical; senior program coordinator; department administrator I, FSVT; and public service/Volunteer Justice Access (2025-2026), including as board member (2025-2026).

Questionnaire

Q: What would you do to restore predictability to the federal budgeting process and avoid shutdowns and threats of shutdowns?

Q: Do you support changes to existing immigration laws? Be specific on changes you would seek and how you would forge bipartisan support for them.

Q: Should members of Congress be allowed to trade individual stocks? What policies would you support to ensure that members are acting in the public interest rather than their own financial interest?

Q: Describe a moment when you stood up to someone in authority.

Q: What will you bring to Congress that is missing?

Name: Glenn F. Ivey

Candidate did not respond to The Banner’s voter guide questionnaire.

Name: Jakeya Johnson

Age: 31

Personal: Single, one child.

Education: Bachelor’s degree, healthcare administration, Western Governors University; master of public administration, public policy concentration, Bowie State University.

Experience: Executive director, Reproductive Justice Maryland; chief of staff, Maryland General Assembly; reproductive rights policy fellow, Maryland General Assembly; grants specialist, Tides Foundation (served as SEIU shop steward and labor management committee member).

Questionnaire

Q: What would you do to restore predictability to the federal budgeting process and avoid shutdowns and threats of shutdowns?

Q: Do you support changes to existing immigration laws? Be specific on changes you would seek and how you would forge bipartisan support for them.

Q: Should members of Congress be allowed to trade individual stocks? What policies would you support to ensure that members are acting in the public interest rather than their own financial interest?

Q: Describe a moment when you stood up to someone in authority.

Q: What will you bring to Congress that is missing?

Name: Jonathan D. White

Candidate did not respond to The Banner’s voter guide questionnaire.

Republican

Name: George E. McDermott

Candidate did not respond to The Banner’s voter guide questionnaire.