Maryland House of Delegates District 7A: 2026 Maryland Voter Guide

What’s the job: One of 188 members of Maryland’s General Assembly, split between the House of Delegates and the Senate. Responsible for introducing and voting on legislation, approving state spending and providing oversight of Maryland government operations. Elected to a four-year term.

Democratic

Name: Tom Baker

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

Name: Ly Xinzhen Brown

Age: 33

Personal: Resident of Carney, Baltimore County, since 2020 and Maryland since 2012.

Education: Bachelor’s degree, Arabic, Georgetown University; juris doctor, Northeastern University School of Law.

Experience: Director of public policy, national disability nonprofit, (2023-present); founder, The Autistic People of Color Fund, (2018-present); chair, Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council (2014-2017).

Questionnaire

A: It is our responsibility to appropriate state dollars to policies, programs, services, and activities that support people and families, especially when facing the impact of federal cuts on state dollars, and to ensure appropriate revenues to pay for those services. It is also our responsibility to divest from harmful policies and practices both in the state and outside of it. Specifically, I will advocate for Maryland to divest from AI data centers, exploitative real estate development and gentrification, money invested in Israeli apartheid and occupation, and arms companies that violate international humanitarian law. Meanwhile, I will advocate for Maryland to invest in education, economic security, housing, and healthcare, and to adopt a more progressive tax framework that proportionately taxes wealthier people and business without burdening low- and middle-income people and families. Working-class and middle-class people shouldn’t have to subsidize taxes from wealthy people, who will still be wealthy even if paying higher taxes.

Unaffordable housing
Underfunded education
Unaffordable healthcare

A: Construction of new data centers, inflation, and the impacts of climate change have all contributed to higher utility costs and overall cost of living. I support public utility management, energy price caps for low- and middle-income families, more robust utility payment assistance programs, a construction moratorium on new data centers, and a $25 minimum wage as measures that will all slow down these cost increases and improve people’s financial wellbeing. I also support rent stabilization along with protections against evictions and foreclosures, including increased funding for construction of more affordable and renter-controlled housing and programs to assist with rent, utilities, down payments, and accessibility home modifications.

A: Maryland leads the country in millionaire families. We can afford to raise taxes on the wealthiest individuals and corporations, who will still be wealthy even with higher taxes, to fund our children’s education.

A: Constituents will know that I am accountable and transparent about my decisions, my beliefs, and what I will do for them. I founded a nonprofit that has given over $300,000 in microgrants directly to autistic youth and adults of color. I have consulted for the White House and the United Nations on critical disability rights and disability justice issues. I have published research on disability and AI. I’ve also served in leadership for many organizations before, and I’ve advocated for special education students and incarcerated people. I have the skills and the track record to continue working as a servant leader, and I trust that I can be judged on my record and my integrity.