The Congressional Black Caucus Welcomes Rep. Kweisi Mfume back to Congress

The Congressional Black Caucus released the following release welcoming Kweisi Mfume back to congress:

Recently, Kweisi Mfume was sworn in as the newest Member of the U.S. House of Representative for Maryland’s 7th congressional district, succeeding Elijah Cummings, who died last October. The return to Congress comes full circle, as Mfume reclaims the same seat that he held for 10 years before stepping down to become the President of the NAACP. During his tenure in Congress, Representative Mfume also served as the Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus from 1993-1995.

Representative Mfume’s return to the Congressional Black Caucus comes at a critical time in our nation during this pandemic. The CBC looks forward to working with Rep. Mfume during this historic moment to identify, fight for, and win the best legislative change to help the Black community not just survive this pandemic but to prepare to thrive in the aftermath.

The Congressional Black Caucus welcomes Representative Kweisi Mfume back to the U.S. House of Representatives and his leadership in Maryland’s 7th district.

Kweisi Mfume wins special election to replace Elijah Cummings

Democrat Kweisi Mfume won a special election Tuesday to finish the term of the late Elijah Cummings, retaking a Maryland congressional seat Mfume held for five terms before leaving to lead the NAACP.

Mfume defeated Republican Kimberly Klacik for the 7th Congressional District seat in the heavily Democratic district.

The election, which took place during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, was held to decide who would serve out the remainder of the term after Cummings, a Maryland Democrat, died last year at the age of 68.

Mfume’s victory means he will at least serve the rest of Cummings’ term until January. It also means Mfume, 71, will run as an incumbent in Maryland’s June primary to be the nominee for a full term in November.

In addition to previously representing Maryland's seventh congressional district in Congress, Mfume has served as a Baltimore City Council member and president of the NAACP. He is also a former chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Kweisi Mfume wins Democratic nomination to replace the late Elijah Cummings

Kweisi Mfume took a major step toward reclaiming the Baltimore-area U.S. House seat he held for 10 years, capturing the Democratic nomination to succeed his longtime friend, the powerful Elijah Cummings.

The former NAACP leader, 71, topped a field of 24 Democrats Tuesday to advance to an April 28 special general election to fill the remainder of Cummings’ 7th Congressional District term.

Mfume represented the district, which includes parts of Baltimore City, Baltimore County and Howard County, until stepping down in 1996 to lead the NAACP.

“I want to thank all the many people of the 7th Congressional District. I accept your nomination,” Mfume told an audience of a few hundred cheering supporters at The Forum, a banquet hall in northwest Baltimore. A half-dozen American flags were positioned on the stage where he spoke.

Mfume enjoyed high name recognition, particularly among older voters who remembered him as a congressman and, earlier, a member of Baltimore City Council. That helped him in an 11-week campaign in which most other candidates struggled to get attention.

Mfume was able to raise money for the race — he had more than $200,000 on hand as of Jan. 15 — and he spent much less than his competitors.

He told voters his congressional priorities would include lowering the cost of prescription drugs, improving the Affordable Care Act health care system, and reinstating a federal assault weapons ban.

[SOURCE: Baltimore Sun

Kweisi Mfume announces he is running for Elijah Cummings seat

Kweisi Mfume announced Monday he’s running to succeed the late Rep. Elijah Cummings in the Maryland congressional seat the former NAACP president also held for a nearly a decade in the 1980s and 1990s.

In a speech Monday at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African-American History & Culture in Baltimore, Mfume, 71, said he will seek the Democratic nomination to return to his old seat and pledged to continue Cummings’ legacy.

“I honestly believe that I’ve got to find a way to make sure that all he and others fought for is not lost, tossed to the side or forgotten,” Mfume said.

Mfume, a graduate of Morgan State University and John Hopkins University, served on the Baltimore City Council before being elected to represent Maryland’s 7th Congressional District in 1986. The district encompasses parts of Baltimore City, Baltimore County and Howard County. He was succeeded by Cummings.

In the speech announcing his candidacy, Mfume touted his experience.

“Trust me, if I were not trusted, prepared and ready to go go work on day one, I would not be here,” he said.

[SOURCE: WTOP]