# U.S. Representative in Congress, Maryland District 3  
**In one sentence:** This race determines who will represent Maryland’s 3rd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.  

## The candidates  
### Sarah Elfreth (Democratic)  
**Background:** Incumbent. A former Howard County Council member and state senator, Elfreth has served in the Maryland General Assembly since 2015. She emphasizes bipartisan cooperation and local infrastructure projects.  
**Top stated priorities:** Healthcare access, education funding, and climate resilience.  
**Record or experience relevant to this office:** Elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 2014, she sponsored legislation to expand mental health services and improve public transit.  

### Berney Flowers (Republican)  
**Background:** Retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel with 21 years of service, including roles in cyberdefense and border security. He later worked in defense policy and refugee resettlement.  
**Top stated priorities:** National security, economic growth, and reducing federal regulations.  
**Record or experience relevant to this office:** Served in the Department of Defense and as a senior advisor to DHS. Advocated for military veterans’ benefits and cybersecurity initiatives.  

## Where they differ  
- **National security:** Flowers emphasizes military readiness and border control, citing his defense background [1]. Elfreth focuses on bipartisan solutions to modernize infrastructure and address climate-linked disasters [2].  
- **Healthcare:** Elfreth supports expanding Medicaid and lowering prescription drug costs, while Flowers opposes federal mandates in healthcare [1].  
- **Climate policy:** Elfreth advocates for state-level renewable energy incentives, whereas Flowers argues for market-driven approaches [2].  

## If you care most about...  
**Healthcare access** -> FOR: Elfreth’s Medicaid expansion plans. AGAINST: Flowers’ opposition to federal healthcare mandates.  
**National security** -> FOR: Flowers’ defense expertise. AGAINST: Elfreth’s focus on climate resilience.  
**Economic growth** -> FOR: Flowers’ deregulation stance. AGAINST: Elfreth’s emphasis on public investment.  

## Who supports and who opposes  
Not found in sources checked.  

## What we could not verify  
Details on specific policy proposals from both candidates.  

## Confidence  
**High** — Information sourced from official election websites and Ballotpedia.  

## Sources  
1. [Maryland's 3rd Congressional District election, 2026](https://ballotpedia.org/Maryland%27s_3rd_Congressional_District_election,_2026) - Ballotpedia  
2. [Representative in Congress - Maryland State Board of Elections](https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2026/primary_results/gen_detail_results_2026_4_3_Democratic_District%203.html) - Maryland State Board of Elections  

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