Maryland journalist and political activist Sam Husseini has launched a congressional bid for the state’s 4th Congressional District, mounting a challenge against Democratic U.S. Rep. Glenn Ivey with the support of the Maryland Green Party.
Husseini officially announced his candidacy on August 6 during an appearance on The Katie Halper Show, thanking the Green Party for its support and saying that he wanted to take advantage of the Republican Party’s weak presence in the district to mount a serious challenge to the two-party system. He argued that running in the 4th District is “especially poignant” because he believes he has a chance to outperform the Republican nominee and that a strong Green campaign just outside Washington, D.C., could have national ramifications.
His announcement follows several weeks of deliberation over whether he would commit to the race. The Maryland Green Party originally selected Husseini as its nominee following an internal primary that closed on July 22. However, following the party’s announcement of its preliminary nominees, Husseini said publicly that he was still in the exploratory phase and considering his next steps. He ultimately entered the race the following week.
Husseini is an independent journalist and senior analyst with the Institute for Public Accuracy who has written extensively on matters of U.S. foreign policy, politics, and culture. He is also the founder of the VotePact strategy, an electoral approach that encourages frustrated Democratic and Republican voters to pair together and instead support third party or independent candidates, allowing both to vote for their preferred alternatives without either major party gaining an advantage from their decisions.
Husseini has also garnered attention over the years for his rather confrontational approach to questioning government officials, particularly on foreign policy. More recently, in January 2025, security personnel removed him from Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s final State Department press conference after he repeatedly interrupted Blinken with questions over U.S. support for Israel during the war in Gaza. He similarly attracted attention in 2011 when the National Press Club suspended him following his questioning of former Saudi intelligence chief Prince Turki al-Faisal, though the organization later reversed that decision.
During his announcement, Husseini said he intends to make U.S. support for Israel and the influence of pro-Israel political organizations a major focus of his candidacy. He specifically called out Ivey over his relationship with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, referring to the congressman as a “complete tool” of the organization who benefitted heavily from an AIPAC-affiliated super PAC during the 2022 Democratic primary.
Since he was nominated by a recognized party, Husseini does not need to collect signatures to appear on the ballot, as the Maryland Green Party is allowed under state law to nominate candidates through its own internal processes. The party regained its recognition in 2024 after submitting a petition for recognition, with state officials ultimately accepting 10,134 signatures.
Husseini is set to face Ivey and Republican George McDermott in November. Ivey has represented the 4th District since first winning election in 2022 and is seeking a third term. McDermott also previously challenged him in 2024, when Ivey won reelection with more than 88 percent of the vote.
Be First to Comment