Adrian Boafo

Adrian Boafo's parents emigrated from Ghana, met in the United States and raised him in Prince George's County.¹ He attended DeMatha High School and became student government president at the University of Baltimore.¹ He later earned an MBA at night while beginning his political career.¹²

Boafo worked on Congressman Steny Hoyer's campaigns before winning a Bowie City Council seat at 25 and serving as mayor pro tem.¹² He then moved into the Maryland House of Delegates, representing District 23.³ His private career has included serving as Oracle's senior director of government affairs.² His campaign describes student advocacy on mental health and college costs as an early reason he became interested in public policy.¹

He sponsored a 2023 law creating an advisory committee to study access to mental health services at Maryland colleges and universities.⁴ He also led a 2024 law doubling the maximum civil penalty for knowingly misclassifying workers, with referrals for certain alleged tax violations.⁵ He has also proposed raising Maryland's minimum wage and restricting cellphone use in schools.¹

Boafo proposes raising the federal minimum wage to $15 and linking it to inflation, cutting taxes for working families and protecting Social Security.⁶ He supports universal childcare and broader health coverage with a private insurance option.⁷ He has proposed curbing Wall Street purchases of family homes.¹ He faces Republican Chris Chaffee.⁸