Editor’s note: More than a dozen Democrats and Republicans are running in the May 14 primary election to be their party’s nominee in the race for the 6th Congressional District seat now held by Rep. David Trone (D), who is running for the U.S. Senate. MoCo360 is running profiles of the candidates based on questionnaire answers submitted for our voters guide. Beginning with the Republican candidates, a profile will be published every weekday until the May 2 start of early voting.
Today’s profile features Democratic candidate Lesley Lopez.
Lesley Lopez
Party: Democrat
Age: 40
Residence: Germantown
Education: University of California, San Diego; George Washington University
Current/most recent role: State delegate and educator. Former journalist
Previous political experience: State delegate (Maryland General Assembly, District 39), Maryland Legislative Women’s Caucus President.
Website: https://www.lopezformaryland.com/
Why are you running?
As a mom of two young boys from a working class background, I know that if you don’t have a seat at the table, you’re on the menu. That’s why I’ve spent my six years as a delegate getting results for working families. In my two terms in the Maryland General Assembly, my priorities have been lowering childcare costs, improving public safety, and expanding access to healthcare. Last year, I served as president of the Women’s Caucus, where we led on protecting reproductive rights. I also have extensive experience working on Capitol Hill so I am ready to hit the ground running and deliver for our district.
If elected, what would your priorities be within your first 100 days in Congress?
In my first 100 days, I would like to focus on establishing standard-setting constituent services and strengthening bipartisan relationships across the district. Another priority is to bring home much-needed federal dollars for the region. Our district is seeing massive growth and will need federal support to invest in transportation, infrastructure, and other vital projects to support our community.
What district-specific issues are you most passionate about and how would you use your platform to address them?
The opioid crisis has had a devastating impact in our district. Congressman David Trone had made major inroads and I’d love to continue to further his work. As a delegate, I have worked extensively to address this issue by going after the fentanyl trafficking pipeline and increasing access to harm reduction strategies. In Congress, I would continue to advocate for a comprehensive approach to addressing substance use disorders and the white-collar element of drug crimes.
What do you think Congress’ role should be when it comes to public schools? What can you do to best support the schools?
Congress should ensure that it is fully funding its commitments to schools and students, including increasing Title I funding and funding for IDEA. Additionally, the 6th District is seeing massive growth and will need federal funding to build the necessary schools and other infrastructure for students. In Congress, I will advocate for this funding, both for our district’s needs and for additional funding generally.
How should Congress address crime?
Congress should adopt a balanced approach to tackle rising crime rates. This involves increased funding for certain law enforcement initiatives for community safety while simultaneously investing in social programs that tackle the underlying issues such as poverty, education, and mental health. Implementing restorative justice practices and decriminalizing non-violent offenses can promote rehabilitation over incarceration. In Annapolis, I supported bills to address the rise in crime in our state, including HB814, which addressed the rise in juvenile crime. This legislation includes provisions to establish programs that serve to support youth and keep them from becoming the perpetrators or victims of crimes.
How should Congress address gun violence?
I’ve established myself a national and state leader against gun violence. In 2022, I worked with advocates to pass landmark, bipartisan legislation to ban “ghost guns,” which has been nationally recognized as the model for how to gain bipartisan support for gun safety in state legislatures. In Congress, I would continue to support common-sense gun legislation, including universal background checks, red flag laws, an assault weapons ban, and other legislation to keep weapons out of the hands of dangerous individuals.
The Dobbs v. Jackson decision in 2022 that overturned Roe v. Wade has changed the face of reproductive care access across the country. What should Congress’ role be in the abortion conversation?
Congress must step in to protect access to abortion, protect healthcare providers, and protect privacy. With states going so far as to ban IVF, bodily autonomy and access to reproductive care under Roe must be codified at the federal level. I have led on these issues in Annapolis as president of the Women’s Caucus, where we advocated for the protection of reproductive rights on the state level. This session, I introduced a groundbreaking bill with Sen. Ariana Kelly (HB1412) to create a first-in-the-nation Abortion Care Fund utilizing funding that insurance companies are already putting aside for reproductive care.
The same Supreme Court decision has raised concerns about marriage rights and gender-affirming care access for LGBTQ+ people. How should Congress address this?
As we saw with Dobbs, trusting the Supreme Court to protect important rights is not tenable. Congress already took the first step by passing the Respect for Marriage Act, but I would support additional steps, including the Equality Act and other protections for the LGBTQ+ community. With attacks in the states on access to gender-affirming care, Congress has to step in to protect access to this vital care.
What should Congress’ role be in addressing a changing climate?
Climate change is an existential threat that requires immediate action. As delegate, I was proud to support legislation that created aggressive renewable energy goals, created high-skilled clean energy jobs, and protected our natural resources. In Congress, I would fight to protect President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the single most significant action on clean energy and climate change, and look to find ways to expand upon this landmark legislation to foster a clean energy transition.
Is there anything else you want to share with prospective voters?
Keeping [the 6th District] blue is a top priority for our state and country, and I’m the candidate with the clearest path to victory in both the primary and the general election in November. As the only elected official in this race to represent a significant portion of the district for a significant period, I’m also the only candidate who has faced off against the two Republican front runners and won every time. I’ve been the top vote getter in my district in every primary because I know our community and how to reach and serve them.
This is the seventh in a series of candidate profiles. Check out the first profile here.