Kweisi Mfume

Kweisi Mfume is a Democratic politician currently serving as the U.S. Representative for Maryland's 7th congressional district. Born Frizzell Gray in Baltimore, Maryland, on October 24, 1948, he overcame a challenging childhood to earn his high school equivalency and later graduate magna cum laude from Morgan State University in 1976. He subsequently obtained a master's degree in International Studies from Johns Hopkins University in 1984. Mfume began his political career on the Baltimore City Council, where he served from 1979 to 1986, focusing on community health policy and divestment from South African apartheid. Mfume was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1986, succeeding Parren Mitchell. During his first tenure, he became a prominent voice in the Democratic caucus and served as Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus from 1993 to 1995. In 1996, he resigned from Congress to become the President and CEO of the NAACP, where he is credited with restoring the organization's financial stability and national prominence over a nine-year period. After serving in various academic and professional roles, including chairing the Morgan State University Board of Regents, Mfume returned to Congress in May 2020 following a special election to fill the seat left vacant by the late Elijah Cummings.

Mfume holds progressive and moderate Democratic positions across several policy areas. In healthcare, he is a staunch supporter of the Affordable Care Act and has introduced legislation to lower the costs of prescription medications, specifically for chronic conditions like asthma. His economic platform focuses on federal aid for inner cities, stimulus spending to support working families, and expanding opportunities for small and minority-owned businesses. On immigration, Mfume supports the DACA program, advocates for a pathway to citizenship for DREAMers, and has voted against the construction of a border wall while supporting measures to prevent religious discrimination in visa issuance. His foreign policy outlook emphasizes human rights and democracy, and he is an active member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Congressional Ukraine Caucus. Additionally, he supports civil rights initiatives such as the Equal Rights Amendment and the protection of LGBTQ+ rights.