Terry Jackson is a first-time Democratic congressional candidate in Maryland’s 5th District whose profile is built around military service, federal security work, and a reformist, anti‑insider message focused on trust in government and **working** families.[1][2][3][4][5]
Background and personal profile
- Jackson is a decorated Navy veteran and a former federal Physical Security Specialist, with more than two decades of combined military and federal service.[1][2]
- He is married and a father of four daughters, and he frequently frames his run as an extension of his role as a parent and community member concerned about the future.[1][2]
- He is running as a Democrat in the open-seat race to succeed Steny Hoyer in the 5th District, which covers much of Southern Maryland and parts of Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties.[1][3][4][5]
Jackson’s personal branding emphasizes “service above self,” integrity, and lived experience with economic and family pressures, including as a disabled veteran.[1][2]
Core message and themes
- His central slogan and framing are “For the people, not the powerful,” and he says his mission is to restore trust in government and return power to ordinary constituents rather than political insiders.[1][2]
- Jackson explicitly pitches himself as a “bridge between generations,” arguing that it is time for power to move from the entrenched political establishment to a newer cohort of leaders focused on integrity and action.[2]
- He stresses that he is not running for “power or prestige” but to give voice to people who feel forgotten, especially working families, veterans, and seniors.[1][2]
The campaign’s tone is anti‑status‑quo but not bomb‑throwing: he criticizes partisan games and insider politics while framing his run as constructive and solutions‑oriented.[1][2]
Policy priorities and promises
Jackson’s platform mixes bread‑and‑butter economics, anti‑corruption reforms, and institutional changes:
- Economic and social protections
- Protect and strengthen Social Security and Medicare, including making Social Security solvent for future generations.[1][2][3]
- Raise wages, lower everyday costs, and support Maryland’s working families, with an emphasis on rebuilding a strong middle class.[1][2]
- Improve access to affordable healthcare and advocate for “Medicare for All.”[1][2][3]
- Veterans and community
- Strengthen veterans’ benefits and keep “the promise” to those who served, drawing on his own experience as a disabled veteran.[1][2][3]
- Invest in local schools and teachers so that children from Bowie to Waldorf, Lexington Park to Laurel, have a fair shot at success.[2]
- Political reform and ethics
- Sponsor legislation for congressional term limits (three terms in the House, two in the Senate).[2]
- End lifetime appointments for newly appointed Supreme Court justices by creating fixed terms.[2]
- Support or sponsor a ban on insider trading by members of Congress.[2]
- Work to strengthen ethics and transparency laws in Congress.[2]
- Support repealing Citizens United and removing corporate money and its influence from politics.[2]
- Personal commitments
- Pledge to donate $100,000 of his congressional salary to charities, veterans’ organizations, or food banks within Maryland’s 5th District if elected.[2]
Overall, his issue set is conventionally progressive on healthcare and money in politics, with a populist, anti‑corruption overlay.
Campaign style and positioning
- Jackson launched his campaign in November 2025 and has framed it as an early, proactive challenge to the longstanding status quo in the district.[1][3]
- He emphasizes grassroots engagement, “listening tours,” and community dialogue, including events such as a town-hall‑style visit at the Twin Beaches Library branch in North Beach.[1][3]
- His communications stress rebuilding faith in democratic institutions and making government something people can trust again, particularly for those who feel left behind.[1][2][3]
In the 2026 Democratic primary, he is part of a crowded field vying for an open seat with a long history of establishment representation, positioning himself as a reform-minded, service-oriented outsider with deep ties to military and federal service rather than party machines.[3][4][5]
Citations:
[1] Terry Jackson Announces Congressional Run In Maryland’s 5th ... https://thebaynet.com/terry-jackson-announces-congressional-run-in-marylands-5th-district/
[2] Terry Jackson for Congress | Get Involved Now
https://www.terryjackson4congress.com
[3] Congressional Candidate Terry Jackson Will Host Event At The Twin ... https://thebaynet.com/congressional-candidate-terry-jackson-will-host-event-at-the-twin-beaches-library-branch/
[4] Maryland’s 5th Congressional District election, 2026 (June 23 ... https://ballotpedia.org/Maryland’s_5th_Congressional_District_election,_2026_(June_23_Democratic_primary)
[5] Terry Jackson - Ballotpedia https://ballotpedia.org/Terry_Jackson
[6] [PDF] Co ocu - Maryland State Archives https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/coagserm/cm1400/cm1413/000000/000055/pdf/msa_cm1413_000055.pdf
[7] Election Candidates - Maryland State Board of Elections https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2026/Primary_candidates/2026_GP_all_counties_candidatelist.html
[8] Terrence L. Jackson - TLC Consulting - LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/terrence-l-jackson-30467917
[9] Terry Jackson for Congress - Facebook https://www.facebook.com/people/Terry-Jackson-for-Congress/61583371685938/
[10] [PDF] Report of Committee on SENATE AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS https://senate.la.gov/communicationoffice/newsreleases/2017/roc2017.pdf