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Andy Harris | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Official portrait, 2018 | |
| Chair of theHouse Freedom Caucus | |
| Assumed office September 17, 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Bob Good |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMaryland's1st district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Frank Kratovil |
| Member of theMaryland Senate | |
| In office January 13, 1999 – January 3, 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Vernon Boozer (9th) Norman Stone (7th) |
| Succeeded by | Robert Kittleman (9th) J. B. Jennings (7th) |
| Constituency | 9th district (1999–2003) 7th district (2003–2011) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Andrew Peter Harris (1957-01-25)January 25, 1957 (age 68) New York City,New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 5 |
| Education | Johns Hopkins University (BS,MD,MHS) |
| Signature |  |
| Website | House website Campaign website |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | |
| Years of service | 1988-2005 |
| Rank | Commander |
| Unit | Navy Medical Corps |
| Battles/wars | Operation Desert Storm |
Andrew Peter Harris (born January 25, 1957) is an American politician and physician[1] serving as theU.S. representative forMaryland's 1st congressional district since 2011. The district includes the entireEastern Shore, as well as several eastern exurbs ofBaltimore County. He is the onlyRepublican member ofMaryland's congressional delegation.
Prior to entering politics, Harris worked as an anesthesiologist atJohns Hopkins University and served as a commanding officer for the Johns Hopkins Naval Reserve Medical Unit from 1989 to 1992. He was elected to theMaryland Senate in 1998, after defeating incumbentF. Vernon Boozer in the Republican primary. He first represented the9th district from 1993 to 2003, then the7th district until 2011; both districts included parts of northeastern Baltimore County.
Harris was first elected to Congress in 2010, after defeating incumbentFrank Kratovil in the general election. He became the chair of theHouse Freedom Caucus in September 2024, after his predecessor,Bob Good, lost his Republican primary in June 2024.[2]
Harris's father was Zoltán Harris, ananesthesiologist who was born inMiskolc, Hungary, in 1911 and emigrated to the U.S. in 1950; his mother, Irene (Koczerzuk), was born in Zarice,Poland.[3][4][5] Harris was born inNew York, grew up inQueens, and attendedRegis High School inManhattan.[6]
Harris earned his BS in biology (1977) and his MD (1980) fromJohns Hopkins University. The university's School of Hygiene and Public Health conferred his MHS in 1995 inhealth policy and management and health finance and management.[3]
Harris served in theNavy Medical Corps and theU.S. Naval Reserve as a commander on active duty duringOperation Desert Storm.[3] He previously worked as ananesthesiologist, an associate professor of anesthesiology and critical care medicine, and as chief of obstetric anesthesiology atJohns Hopkins Hospital. Harris also served as commanding officer for the Johns Hopkins Naval Reserve Medical Unit from 1989 to 1992.[3]
Harris was first elected to theMaryland Senate in 1998 for District 9, including part ofBaltimore County.[7] He defeated his predecessor, Minority LeaderF. Vernon Boozer, in the 1998 primary election.[8] A major factor in the race was Boozer's role in derailing an attempt to banpartial-birth abortion a year earlier; the bill's sponsor, fellow state senatorLarry Haines, supported Harris's primary bid.[9] In the general election he defeatedDemocratic nominee Anthony O. Blades.
Harris's district was later redrawn to be District 7, representing parts ofHarford County, succeedingNorman Stone.[10] He defeated Democratic nominee Diane DeCarlo in the general election in 2002,[11] and from 2003 to 2006 served as theminority whip.[3] He was reelected in 2006, defeating Patricia A. Foerster.[12] He was succeeded byJ. B. Jennings.[13]
In August 2001, following speculation that U.S. representativeBob Ehrlich wouldrun for governor of Maryland in 2002, Harris formed an exploratory committee to explore a potential run for Congress inMaryland's 2nd congressional district.[14] He ultimately decided against running.[15]
Harris defeated incumbent RepublicanWayne Gilchrest and state senatorE. J. Pipkin in theRepublican primary forMaryland's 1st congressional district.[16] Harris ran well to the right of Gilchrest, a moderate Republican. He explained that he was upset with Gilchrest's decision to support aDemocrat-sponsored bill setting a timetable fortroop withdrawal from Iraq and suspected that many of his constituents also felt that way. He was endorsed by theClub for Growth,[17] which raised nearly $250,000 for him,[18] former governorBob Ehrlich,[19] seven of 10 state senators who represent parts of the district, and House minority leaderAnthony O'Donnell.[20] His general election opponent,Queen Anne's County state's attorneyFrank Kratovil, criticized the Club for Growth's policies, and Harris for having its support.[21] Gilchrest endorsed Kratovil.[22]
On paper, Harris had a strong advantage in the general election due to its Republican lean. Although Democrats and Republicans are nearly tied in registration, the district has a strong tinge ofsocial conservatism that favors Republicans. It had been in Republican hands for all but 14 years since 1947, although Kratovil received a significant boost when Gilchrest endorsed him.[22]
On election night, Kratovil led Harris by 915 votes. After two rounds of countingabsentee ballots, Kratovil's lead grew to 2,000 votes. Forecasting that there was little chance for Harris to close the gap, most media outlets declared Kratovil the winner on the night of November 7.[23][24] Harris conceded on November 11.
Harris dominated his longtime base in Baltimore's heavily Republican eastern suburbs, which account for most of the district's share of Baltimore County, but failed to carry a single county on the Eastern Shore.
Harris ran again in the 1st District in 2010. He defeated Rob Fisher, a conservative businessman, in the primary.
Harris's primary win set up a rematch against Kratovil. Libertarian Richard James Davis and Independent Jack Wilson also ran. In theNovember 2 general election, Harris defeated Kratovil by 14%.
TheNational Journal'sCook Political Report named Harris one of the top 10 Republicans most vulnerable to redistricting in 2012, noting thatMaryland Democrats couldredraw Harris's home in Cockeysville out of the 1st.[25] Instead,Roscoe Bartlett's 6th District was redrawn.[26] Some of Bartlett's shares of Harford, Baltimore, and Carroll counties were drawn into the 1st, making this already strongly Republican district even more so.
Harris was reelected, defeating Democratic nominee Wendy Rosen with 67% of the vote. Rosen withdrew from the race after being confronted with evidence that she had voted in both Maryland and Florida in the 2006 and 2008 elections.[27] Rosen had property in Florida, and Maryland law allowed property owners to vote in local elections even if they live elsewhere. But her Florida voting registration reportedly also gave her access to state and federal elections there, which was prohibited by Maryland law.[28][29] At the time Rosen withdrew, ballots had already been printed. John LaFerla, who had narrowly lost to Rosen in the primary, was endorsed as Rosen's replacement, but could only be a write-in.
Harris defeated Democratic nominee Bill Tilghman with over 70% of the vote.[30][31]
Harris won the Republican primary, defeating three challengers with 78.4% of the vote.[32][33] Former Maryland state delegateMike Smigiel came in second place with 10.8%.[33][34] Smigiel ran because he opposed Harris's strident opposition to marijuana decriminalization in the District of Columbia.[34][35]
In the general election, Harris won another term with 229,135 votes (67.8%),[36] defeating Democratic nominee Joe Werner, a "little-knownHarford County attorney and perennial candidate"[37] who received 94,776 votes (28%).[36] Libertarian candidate Matt Beers received 14,207 votes (4.2%).[36] In February 2016, Harris was the first congressman to endorseBen Carson for theRepublican nomination for president.[38] Carson dropped out two weeks later after a poor performance in theSuper Tuesday March 1 primaries.[39]
While Harris was running for reelection, the Maryland Democratic Party accused him of ethics violations,[40] alleging that he might have violated ethics rules requiring members to report the source of spousal income and assets.[40] In response, the Harris campaign said the omission was a mistake, and Harris amended his filing once he became aware of the error.[40]
In the general election, Harris defeated Democratic nominee Jesse Colvin with 60% of the vote.[41][42]
Harris defeated Democratic nominee Mia Mason with over 63% of the vote.[43]
Harris had initially promised to serve only six terms (12 years) in the House, but opted to run again in 2022.[44] Maryland state legislators had passed a new congressional map that gave Democrats an advantage over Republicans in all eight of the state's congressional districts, but the map was ruled unconstitutional by JudgeLynne A. Battaglia in March 2022.[45] Afterwards, legislators passed a new map that was signed into law by GovernorLarry Hogan in April 2022, which returned the district to being solidly Republican.[46] However, it was slightly less Republican than its predecessor.
In the general election, Harris faced former state delegateHeather Mizeur, whom he sought to portray as a tax-approving liberal who would increase federal spending and supportNancy Pelosi asSpeaker of the United States House of Representatives. Mizeur, in turn, characterized Harris as an ineffective legislator and criticized him for challenging the results of the2020 presidential election and for supporting the Life at Conception Act.[47] Harris defeated Mizeur with 54.4 percent of the vote, his closest race since his 2010 victory.[48][49]
Harris was re-elected to an eighth term in 2024, defeating Democratic challenger Blaine Miller III in the general election with 59.41% of the vote.[50]
For the118th Congress:[51]
During the117th United States Congress,GovTrack rated Harris as the 60th most conservative member of the House of Representatives.[57]The Washington Post described Harris as "an ardent supporter of PresidentDonald Trump", whose right-wing populism he has called the "future of the Republican Party".[58] He initially endorsed neurosurgeonBen Carson for president during the2016 Republican primaries, but later backed Trump after Carson suspended his campaign.[59] A member of the House Freedom Caucus, Harris unsuccessfully ran for chairmanship of theRepublican Study Committee in 2016, during which he campaigned on uniting the caucus and committee.[60]
Harris identifies as "pro-life".[61]
During the 2000 legislative session, Harris introduced a bill to ban abortions afterfetal viability.[62]
In 2004, Harris cosigned a letter opposing the Ronald Reagan and Christopher Reeve Stem Cell Research Act, which would require the state to provide $25 million towardstem cell research annually.[63] He also introduced the Human Cloning Prohibition Act, a bill to ban stem cell research in Maryland.[64] In 2006, Harrisfilibustered a bill to provide $25 million a year toward stem cell research.[65]
In 2006, Harris opposed a bill to allow pharmacists to provide patients withemergency contraception without a prescription.[66] In July 2014, he praised theU.S. Supreme Court's decision inBurwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., which exempted privately held for-profit corporations from having to cover contraception under the Affordable Care Act.[67] In 2023, Harris cosigned an amicus brief to theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit supporting a lower court ruling inAlliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA, which temporarily repealed theFood and Drug Administration's approval ofmifepristone.[68]
In 2015, following the release ofundercover videos by theCenter for Medical Progress, an anti-abortion group, that purportedly showedPlanned Parenthood selling tissues from abortedfetuses, Harris spoke in support of a bill to blockMedicaid funds from health care providers that performed abortions.[69] He was later appointed to theUnited States House Select Investigative Panel on Planned Parenthood.[70]
During the2019 State of the Union Address, Harris praised remarks made by PresidentDonald Trump on efforts to restrict women's access to abortion.[71]
In 2021, Harris cosponsored the Life at Conception Act, a bill to ban abortions without exceptions.[72] In June 2022, Harris celebrated the Supreme Court's ruling inDobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which overturnedRoe v. Wade.[73] Following the ruling, Harris said he would support a federalsix-week abortion ban.[74] In July 2022, Harris voted against bills codifyingRoe, to protect patients who travel across state lines to get an abortion,[75] and to protect the right tocontraception.[76] During a debate in October 2022, he said he would support a bill introduced by SenatorLindsey Graham that would ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.[72]
Harris supports a federalbalanced budget and opposesearmarks.[77] He opposes increases to the debt ceiling without cuts to federal spending,[78] and opposes increases to taxes[79] and to thefederal minimum wage.[80] Harris supports eliminatingtax deductions and implementing aflat tax.[81]
In August 2013, Harris proposed using thedebt ceiling to delay theAffordable Care Act's implementation by one year as opposed to voting to defund it.[78][80] On October 16, 2013, Harris voted against the motion to end the government shutdown and raise the debt ceiling.[82]
In March 2015, Harris proposed "shutting down theWhite House" by halving appropriations funding as opposed to a government shutdown.[83]
In January 2018, Harris voted for a Senate stopgap funding bill to end the2018–2019 United States federal government shutdown.[84] In March 2018, he voted against the$1.3 trillion omnibus spending package, calling it "fiscally irresponsible".[85]
In 2022, following a spike in gas prices as the result of theRusso-Ukrainian War, Harris supported efforts to extend Maryland'sgas tax holiday until the end of the year.[86]
In April 2023, Harris praised the Republican debt ceiling plan, which limited spending to pre-pandemic levels with one percent annual growth over a decade.[87] He was among the 71 Republicans who voted against final passage of theFiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 in the House.[88][89]
In May 2025, Harris flipped his vote from "nay" to "present" as one of five Republican holdouts on theOne Big Beautiful Bill Act, ultimately allowing it to pass in the House.[90] In July 2025, Harris later flipped his vote from "present" to "aye" after theOne Big Beautiful Bill Act passed the Senate, attributing his change of heart to overnight negotiations.[91]
During the 2003 legislative session, Harris voted against a bill to impose a two-year moratorium ondeath penalty sentences.[92]
In 2020, Harris said he supported President Trump's decision todeploy the National Guard in response toGeorge Floyd protests.[93][94] He voted against removing a marble bust of JusticeRoger B. Taney from the U.S. Capitol,[95] saying that while he supported proposals to add a bust of JusticeThurgood Marshall, he believed the Taney bust should remain as a "teaching moment".[96]
In August 2025, Harris said that he would support sendingNational Guard members toBaltimore to "quickly clean up" crime, saying that there were "many areas of the city where you can't go in or you're afraid to go in because crime is just not controlled".[97]
During the 2001 legislative session, Harris introduced legislation to create a statewide program to provide state-funded scholarships to students attendingprivate schools.[98]
In August 2025, Harris wrote a letter to Maryland State SuperintendentCarey Wright threatening to work with theTrump administration and utilize his position on the House Appropriations Committee to withhold Maryland's federal education funds after Wright intervened in a conflict betweenSomerset County's school board and its superintendent, Ava Tasker-Mitchell, who was temporarily reinstated to her position by Wright after the county school board's MAGA-aligned majority voted to remove Tasker-Mitchell in a closed-door meeting.[99]
Harris has questioned whetherhuman activities have contributed to climate change,[100] but supports using technological developments, such ashydrogen cells andnuclear fusion, to tackle climate change.[101] He also supports providing federal funding towardChesapeake Bay cleanup efforts,[102] having played an instrumental role in restoring $60 million in funding for the Chesapeake Bay cleanup program following earlier proposals that saw the program receive no funding.[103]
In July 2017, Harris amended the2018 Consolidated Appropriations Act to ban federal funding for anywind farms projects that were closer than 24 nautical miles to the coastline. The amendment was seen as a response to theMaryland Public Service Commission's approval of two wind farms off the coast ofOcean City, both of which were planned to be at least 17 miles from the shore;[104][105] Harris claimed that the wind farms would be visible from the horizon and discourage tourism to Ocean City.[106][107] He later called for the Ocean City wind farm project to be revisited, claiming that it would interfere withCoast Guard shipping channels andDepartment of Defense military communications.[108] In 2023, after a deadhumpback whale washed ashoreAssateague Island, Harris called for a moratorium on wind farm construction, which he claimed without evidence was responsible for the whale's death.[109][110]
In 2018, Harris said that he supportedoffshore drilling, but opposed offshore drilling off the coast of Maryland.[111][103] In 2022, following a spike in gas prices as the result of theRusso-Ukrainian War, he said he supported restarting theKeystone pipeline to reduce gas prices.[112] In 2023, Harris called for an increase in natural gas and coal production as a means to lower the national deficit and counter China's influence on global markets.[113]
In 2019, Harris voted against rejoining theParis Agreement.[114] He also voted against the Coastal and Marine Economies Act, which would ban any new offshore drilling activity off the Pacific or Atlantic coasts.[115]
Following theFrancis Scott Key Bridge collapse in March 2024, Harris called on state and federal officials to "immediately reduce the environmental and regulatory burdens" that would hamper reconstruction of the bridge.[116] In August 2025, after Trump threatened to withhold federal funding for thereplacement of theFrancis Scott Key Bridge, Harris said that the funding for the Key Bridge "might have to be reinvestigated, because it's a little unusual that we allowed 100% payment by the federal government". He also suggested that the state could afford to pay the remaining cost share not covered by the federal government, which would cost around $200 million, suggesting that state officials could divert money from lawsuits against the Trump administration to pay for the bridge replacement.[97]
Harris opposes restrictions on theright to carry, but says that citizens who commit or threaten to commit a crime with a firearm should receive harsh sentences.[101] In 2017, he voted for theConcealed Carry Reciprocity Act, a bill that would require all states recognize concealed carry permits issued by other states.[117]
During the 2000 legislative session, Harris opposed legislation that would require handguns sold in Maryland to have integratedmechanical safety devices.[118]
In January 2016, Harris said he supported a proposal by presidential candidateDonald Trump to eliminategun-free zones at schools, arguing that gun-free zones led to an increase inschool shootings.[101] After theSutherland Springs church shooting on November 5, 2017, Harris compared gun control efforts toNazi gun control measures, saying "Jews were not allowed to own guns in Nazi Germany and that didn't end well".[81] In 2018, Harris said he supportedarming teachers.[117]
In 2022, Harris voted against a bill to banassault weapons.[119]
Harris supports Maryland's "high-risk pool" healthcare system, voting in 2002 for a bill creating the health insurance pool.[120]
Harris opposes theAffordable Care Act (ACA),[121] which he has called a "government takeover of health care",[78] and ran in 2010 on a promise to repeal it.[122] During a town hall meeting in August 2013, he criticized the ACA'sindividual mandate and employer mandates, which he said encouraged businesses to increase part-time hiring. Harris also said he supported protecting health insurance access for individuals withpre-existing conditions as well as removing caps on insurance benefits.[80] In December 2013, he proposed usingsequestration to increase the amount states would need to pay to expand Medicaid by 10 percent.[123]
In 2013, Harris introduced a bill that would repeal a provision of the ACA that required insurance companies to cover procedures performed by chiropractors, midwives, and similar medical staff. He also cosponsored theHIV Organ Policy Equity Act, a bill that allowed HIV-infected people to donate their organs to other HIV-infected people, which was signed into law by PresidentBarack Obama in November 2013.[124]
In 2014, Harris said he supported anU.S. Department of Health and Human Services probe into glitches withMaryland's health insurance exchange, which was among the worst performing in the nation.[125][126] The probe, which concluded in March 2015, found that the state lacked oversight and internal controls that led to the state improperly spending $28.4 million in federal funding.[127]
Harris was initially supportive of theAmerican Health Care Act of 2017 (AHCA), which would have partially repealed the ACA. He later said he would vote against the AHCA following last-minute changes made to the bill that he said "simply won't lower premiums as much as the American people need".[122] Harris dismissedCongressional Budget Office estimates that showed that eliminating cost-sharing subsidies would cause insurance premiums to grow 20 percent, calling it "another excuse by insurance companies to raise premiums".[128] In May 2017, Harris voted for the AHCA.[129]
In September 2017, Harris said he supported theGraham–Cassidy health care amendment, which would have returned control ofMedicaid back to the states.[130] In October 2017, he said he supported the Trump administration's decision to end federal subsidies to help low-income people pay for out-of-pocket expenses under ACA.[131]
In 2018, Harris said he supported raising the full retirement age forSocial Security from 67 to 70 years old.[117] He also said he supported imposing work requirements on "able-bodied adults" for Medicaid andfood stamps.[132][133]
In 2019, Harris voted against the Never Forget the Heroes Act, a bill authorizing permanent health benefits for first responders during theSeptember 11 attacks. In 2022, he voted against the Federal Firefighters Fairness Act, which would have eased the compensation claim process for federally employed firefighters diagnosed withmesothelioma.[134]
Harris does not support apath to citizenship forillegal immigrants, saying in August 2013 that "if you came here illegally, you should be very happy if what we do is just to allow you to remain and contribute to the economy illegally".[80] He has also criticized amnesty as a "step back from the rule of law".[78] Harris supports expandingH-2B visas for agricultural and seasonal industries as well asimmigration policy of Donald Trump.[135] In 2011, Harris co-signed a letter opposing a newU.S. Department of Labor rule to increase the hourly wages of H-2B visa workers.[136]
In 2014, Harris said he supported instituting a travel ban onEbola endemic areas.[137]
In 2017, Harris said he supportedExecutive Order 13769, an executive order by PresidentDonald Trump to temporarily suspend theUnited States Refugee Admissions Program and ban travel from six predominantly Muslim countries.[138] He also supported the Trump administration's plan to phase out theDeferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.[139] In February 2019, he said he supported Trump's national emergency declaration to fund the construction of theMexico–United States border wall, which he claimed would prevent drug trafficking, gang activity, and sexual violence.[140] Later that year, Harris voted against blocking the emergency declaration[141] and theAmerican Dream and Promise Act,[142] and voted for a bill to provide $4.6 billion in humanitarian aid for migrants at the Mexico–United States border.[143]
In 2019, Harris criticizedsanctuary city policies, saying that they "create an environment of the lack of rule of law".[144]
In 2001, Harris led a filibuster of a bill prohibiting discrimination againstsame-sex couples, which lasted more than two hours and ended after two-thirds of state senators voted to limit debate.[145] He also unsuccessfully sought to amend the bill to allow people to discriminate on the basis of religion.[146]
In 2006, Harris said he supported aproposed constitutional amendment to "protect marriage between a man and a woman",[147] which he later cosponsored in 2013[148] and 2015.[149]
Harris said he was disappointed with the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling inObergefell v. Hodges, which legalizedgay marriage throughout the United States.[150] In October 2014, theHuman Rights Campaign placed Harris on its list of the 14 most "anti-equality" House members, citing his support for severalanti-LGBT bills including one prohibiting on the use of Department of Defense property in gay marriages and another banning federal discrimination against people and organizations on the basis of religious beliefs.[151][152] In 2015, he cosponsored a resolution disagreeing with the Supreme Court ruling inObergefell.[153]
In 2021, Harris voted against theEquality Act, a bill to addgender identity and sexual orientation to federal anti-discrimination laws.[154] In 2022, he voted against theRespect for Marriage Act, which codified same-sex and interracial marriage rights.[155][156]
In 2023, Harris voted for the Protection of Women and Girls Sports Act, a bill to ban transgender women from competing in female sports.[157] He also opposed a proposedU.S. Department of Education rule requiring elementary schools to allow students to participate in school sports programs based on their stated gender identity.[158] In July 2023, Harris voted to strip funding for LGBTQ projects from the2024 United States federal budget, comparing its funding to a hypotheticalKu Klux Klan project because the "LGBTQ center organized a protest against conservative mothers".[159]
In January 2003, Harris said he opposed legalizing medical marijuana in Maryland, saying that he preferred that the issue be handled at the federal level.[160]
In 2014, Harris was the leading congressional critic ofmarijuana decriminalization in theDistrict of Columbia bill, and led efforts in Congress to block decriminalization from taking effect.[161] Harris's amendment led to a call from D.C. mayorVincent Gray to boycott tourism to Harris's district and theboycott of Maryland's 1st congressional district,[162] as well as an online campaign requesting that D.C.-area businesses refuse him service.[163] Washington D.C. officials and marijuana activists called Harris's actions unwarranted congressional interference.[164]
In November 2014, D.C. residents voted to legalize recreational cannabis for adults, with 68% in favor.[165] Despite this, Harris said he would use "all resources available to a member of Congress to stop this action".[166] On December 9, 2014, congressional leaders announced a deal on a spending bill that included language that would prohibit the D.C. referendum from taking effect. Harris said that "the Constitution gives Congress the ultimate oversight about what happens in the federal district."[161] He said he believes that cannabis is agateway drug.[167]
In 2022, Harris added a provision to the $1.5 trillion spending omnibus package that barred D.C. from legalizing, regulating and taxing the sale recreational cannabis, overriding the will of D.C. voters.[168][169] Democrats opposed Harris's provision, but Republicans sharply opposed attempts to remove the provision.[168] In February 2024, amid federal efforts to lower the drug designation of marijuana from a schedule 1 substance to a schedule 3, Harris wrote to theFood and Drug Administration criticizing the agency for not "sufficiently examining the effect of daily marijuana use" and the impact of marijuana use on driving, pregnant women, and children.[170]
In 2006, Harris voted in favor of a bill to legalizeslot machine gambling in Maryland, but said he would only support a "limited plan" that required statewide and local referendums to legalize slots.[171]
In April 2009, Harris led opposition to the scheduled screening of the pornographic filmPirates II: Stagnetti's Revenge at theUniversity of Maryland, College Park,[172] threatening to withhold state funding from the university if it showed the film.[173] Following this threat, the university cancelled the screening of the film.[174] After portions of the film were screened by students at the campus lecture hall, Harris unsuccessfully sought to amend the state budget to block funding for theUniversity System of Maryland until it adopted a policy on showing pornographic material on campus,[175] which was later watered down into a compromise requiring the university system to develop policies on what kind of films could be shown on campus, which he supported.[176][177] In November 2009, the University System of Maryland Board of Regents unanimously voted against adopting a policy to restrict the screening of pornographic films on campus.[178]
In 2010, Harris said he opposed thePark51 project, a proposal to build a mosque two blocks from theWorld Trade Center site of theSeptember 11 attacks, calling it "blatantly disrespectful".[179]
In 2016, Harris voted against renaming a post office inWinston-Salem, North Carolina after civil rights activistMaya Angelou, who he called a "communist sympathizer", citing her support for theCuban Revolution.[180]
In 2019, Harris voted against renewing theViolence Against Women Act.[181]
In 2020, Harris voted against removing an expired congressional deadline for the adoption of theEqual Rights Amendment.[182]
ThePACT Act which expandedVeterans Affairs benefits to veterans exposed to toxic chemicals during their military service, received a "nay" from Harris.[183]
During theCOVID-19 pandemic, Harris opposed prohibitions on indoor dining during theCOVID-19 pandemic[184] andstay-at-home orders, and was skeptical offace masks.[135] In March 2020, he voted for, and later criticized,[185] theCARES Act.[186] On May 2, 2020, Harris addressed protesters inSalisbury attempting to pressure Maryland governorLarry Hogan to lift restrictions, saying, "I am a physician. Let me tell you something: It is safe to begin to reopen Maryland."[187] Harris also called on the state to partially reopen areas with low cases ofCOVID-19 and to lift restrictions on "low-risk businesses", such as golf courses and small businesses.[188] In February 2021, Harris cosponsored a bill that would block state or local governments from receiving federal COVID-19 relief funds if they enacted restrictions affecting small businesses.[189]
In August 2020, Harris promoted the use ofhydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19,[190] despite the lack of evidence for its effectiveness and the subsequent opposition fromNIH andWHO to its use for the treatment ofCOVID-19 in hospitalized patients.[191][192]
In December 2020, Harris voted against a measure to raisestimulus checks sent out under theConsolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 to $2,000 per individual.[193] In February 2021, he voted against theAmerican Rescue Plan Act of 2021.[194]
Harris supportedCOVID-19 vaccination efforts,[195] but opposedvaccine mandates.[196] In March 2021, he led a letter to ActingUnited States secretary of health and human servicesNorris Cochran urging him to review the two-dose strategy used forPfizer-BioNTech's andModerna's COVID-19 vaccines, arguing that a single-dose plan would "save the lives of up to 40,000 American seniors".[197][198] In July 2021, amid a surge in COVID-19 cases resulting from thedelta variant, Harris urged constituents to get the COVID-19 vaccine.[199]
In 2004, Harris criticized a state plan to useelectronic voting machines in the 2004 general election and introduced a bill requiring voting machines to print voters' choices onto a paper ballot.[200] He later unsuccessfully sued to block the state from using electronic voting machines during the 2004 elections.[201][202] In 2006, Harris again criticized the state for using electronic voting machines in its 2006 elections, claiming without evidence that it would lead to voter fraud and suggesting that Iraq and Afghanistan "had more secure elections than Maryland does".[203]
In 2008, Harris supported a bill that would require voters to showproof of citizenship to participate in Maryland elections.[204]
In 2018, Harris introduced the Protecting Election Systems from Foreign Control Act, which would ban state election boards from contracting with foreign election systems vendors.[205]
In October 2024, Harris suggested that theNorth Carolina legislature should pre-emptively override the popular vote results in thepresidential election and award its electors to Donald Trump because of the impact thatHurricane Helene had on Republican-leaning districts.[206]
In August 2020, Harris dismissed accusations that U.S. postmaster generalLouis DeJoy was attempting to undercut mail-in balloting, which he called a "conspiracy theory". He said he opposed using universalmail-in ballots to conduct the2020 presidential election, claiming without evidence that it would "result in people who aren't qualified to have ballots getting them and in some cases people who are qualified not getting them".[207] Harris later voted against a bill to increaseU.S. Postal Service funding by $25 billion to help the agency prepare for the election.[208]
AfterJoe Biden won the 2020 presidential election and President Donald Trump refused to concede while making false claims of fraud, Harris defendedTrump's efforts to overturn the election.[184] Harris falsely claimed there were "large-scale voting irregularities" and "secret, unobserved vote counting in the swing states",[184] and called on Attorney GeneralWilliam Barr to investigate "these crimes".[209]
In December 2020, Harris was one of 126 Republican members of theHouse of Representatives to sign anamicus brief in support ofTexas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit filed at theUnited States Supreme Court contesting the results of the2020 presidential election.[184] The Supreme Court declined to hear the case on the basis that Texas lackedstanding underArticle III of the Constitution to challenge the results of an election held by another state.[210][211][212]
In July 2022, theUnited States House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack revealed that Harris was present at a White House meeting with Republican House members on December 21, 2020, to discuss a plan to "encourage members of the public to fight the outcome on January 6".[213][214] He confirmed his attendance to this meeting during a debate in October 2022, during which he said he would "take the invitation again" and added that it was "not planning an insurrection". Harris also said that he accepted the results of the 2020 presidential election at the debate, and called fornational voter ID laws.[72]
In September 2022, Harris voted against theElectoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act of 2022, a bill that made multiple revisions to the voting, certification, counting, and transition process in wake of theJanuary 6 United States Capitol attack.[215]
In February 2025, Harris said he supported thelaying off of thousands of federal civil service workers byElon Musk'sDepartment of Government Efficiency and thesecond Trump administration, telling constituents that reached out to him after being fired that Trump "was elected with a mandate to root out corruption and waste within the federal government". He also justified the furloughs in interviews by saying it would help cut thefederal deficit and improve worker productivity, calling rulings allowing thevoluntary resignation program to take effect a "great first step", and blaming "liberal politicians and pundits" for ginning up concerns about the mass layoffs.[216]
On October 31, 2019, Harris voted with his fellow Republicans in opposition to a resolution outlining rules forthen-ongoing impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump.[217][218] On December 18, 2019, he voted against botharticles of impeachment of thefirst impeachment of President Trump.[219][220]
Harris was one of four representatives who did not cast a vote regarding thesecond impeachment of President Trump on January 13, 2021.[221] He tweeted that he opposed it, calling it divisive and a waste of time, and that he needed to be in the operating room caring for patients.[222] During the117th United States Congress, Harris cosponsored two different resolutions toimpeach PresidentJoe Biden.[223][224] He also cosponsored a resolutions to impeach Attorney GeneralMerrick Garland and Secretary of StateAntony Blinken,[225][226] who he blamed for theUnited States' withdrawal from Afghanistan.[227] Very early in the118th Congress, Harris cosponsored a resolution to impeach Secretary of Homeland SecurityAlejandro Mayorkas.[228]
Harris supports usingindependent redistricting commissions to draw redistricting plans for federal offices,[229] calling it the "biggest thing you could do to increase cooperation between the two parties". He has described himself as a beneficiary ofgerrymandering, pointing to the 1st district's configuration as having been carved out to elect a Republican to Congress and get more Democrats elected elsewhere in Maryland.[101] During his time in the Maryland Senate, Harris sought to pass legislation requiring Maryland to use an independent commission to redraw its districts.[230]
During the 2020 redistricting cycle, the Maryland General Assembly redrew Maryland's congressional districts to make Maryland's 1st congressional district more competitive for Democrats by redrawing the 1st district from one that voted for Trump by 20 points to one where Biden slightly won in 2020,[231] an effort that Harris opposed.[232] He instead supported the maps drawn by GovernorLarry Hogan's Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission, an independent redistricting commission made up of three Democrats, Republicans, and Independent voters.[233] In March 2022, JudgeLynne A. Battaglia struck down the Maryland General Assembly's new congressional districts as an "extreme partisangerrymander",[234] prompting legislators to pass a new congressional map that undid changes to make the 1st district more competitive.[235]
In August 2025, amidRepublican efforts to redraw Texas's congressional districts to gain five congressional seats in the2026 United States House of Representatives elections, Harris supported redrawing Maryland's congressional district to make his district more favorable for Democrats, predicting that the map passed by the Democratic-controlled Maryland General Assembly would be overturned by the courts and result in more Republican members in Maryland's congressional delegation.[236] After GovernorWes Moore said that he was considering doing so, Harris called the potential gerrymander "the most un-bipartisan thing you could do" and said that he was weighing his legal options against any new maps.[97]
In an interview withWBAL-TV just after evacuating the Capitol after it was stormed, Harris downplayed the violence of the riot, saying "Obviously, later we heard there was a gunshot, but other than that, there was no indication that this was a truly violent protest, as violent as one as you would worry about." Harris also said he understood the rioters' frustrations and repeated false claims of election fraud.[237] During a debate in October 2022, he denied that the Capitol attack was an "insurrection", stating that the only people who had weapons during the attack wereCapitol police officers.[72]
On January 6, 2021, after the2021 storming of the United States Capitol, Harris had a verbal altercation with RepresentativeAl Lawson on the House floor after taking offense at RepresentativeConor Lamb's criticism of House Republicans for pushing unfounded conspiracy theories.[238] During an interview the next day, Harris falsely claimed that leftist provocateurs were behind the storming of the Capitol.[237]
In May 2021, Harris voted against a measure creating theJanuary 6 commission, calling it "another partisan stunt fromSpeaker Pelosi".[239]
In June 2021, Harris was among 21 House Republicans to vote against a resolution to give theCongressional Gold Medal to police officers who defended the U.S. Capitol on January 6,[240] which he had called a "stunt".[241]
Harris supports increasing federal defense funding to combat threats to national security.[101] In 2013, he said he supported cuts to theU.S. Department of Education and theU.S. Environmental Protection Agency to support expanding the military.[78]
In 2015, Harris voted against theTrade Promotion Authority.[242] In 2019, he voted for theUnited States–Mexico–Canada Agreement, a successor toNAFTA.[243]
In 2018, Harris led a letter opposing aU.S. State Department plan to provide $700,000 for independent media in Hungary, which he charged as having "distorted the record" of Hungarian prime ministerViktor Orbán. In 2022, he praised Orbán's leadership in a speech at theConservative Political Action Conference in Hungary.[244][245] In 2022, Harris was one of 63 Republicans to vote against a nonbinding resolution to supportNATO, which he later defended by saying that the military alliance had "unfairly criticized the governments of Hungary and Poland", both of which are members of NATO.[246][247]
In 2015, Harris said he opposed theIran Nuclear Deal, which he said would go toward buying "weapons that will end up killing Americans at some point in the future".[248][249] He later called for increased sanctions on Iran, including a ban on anynuclear enrichment in the country.[250] In June 2025, Harris supported theAmerican strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, saying that a "nuclear-armed Iran endangers America, Israel, and the entire free world".[251]
Harris supports Israel's right to defend itself and theAbraham Accords.[252] He has criticized theEuropean Union for funding what he called "illegal building" by thePalestinian National Authority in theJudea and Samaria Area, and suggested in December 2022 that the United States should provide funding to Israel for developing infrastructure in these areas.[253] In November 2023, amid theGaza war, Harris said he opposed providing humanitarian aid to Palestine and criticized the Biden administration for "interfering" with Israel's handling of the war.[254]
In 2011, Harris voted to end theU.S. military presence in Libya and to limit the use of funds supportingNATO operations in Libya.[255]
In 2021, Harris was one of 14 Republican representatives to vote against a measure condemning theMyanmar coup d'état.[256]
In 2013, Harris said he opposed theAmerican-led intervention in the Syrian civil war.[257][258] In 2014, after the Obama administration carried out over 150airstrikes on theIslamic State in Syria, he called for a new authorization vote on the U.S.-led intervention.[259]
In April 2017, Harris said he supported the Trump administration's decision tolaunch airstrikes against the Syrian airfield believed to be responsible for theKhan Shaykhun chemical attack.[260] He also supported theApril 2018 missile strikes against Syria following theDouma chemical attack.[261]
In 2019, Harris raised concerns over President Trump'swithdrawal of troops from the Turkey-Syria border,[262] but ultimately voted against condemning the withdrawal.[263] In 2023, he was among 47 Republicans to vote in favor of H.Con.Res. 21, which directed PresidentJoe Biden to remove U.S. troops fromSyria within 180 days.[264][265]
In 2019, Harris was one of 16 House members to vote against imposing sanctions against Turkey for itsinvasion of northern Syria, and one of 11 House members to vote againstrecognizing the Armenian genocide.[266]
Harris is supportive of congressional efforts to provide Ukraine with various forms of aid amid theRusso–Ukrainian War.[267] In April 2022, he co-signed a letter to PresidentJoe Biden urging him to extendtemporary protected status to Ukrainian refugees who sought to enter the United States.[268]
During a town hall meeting in August 2023, Harris suggested that the U.S. should begin winding down on aid to Ukraine and negotiating for the end of the war, pointing to the national deficit and the2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive, which he deemed to be a failure.[269]
During the primary race of the2017 special election to fill the Senate seat formerly held byJeff Sessions, Harris endorsedRoy Moore in his primary campaign against the incumbent,Luther Strange. Following the news ofsexual misconduct allegations against Moore, Harris said Moore should withdraw from the race if the allegations were true.[270]
| Year | Office | Election | Subject | Party | Votes | % | Opponent | Party | Votes | % | Opponent | Party | Votes | % | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Maryland Senate, District 9[271] | General | Andy Harris | Republican | 24,814 | 61% | Anthony O. Blades | Democratic | 15,780 | 39% | ||||||||||||
| 2002 | Maryland Senate, District 7[272] | General | Andy Harris | Republican | 23,374 | 57.8% | Dianne DeCarlo | Democratic | 16,991 | 42.1% | Write-ins | 44 | 0.1% | |||||||||
| 2006 | Maryland Senate, District 7[273] | General | Andy Harris | Republican | 23,453 | 56.6% | Patricia A. Foerster | Democratic | 17,972 | 43.3% | Write-ins | 35 | 0.1% | |||||||||
| 2008 | U.S. House of Representatives,MD-1[16] | Primary | Andy Harris | Republican | 33,627 | 43.4% | Wayne Gilchrest | Republican | 25,624 | 33.1% | E.J. Pipkin | Republican | 15,700 | 20.3% | ||||||||
| 2008 | U.S. House of Representatives,MD-1[274] | General | Frank Kratovil | Democratic | 177,065 | 49.1% | Andy Harris | Republican | 174,213 | 48.3% | Richard James Davis | Libertarian | 8,873 | 2.5% | Write-ins | 35 | 0.1% | |||||
| 2010 | U.S. House of Representatives,MD-1[275] | General | Andy Harris | Republican | 155,118 | 54.1% | Frank Kratovil | Democratic | 120,400 | 42.0% | Richard James Davis | Libertarian | 10,876 | 3.8% | Write-ins | 418 | 0.15% | |||||
| 2012 | U.S. House of Representatives,MD-1 | General | Andy Harris | Republican | 212,204 | 63.4% | Wendy Rosen | Democratic | 92,812 | 27.5% | Muir Wayne Boda | Libertarian | 12,857 | 3.8% | Write-ins | 17,887 | 5.3% | |||||
| 2014 | U.S. House of Representatives,MD-1 | General | Andy Harris | Republican | 176,342 | 70.4% | Bill Tilghman | Democratic | 73,843 | 29.5% | Write-ins | 233 | 0.1% | |||||||||
| 2016 | U.S. House of Representatives,MD-1[276] | General | Andy Harris | Republican | 242,574 | 67.0% | Joe Werner | Democratic | 103,622 | 28.6% | Matt Beers | Libertarian | 15,370 | 4.2% | Write-ins | 531 | 0.1% | |||||
| 2018 | U.S. House of Representatives,MD-1[277] | General | Andy Harris | Republican | 183,662 | 60.0% | Jesse Colvin | Democratic | 116,631 | 38.1% | Jenica Martin | Libertarian | 5,744 | 1.9% | Write-ins | 149 | 0.0% | |||||
| 2020 | U.S. House of Representatives,MD-1[278] | General | Andy Harris | Republican | 250,901 | 63.4% | Mia Mason | Democratic | 143,877 | 36.4% | Write-ins | 746 | 0.2% | |||||||||
| 2022 | U.S. House of Representatives,MD-1[279] | General | Andy Harris | Republican | 159,673 | 54.4% | Heather Mizeur | Democratic | 126,511 | 43.1% | Daniel Frank Thibeault | Libertarian | 6,924 | 2.4% | Write-ins | 250 | 0.1% | |||||
| 2024 | U.S. House Of Representatives,MD-1[280] | General | Andy Harris | Republican | 246,356 | 59.4% | Blane H. Miller, III | Democratic | 154,585 | 37.4% | Joshua W. O'Brien | Libertarian | 12,664 | 3.1% | Write-ins | 675 | 0.2% | |||||
Harris was married for 30 years to Sylvia "Cookie" Harris, who died of a heart attack on August 28, 2014.[281] They had five children. In July 2017, he married Nicole Beus, a Baltimore County political and marketing consultant[282][184][283] who serves as the chair of theMaryland Republican Party.[284]
Harris lives inCambridge on the Eastern Shore, having previously lived inCockeysville, a suburb of Baltimore. He considered himself a "citizen-legislator," having maintained his medical practice while in the State Senate.[285]
Harris has been an active member in the community as a member of theKnights of Columbus, an officer in the Thornleigh Neighborhood Improvement Association (vice president, 1984–85; president, 1985–86), a member of the Board of Directors of the Sherwood Community Association (1987–91), and vice president of St. Joseph's School Home-School Association from 1992 to 1994. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Maryland Leadership Council (1995–98), as a member of the North Central Republican Club (treasurer, 1997–98; vice president, 1998), and as a delegate to the 2004Republican Party National Convention. Harris received the Dr. Henry P. and M. Page Laughlin Distinguished Public Officer Award from theMedical and Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland in 2001.[285]
On January 21, 2021, Harris tried to enter the House floor with a gun, setting off ametal detector. This was in violation of new security measures adopted after thestorming of the U.S. Capitol. Harris was not allowed to enter and returned 10 minutes later without a gun, at which point he was allowed entry.[286]U.S. Capitol Police began an investigation into the incident.[287]
In October 2021, Harris said on a radio show he prescribedivermectin to constituents for treatment ofCOVID-19.[288] Ivermectin is used to treat parasites in livestock and river blindness in humans. It is not approved by theFDA for treatment of COVID-19. During a discussion of vaccine mandates by theHouse Freedom Caucus in November 2021, Harris said that a complaint was filed against him with a physicians board for prescribing ivermectin.[289]
Harris, despite previously saying he would hew to a six-term limit, is seeking a seventh term in Congress this year.
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMaryland's 1st congressional district 2011–present | Incumbent |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Chair of theHouse Freedom Caucus 2024–present | Incumbent |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by | United States representatives by seniority 84th | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
