Christopher Bruneau

Christopher Bruneau (Republican Party) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent Maryland's 1st Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the Republican primary scheduled on June 23, 2026.^[source]

Biography

Christopher Bruneau was born in Baltimore, Maryland. He served in the U.S. Army from 1979 to 1992. Bruneau attended the University of Maryland and Heidelberg University. His career experience includes working as a construction professional. ^[1]

Elections

2026

General election

The primary will occur on June 23, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.

General election for U.S. House Maryland District 1

Edward Shlikas (Unaffiliated) is running in the general election for U.S. House Maryland District 1 on November 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Edward Shlikas (Unaffiliated) (Write-in)

	There are no incumbents in this race.
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Democratic primary

Democratic primary for U.S. House Maryland District 1

Victor Guidice (D), Dan Schwartz (D), George Walish (D), and Randi White (D) are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Maryland District 1 on June 23, 2026.

		Candidate
		Victor Guidice
		Dan Schwartz
		George Walish
		Randi White

	There are no incumbents in this race.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Terrence Rogers (D)

Republican primary

Republican primary for U.S. House Maryland District 1

Incumbent Andrew Harris (R) and Christopher Bruneau (R) are running in the Republican primary for U.S. House Maryland District 1 on June 23, 2026.

		Candidate
		Andrew Harris
		Christopher Bruneau

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
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Endorsements

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2024

Maryland's 1st Congressional District election, 2024 (May 14 Republican primary)

Maryland's 1st Congressional District election, 2024 (May 14 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Maryland District 1

Incumbent Andrew Harris defeated Blane Miller III and Joshua O'Brien in the general election for U.S. House Maryland District 1 on November 5, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Andrew Harris (R)	59.6	246,356
	Blane Miller III (D)	37.5	154,985
	Joshua O'Brien (L)	2.7	11,053
	Other/Write-in votes	0.2	675

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 413,069
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Christen Johnson (Unaffiliated)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Maryland District 1

Blane Miller III defeated Blessing Oluwadare in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Maryland District 1 on May 14, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Blane Miller III	60.8	26,845
	Blessing Oluwadare	39.2	17,289

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 44,134
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Isaac Toyos (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Maryland District 1

Incumbent Andrew Harris defeated Christopher Bruneau and Michael Lemon in the Republican primary for U.S. House Maryland District 1 on May 14, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Andrew Harris	77.4	57,010
	Christopher Bruneau	16.2	11,946
	Michael Lemon	6.4	4,714

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 73,670
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Blessing Oluwadare (R)

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Bruneau in this election.

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

Christopher Bruneau has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey. If you are Christopher Bruneau, click here to fill out Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

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2024

Christopher Bruneau completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Bruneau's responses.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a father, grandfather, husband, veteran and successful business owner who loves my state and country. I proudly served in United States Army from 1979 to 1992. My highest rank while on active duty was a non-commissioned officer (SSG) Staff Sergeant. In addition to my active and reserve service, I was appointed as a commissioned officer (Captain) to the Maryland State Defense Force, and served with Maryland 21st Engineers from 2007 to 2011. While serving our nation in the United States Army, I met my wife, Maureen, and have three children, and two grandchildren. After being honorably discharged, I began a second career in the housing industry building and selling new homes. For the past 19 years, I have owned and operated a successful insurance restoration business that services homeowners in the counties of Harford, Cecil, Kent and Queen Annes. Our businesses helps families in distress get back on their feet. I now want to give back to my state and country by being part of the solution in restoring people’s faith in the political system.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

I believe in term limits so we are represented by people not professional politicians.
We need to keep the American Dream alive and accessible for everyone.
It’s time for Maryland's 1st Congressional District citizens to be the first priority.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Our founding fathers believed in a citizens legislature. Unfortunately, we are now governed by professional politicians who have forgotten the people. As a member of Congress, I will push for term limits which will restore the people’s faith in our system.

Having raised a family and grown a business in the 1st Congressional district, I know our local needs for restoring the Chesapeake Bay. We need to leverage technology and science to sustain and improve agriculture while reducing the impact on the environment.

As a family man, I understand how inflation is hurting household budgets. I will work to make our state and country affordable again.

Having managed payroll, job costing and overall business budgeting, I will employ practical disciplines and business practices which our federal government doesn’t know how to do. I will work to reduce government spending and overreach into our lives. It is time to put the federal government on a spending diet.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to all the men and women who are and have served in the armed forces. They put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms. On a more individual basis, it would be President Ronald Reagan. If I were blessed with such a gifted character, I would follow his example. His leadership as Commander in Chief during my years of military service was inspiring. His steadfast belief in the greatness of the United States has yet to be equalled.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Reagan, In his own Hand.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty, integrity, and a willingness to put people over politics.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am father, grandfather, husband, veteran and successful business owner who is committed to Maryland and our nation. I have put my life on the line serving in the United States Army and I have worked hard to build a successful business that helps people in their time of need. As business owner for 19 years, I have experienced the success of robust economies, and the challenges of the economic down turns. I have had the privilege and responsibility of hiring employees, and sharing the benefits of our profitability. Over the years I have had the joy of helping a great many young men and ladies develop skills and gain experience to help launch their careers. Finally, with the extensive knowledge I have gained in business principles, practices and regulatory procedures, I am now uniquely poised to share my experiences for the benefit of the many. Most importantly, I am not a professional politician obligated to the special interest groups.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To first represent the people of the district and to ensure their Constitutional freedoms, liberty and rights, without regard to political affiliation. To Sponsor/introduce legislation that will address the needs of the nation and the district they represent. I believe that our elected officials must be responsive to the people over the special interest groups. We need a Congressman who be available and engaged in the district for the entire 2 years not just election year.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to leave a legacy of where we implement term limits, we cut government bureaucracy, we balance the budget, and we start lowering our national debt. For the future of our state, I want to protect our environment while helping our agriculture industry use new technology for more sustainability.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I will never forget watching with my family the step forward Neil Armstrong took landing and then walking on the moon in 1969. At the age of 8, it made me realize that our nation is capable of anything.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

At the age of 12, I was a farm hand for 2 months. While it was a great experience and it grew my love for our land and environment, it was some of the hardest work imaginable for a summer job. Amongst the tasks, I can never forget working in the summer heat tossing 50 pound bales of hay onto a tractor drawn wagon. To this day, I have never lost my appreciation for the overwhelmingly hard work that goes into farming and providing people with the necessity of food. That’s one of the reasons this district is so special with all of its agriculture.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Call of The Wild, Jack London. The writing is so dynamic, I feel like I am present in every scene

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Aquaman

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Operator, Jim Croce

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Building a successful, business has not been easy. There have been times that I have worried about making a payroll for all the employees that depend on me. I know about hard times and hard work.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

I believe the framers envisioned the House of Representatives to be the most dynamic institution created by the Constitution. The body of representatives has expanded in direct proportion to the growth of our nation, and is supposed to be the most diverse cross section of United States citizens. I do not believe there is any other government on this planet with a greater institution representing its citizens.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

No. I believe that our elected leaders need more real life experience. We need more accountants and small business owners in Congress who know how to balance a budget and meet a payroll. We need more veterans who understand foreign policy and the sacrifices our military members and their families make to protect our freedoms. We need people from all walks of life, not career politicians.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Our nation is $31 trillion in debt which amounts to $247,000 per taxpayer. Even if we taxed the wealthy 100%, which would collapse our economy, it would not be enough to pay down this debt. Failure to curtail the debt will result in major cuts in defense, Social Security, federal pensions, etc. We don’t want to end up like Greece so we must address the issue of the debt.

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

Two years is the right length of time for a member of Congress. It somewhat forces them to be accountable to the people.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

I fully support term limits on Congress. Our founding fathers wanted us governed by citizens legislature not professional politicians. Opponents say that elections are term limits, but the system is stacked against challengers. 90% of PAC and lobbyist money goes to incumbents. I strongly believe that our elected leaders should be listening to the people not special interest groups that fund their campaigns. Moreover, by employing term limits, we will get new ideas.

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Newt Gingrich. I believe he was the greatest ever Speaker of the House and proved compromise in party politics is possible when genuinely sought.

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

My most memorable personal story is about a customer from a few years back. One week before Christmas, a local family experienced a house fire and lost most of their home, and all the contents inside. We were assigned by the members insurance company to assist in securing the remaining structure, and making the home site safe. These types services are very emotional routines for our company, and the compassion we show for these types of losses is never enough. Especially around Christmas. After performing our initial services, we returned to the property the next day to meet with the members and continue securing the property. When we arrived at the property, the entire family was standing on the porch looking in complete amazement. The previous evening after the fire occurred, all the neighbors had gone shopping and purchased and wrapped Christmas gifts for this family. The entire porch was covered with boxes, and no family member was forgotten. Between the family, me and our staff, there was not a dry eye on the porch.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Yes, there needs to be compromise. However, there needs to be honesty from both sides of the isle when debating issues. In order to get real compromise for the people, we must have term limits so members of congress are not controlled by the special interest groups.

The Constitution says that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House. What role would this power play in your priorities if elected?

The entire budget and fiscal management process needs to be revamped. As a business owner who has met the challenges of managing payrolls, budgets, and exercising fiscal responsibility, I have the skills to help get this done for our nation.

Our country has a bloated bureaucracy that needs reigned in. We cannot continue to borrow at this alarming rate. The federal government is highly leveraged. In other words, we have maxed out the nation’s credit cards. Businesses that are highly leveraged like the federal government go out of business. In short, I will be a fiscal watchdog.

How should the U.S. House use its investigative powers?

I strongly believe that the American people deserve answers. Our government should be answerable to them.

When Constitutional matters present themselves, Congress should act accordingly. Unfortunately, over the past decade hearings have become a political weapon. We need to get the politics out of getting answers and it starts with term limits for Congress.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

None yet

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign website

Bruneau’s campaign website stated the following:

“

Term Limits for Congress
Career politicians have run our national debt to over 34 trillion dollars. Members of both parties accuse each other of the failures of congress, and none take responsibility for their part. It is a constant cycle of campaigning, fund raising, getting elected, re-elected, and never enough time to represent the people. We are seeing the same results year after year because we keep re-electing the same people term after term. If nothing changes, nothing changes. By limiting congressman to 3 terms and senators to 2 terms change is inevitable and elected representatives will once again be accountable to the people.

Help our Veterans
I began leadership training at age 12 in military school in 1973. I enlisted in the US Army November 22, 1978 and went on active duty July 29, 1979. I left active duty in 1989 and continued to serve in the reserves until 1992. The rigors of training as a Deep Sea Diver for the US Army prepared me to handle difficult challenges. I understand the challenges of we have faced as veterans and I have first experience with our Veterans administration. I will personally address every veteran request for constituent services.

Protecting Voter Rights
Article 1, Section 4 of the Constitution gives states the right to choose its elected representatives, but congress may modify this through legislation. Little has been done about voter integrity since the 14th amendment and the civil rights acts of 1957 and 1964. Complexity and lack of uniformity amongst the states voting processes makes a federal mandate for a uniform voting system the only practical solution. The challenge is getting 50 states to agree to a federal mandate.

Climate Change
I believe people are moving in a positive direction to treat the planet better. As technology advances we have more and more options available to us for cleaner energy. The problem with great issues like this in the US is elected officials use this and other issues as political poker chips. To make progress on environmental challenges, we need to take it out of the hands of government and let the private sector oversee the proper administration of environmental solutions.

Immigration and Border Protection
US immigration policies and laws are more then sufficient to administer people legally entering the country. The true issue facing our nation is invasion of the United States by foreign nationals. Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution is clear. Congress has the power to provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress insurrections and repel invasions. Change is not required. Congress simply needs to do their job by enforcing the Constitution.

The Right to Bear Arms and Gun Violence
The 2nd Amendment is clear, we have the constitutional right to own firearms. There are an estimated 393 million firearms in circulation of which 6 million are registered to law abiding citizens. Here is what the citizens have to say about gun violence; “Put people who commit crimes with guns in jail. No plea bargains, no reduced sentences, and no ignoring the crime. Law abiding citizens are not the problem. Criminals do not register firearms, they commit crimes.” Gun violence effects everyone and there should be no need to “cross the aisle” to get support on legislation to stop these type of violent crimes.^[2]

”

—Christopher Bruneau’s campaign website (2024)^[3]

Campaign finance summary

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

Christopher Bruneau campaign contribution history
Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024	U.S. House Maryland District 1	Lost primary	$72,479	$70,606
Grand total			$72,479	$70,606
Sources: OpenSecrets, Federal Election Commission *This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

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Footnotes

↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on May 17, 2023
↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
↑ Christopher Bruneau’s campaign website, “Issues,” accessed April 18, 2024

[show]

Maryland's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Angela Alsobrooks (D)

Chris Hollen (D)

Representatives

District 1

Andrew Harris (R)

District 2

John Olszewski (D)

District 3

Sarah Elfreth (D)

District 4

Glenn Ivey (D)

District 5

Steny Hoyer (D)

District 6

April McClain-Delaney (D)

District 7

Kweisi Mfume (D)

District 8

Jamie Raskin (D)

Democratic Party (9)

Republican Party (1)

[1] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on May 17, 2023

[quotedisclaimer-2] Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.

[3] Christopher Bruneau’s campaign website, “Issues,” accessed April 18, 2024

[1]

[2]

[3]

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Christopher Bruneau

Biography

Elections

2026

General election

General election for U.S. House Maryland District 1

Democratic primary

Democratic primary for U.S. House Maryland District 1

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Republican primary

Republican primary for U.S. House Maryland District 1

Endorsements

2024

General election

General election for U.S. House Maryland District 1

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Maryland District 1

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Maryland District 1

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Endorsements

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

2024

Campaign website

Campaign finance summary

See also

External links

Footnotes

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