Mariela Roca

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Mariela Roca

Republican Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

May 14, 2024

Education

Graduate

Mount Saint Mary's University, 2014

Other

University of Maryland Global Campus, 2019

Military

Service / branch

U.S. Air Force

Years of service

2005 - 2010

Personal

Birthplace

Puerto Rico

Religion

Catholic

Profession

Government contractor

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Campaign Instagram

Campaign YouTube

Personal Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

Mariela Roca (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Maryland's 6th Congressional District. She lost in the Republican primary on May 14, 2024.

Roca completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Mariela Roca was born in Puerto Rico. Roca's career experience includes working as a government contractor. She served in the U.S. Air Force from 2005 to 2010. Roca earned a graduate degree from Mount Saint Mary's University in 2014 and a degree from the University of Maryland Global Campus in 2019.

Elections

2024

See also: Maryland's 6th Congressional District election, 2024

Maryland's 6th Congressional District election, 2024 (May 14 Democratic primary)

Maryland's 6th Congressional District election, 2024 (May 14 Republican primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Maryland District 6

April McClain-Delaney defeated Neil Parrott in the general election for U.S. House Maryland District 6 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		April McClain-Delaney (D)	53.0	199,788
		Neil Parrott (R)	46.7	175,974
		Other/Write-in votes	0.2	862

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 376,624
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Jason Johnson (Unaffiliated)
• Moshe Landman (G)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Maryland District 6

The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Maryland District 6 on May 14, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		April McClain-Delaney	40.4	22,985
		Joe Vogel	26.2	14,940
		Ashwani Jain	8.3	4,750
		Tekesha Martinez	7.0	3,992
		Lesley Lopez	4.6	2,600
		Laurie-Anne Sayles	3.2	1,845
		Destiny West	1.9	1,086
		Mohammad Mozumder	1.8	1,005
		Joel Rubin	1.4	820
		Peter Choharis	1.4	818
		Geoffrey Grammer	1.1	651
		George Gluck	0.8	437
		Kiambo White	0.7	401
		Stephen McDow	0.4	246
		Altimont Wilks	0.3	179
		Adrian Petrus	0.3	166

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 56,921
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Mia Mason (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Maryland District 6

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. House Maryland District 6 on May 14, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Neil Parrott	45.9	22,604
		Dan Cox	30.1	14,797
		Mariela Roca	12.3	6,071
		Tom Royals	4.2	2,060
		Chris Hyser	3.3	1,625
		Brenda Thiam	3.3	1,607
		Todd Puglisi	0.9	446

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 49,210
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Heath Barnes (R)

Endorsements

To view Roca's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Roca in this election.

2022

See also: Maryland's 6th Congressional District election, 2022

General election

General election for U.S. House Maryland District 6

Incumbent David Trone defeated Neil Parrott in the general election for U.S. House Maryland District 6 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		David Trone (D)	54.7	140,295
		Neil Parrott (R)	45.2	115,771
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	332

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 256,398
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• David August (Independent)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Maryland District 6

Incumbent David Trone defeated Ben Smilowitz and George Gluck in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Maryland District 6 on July 19, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		David Trone	79.0	44,370
		Ben Smilowitz	16.0	8,995
		George Gluck	5.0	2,789

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 56,154
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Heba Zayas (D)
• Carleah Summers (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Maryland District 6

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. House Maryland District 6 on July 19, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Neil Parrott	62.6	31,665
		Matthew Foldi	14.8	7,497
		Mariela Roca	7.6	3,858
		Colt Black	7.5	3,789
		Jonathan Jenkins	6.7	3,406
		Robert Poissonnier	0.8	400

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 50,615
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Mariela Roca completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Roca's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and began my journey of service to our nation in 2005 when I joined the U.S. Air Force at the age of 20. My unwavering commitment and dedication led me to become a Global War on Terror Veteran, serving within the Task Force Med and the Bagram Theater Internment Facility (BTIF) in Bagram, Afghanistan, during the Operation Enduring Freedom campaign in 2007. After a commendable tour of duty, I was honorably discharged in 2010, having earned numerous accolades for her service, including the National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with 1 Service Star, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border and 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, and NATO Medal.

Following my military service, I transitioned to the Frederick area, where I continued my career in Medical Logistics as a Federal Employee. I worked diligently for the United States Army at Fort Detrick, supporting the Department of Defense’s Medical Supply Chain Process. My commitment to excellence extended into my academic pursuits, culminating in me earning a Doctorate in Business Administration from the University of Maryland Global Campus, a Master of Business Administration from Mount Saint Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Maryland, and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Technology from the University of Maryland, University College.

I am also a proud mom to two amazing kids.

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'm running for this seat because, like you, I've had enough. Our U.S. Congress is a mess, plain and simple. There's too much drama and not enough action. And that's why I'm in this race—to change that.
• Having served in the Air Force, I know what it means to operate with precision and purpose. I've taken orders and executed them flawlessly. My time in the military instilled in me a deep sense of duty and discipline.
• Why choose me to represent you in Congress? Because I've seen the dysfunction from every angle. I understand how government operates, and I'm ready to hit the ground running on day one. I can confidently say that I'm the only candidate in this race, regardless of party affiliation, who possesses the breadth of experience that I bring to the table.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I will work with my colleagues in Congress to strengthen our Economy, and work towards unleashing US Energy here at home, especially with our untapped resources here in Western Maryland. I will also work to bring policies that will defend our public safety and national security and will support parents with parental rights, school choice, and women’s rights in sports. I am passionate about veterans’ resources and healthcare. Our VA healthcare system has so many unaddressed systemic issues and fails to provide adequate and timely care to our veterans. As a veteran myself, I get my care 100% through the VA and understand firsthand these issues. my experience in medical supply chain logistics is key to working to fix our supply chain.

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

The most crucial characteristics for an elected official encompass honesty, integrity, accountability, leadership, empathy, commitment to public service, and open-mindedness. Honesty fosters trust and transparency, while integrity ensures adherence to moral principles. Accountability demands responsibility for decisions, leadership inspires collective progress, and empathy promotes inclusivity. Commitment to public service entails selflessness, and open-mindedness facilitates informed decision-making. Together, these qualities enable elected officials to effectively represent their constituents in an honest way.

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

The first historical event that I distinctly remember from my lifetime is the tragic terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. At that time, I was 15 years old. The events of that day left an indelible mark on my memory and had a profound impact on the world. That's why in today's political climate, It's frustrating to witness misguided Americans here in the US protesting in support of terrorist organizations like Hamas while ignoring

the legitimate right of Israel to defend itself. Especially here in the US, where many young adults today - who are the ones making these protests - didn't

experience the impact of 9/11 firsthand.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Our campaign has been endorsed by: Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich; Value in Electing Women (VIEW) PAC; Mayor of New Market, Winslow Burhans & Carroll County Commissioner, Michael Guerin.

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

Roca’s campaign website stated the following:

“	Reducing Inflation, Lowering Taxes, And Increasing Economic Security “In Congress I will work to restore fiscal sanity, reign in out-of-control spending and debt, rebuild the domestic supply chain, and provide economic security to working families.” I believe in hard work, free markets, fiscal responsibility and economic opportunity for all Americans. The economically illiterate policies of the Biden-Harris administration diminish opportunity and have triggered the worst inflation in 40 years. Every American is poorer thanks to their reckless mismanagement of our economy. Every time we’re at the grocery store or at the gas pump, we’re reminded of how much Democrat policies cost. In Congress I will work to restore fiscal sanity, reign in out of control spending and debt, rebuild the domestic supply chain and provide economic security to working families. And I will always vote to lower your taxes. You know how best to spend your money, not the government. Fighting Violent Crime “I’m extremely concerned about rising violent crime in our communities. In Congress, I will always stand with our police and with victims, not criminals.” Like you, I’m extremely concerned about rising violent crime in our communities, particularly in our Democrat-run big cities. Soft on crime progressive policies pushed by the likes of the ACLU and Rep. David Trone, ultra-lenient left-wing DAs, and defund the police rhetoric from Democrats have emboldened criminals with predictable results. Violent crime rates and attacks on law enforcement are at historic highs. I will vote to boost funding for state and local law enforcement. I will fight for more resources to combat violent criminals, human traffickers and drug dealers. I will vote to defund any executive order that undermines our brave men and women in law enforcement. I will always stand with our police and with victims, not criminals. Empowering Parents And Protecting Students “What’s happening in our schools these days isn’t teaching, it’s indoctrination. I will fight for federal legislation to help end the hyper-sexualized, racist, Marxist brainwashing happening in our nation’s schools. I’m a mom, and I will always stand with parents over radical activists.” Above everything else, I’m a Mom. Protecting our children is the most important job we have as citizens. Our children are our future, and we are failing them. The Biden Administration and Democrats have chosen to ally with radical teacher unions and far-left activists instead of with parents and children. They pushed lengthy school closures and mask mandates in schools and this loss of in-class learning will hold our students back for a long time. Now Democrats are pushing deeply racist critical race theory and insane gender ideology on very young children, often without parental involvement or notification. Students should not be indoctrinated with far-left radical ideology that tells them to divide themselves along racial lines from a young age. Students should not be instructed on changing their gender or given body-altering drugs behind parents’ backs. Let’s switch the focus from leftist, anti-American and hyper-sexualized indoctrination to patriotic, family-first education that focuses on academic excellence, critical thinking, and personal responsibility. Fighting For School Choice “Educational opportunity shouldn’t be determined by zip code, and poor kids shouldn’t be trapped in failing schools. I will fight for school choice and educational voucher legislation at the federal level.” I’m the product of this country’s public school system. Now I have two kids in Frederick public schools. I believe that parents should have the final say in how and where their children receive their education. For decades, Democrats have consistently sided with powerful teachers unions over parents who want the best education possible for their children. Educational opportunity shouldn’t be determined by zip code, and poor kids shouldn’t be trapped in failing schools. School choice allows public education funds to follow students to the schools and services that best fit their needs — whether that’s to a public school, private school, charter school, home school, or any other learning environment. I will fight for school choice and educational voucher legislation at the federal level. Lowering The Cost Of Prescription Drugs “I know firsthand the enormous burden on families created by unaffordable prescription drugs. I will work to lower the high cost of medication in this country.” When I became the primary caregiver to my terminally ill mother, I quickly realized how affordable prescription drugs are imperative to decreasing the burden families are already facing in taking care of loved ones. Sky-rocketing premiums, co-payments, and high medication prices make it almost impossible for many Americans to access affordable, life-saving healthcare. The federal government can and should immediately work with pharmaceutical companies to establish price transparency and renegotiate drug prices to lower the enormously high cost of medications in this country. Achieving Energy Independence “I will work to expand domestic energy production at home and make our country 100% energy independent.” I believe we shouldn’t rely on Saudi Arabia, Iran, Russia or Venezuela for our energy. Unfortunately, Biden and the Democrats disagree, and we were paying the price at the pump long before Putin invaded Ukraine. Europe is unfortunately reliant on Russian energy. Energy independence can be a matter of national survival. I will vote to expand domestic energy production at home and make our country 100% energy independent, as we were just a few years ago. Protecting The Second Amendment “Gun rights are for all law-abiding citizens and not just for the wealthy or well-connected. I will always fight for your 2nd Amendment right to protect your family and your property.” I am a firm supporter of the Constitution in its entirety, including the 2nd Amendment as it is written. I believe that we not only have the right to self-defense, but also the right to bear arms in the face of tyrannical government as our Founding Fathers intended. Gun rights are for all law-abiding citizens and not just for the wealthy or well-connected. I will always fight for your right to protect your family and your property. I will fight against anti-gun misinformation and the relentless attacks on our God-given freedoms by the Biden Administration. Solving Our Border Crisis “A secure southern border is vital to our national security. Most Americans agree that our illegal immigration problem is out of control, but the Biden administration and congressional Democrats refuse to do anything to address this crisis. I will fight to fortify and build more security barriers, withhold federal money from “sanctuary” cities, stop foreign aid to uncooperative countries, close the immigration loophole for unaccompanied minors, and support national E-Verify legislation.” A secure southern border is vital to our national security. We must know who is entering our country and why. Most Americans agree that our illegal immigration problem is out of control, but the Biden administration refuses to do anything to address this crisis. Despite increased criminal activity, human trafficking and deadly drugs pouring into our country, Biden and the Democrats are beholden to far-left activists who do not believe in enforcing our immigration laws. I will work for a secure border and safer America. I will fight to fortify and build more security barriers, withhold federal money from “sanctuary” cities, stop foreign aid to uncooperative countries, close the immigration loophole for unaccompanied minors, and support national E-Verify legislation. I also believe that immigrants entering this country lawfully who want to become productive, law-abiding citizens ought to be prioritized over those whose first action here is breaking the law. I will work to fix our broken and deeply unfair immigration system so that legal immigrants can more easily achieve the American dream. Supporting Veterans And Military Families “I am a United State Air Force combat vet. I understand the sacrifices made by our troops and our military families. We must honor our vets by ensuring essential services and care are always available and delivered. I will always fight for our brave vets in Congress.” I served in the United States Air Force. I understand what military men, women, and their families sacrifice to protect our freedoms, both abroad and at home. It breaks my heart that 30,000 American veterans have died by suicide since 2001. President Biden’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan demoralized and humiliated our veterans. We must honor the promises and commitments we have made to our vets by ensuring essential services and care are always available and delivered in a prompt and first-class manner. This includes access to adequate and safe medical service, healthcare for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI), and other service-connected disabilities. I will fight to enhance support for veteran mental health care. I will work to make sure employment opportunities that translate military training to civilian jobs are available to our brave veterans. I will also vote for strict oversight of our increasingly politicized military, to ensure that Pentagon leaders place merit and service above race and gender ideology. Bringing Financial Transparency And Accountability To Congress “Serving you in Congress should be a privilege, not a payday. I will work toward legislation that requires transparency in securities transactions by members of Congress.” In Maryland's 6th Congressional District I’ll be running against multi-millionaire David Trone. Americans overwhelmingly disapprove of Congress and don't believe their representatives share their priorities. Do we really need Congress to be a millionaires club? Many have said Speaker Nancy Pelosi is the best stock-picker of all time! Serving you in Congress should be a privilege, not a payday. To restore transparency, I will work toward legislation limiting trading and requiring prompt disclosure of all securities transactions by members of Congress and their family members. I will work to close the corrupt “revolving door” of lobbyists and government officials. Fighting For Election Integrity “Our elections are sacred. It is of the utmost importance that every American has faith in the results of our elections at every level. Like most Americans, I support the common-sense notion that you should have an ID to vote. I will always vote for election integrity and transparency in Congress.” Voting is a sacred responsibility for citizens and we should expect fairness and transparency in our elections. The Biden Administration and Democrats nationwide seem desperate to allow anyone to vote, even if they are not U.S. citizens. I support the common-sense notion that ID should be required to vote in the United States, and that only eligible voters be allowed to participate in our elections. Protecting Life "I am pro-life and believe every effort should be made to honor and protect life. I am proud to be a Republican that upholds the sanctity of life and fights for the most powerless among us. Abortion should not be used as birth control on-demand. I also recognize this is an extremely complex and a divisive issue, morally, philosophically, and legally." With the recent decision to overturn Roe v. Wade by the Supreme court, we can now, here in Maryland, start helping would-be mothers with the support, counseling, and women’s health education they need before making such a drastic life changing decision. Maryland has long ignored these vital services that support women. Maryland women need to be the best informed on all options available to them, including making the vital and lifesaving decision to keep their pregnancies.	”
—Mariela Roca’s campaign website (2024)

2022

Mariela Roca completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Roca's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Mariela Roca is a mother, veteran, and dedicated civil servant for the last 15 years. She enlisted in the Unites States Air Force and worked as a Medical Logistician. During her time in the Air Force, Mariela served as a Medical Logistician providing lifesaving Medical Logistics support to military warfighters across all services both stateside, and while deployed overseas. After her military service, Mariela relocated to the Frederick area and continued her Medical Logistics career as a Federal Employee working for the United States Army at Fort Detrick. Mariela holds a Master of Business Administration from Mount Saint Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, MD and a Doctor of Business Administration from the University of Maryland Global Campus.

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 am a Veteran that has served for the last 15 years helping others.
• I am committed to representing my constituents with honor and dedication.
• I will work to ensure that you have someone representing you in Congress that cares about making our district better.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about Upholding the Constitution, Veterans and Military Families, Education & Schools, Healthcare & Immigration Reform.

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 finance summary

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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.

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Mariela Roca campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	U.S. House Maryland District 6	Lost primary	$289,671	$289,697
2022	U.S. House Maryland District 6	Lost primary	$93,704	$93,678
Grand total			$383,375	$383,375
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete

See also

2024 Elections

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Candidate

U.S. House Maryland District 6

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Footnotes

[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)