Political ads · 2026 · MD

Maryland House District 3 2026: the ads, and who's paying for them

Sarah Elfreth won · 67.3% to 32.7%, with an estimated 91% of the vote counted · Called by AP on Nov 3

Follow Sarah Elfreth in office

Sarah Elfreth won. Get what Sarah Elfreth says in office by email, analyzed for rhetorical techniques, once sworn in. And an email if the result changes: a recount or a call reversed. One-click unsubscribe.

Confirming also makes your free Semblen account, with a 14-day Pro trial. No card.

Sarah Elfreth (Democrat) and Berney Flowers (Republican) are the nominees for Maryland's 3rd congressional district in the November 3, 2026 general election. Sarah Elfreth is the incumbent. By their latest FEC reports, Sarah Elfreth's campaign had raised $1.4 million (through October 14, 2026) and Berney Flowers's campaign $35,000 (through October 14, 2026). Outside groups have reported $2,000 for Sarah Elfreth and $0 against.

Sarah Elfreth (DEM, incumbent), Berney Flowers (REP). 0 ads analyzed, 0 with at least one technique in the copy. Newest first. The paid-for-by line is the advertiser's own filing.

Also on every Maryland ballot: 3 statewide ballot measures → The ballot wording and the official arguments, read for rhetorical techniques.

How to vote in Maryland

From Maryland's official election office. Each line links to the official page it came from.

Registration	Register by Tue, Oct 13 (5 p.m. advance deadline; after that, register in person at early voting or on Election Day.). Same-day registration: At early voting centers and Election Day polling places, with proof of residence. (passed)Source: elections.maryland.gov ↗Source: elections.maryland.gov ↗
Early voting in person	Thu, Oct 22 to Thu, Oct 29 (7 a.m.-8 p.m. daily, including weekend, at any center in your county.) (passed)Source: elections.maryland.gov ↗
By mail	Anyone can vote by mail; request a ballot by Tue, Oct 27 (Received by this date for ballot by mail/fax; 2026-10-30 for print-at-home; in person until 8 p.m. Nov 3.); return it by Tue, Nov 3 (Postmarked by Election Day or in a drop box by 8 p.m.; mailed ballots received by 10 a.m. Nov 13.) (passed)Source: elections.maryland.gov ↗Source: elections.maryland.gov ↗
Election Day	Tue, Nov 3. Polls: 7 a.m. - 8 p.m. (passed)Source: elections.maryland.gov ↗
ID at the polls	No ID for most voters; some first-time voters are asked for photo ID or a document showing name and address.Source: elections.maryland.gov ↗

Check your registration and polling place ↗ Maryland's official election site ↗

Checked October 8, 2026. Rules can change; confirm with the official site before you go.

Something wrong or out of date? Tell us

A person reads every report and fixes errors the same day.

Got a political text?

Paste a campaign text message you’ve received. Semblen marks the persuasion techniques in its wording and lists the factual claims it makes. Take your name out first: what you paste is analyzed and kept like any text.

Semblen is free to read and has no ads. If this page was useful, you can support it.

Money in this race

From FEC filings for 2025–26. Outside spending is money a group spends on its own about a candidate — TV and online ads, mail, canvassing. It is not a donation to the campaign, and the candidate does not control it. Supporting means it was spent to help that candidate win; Opposing means it was spent to defeat them, usually on attack ads. Groups report it within 24 or 48 hours as the election nears. Raised is the campaign's own fundraising, as of its latest quarterly report. Largest donors come from each outside spender's own FEC receipts, with each donor's share of its itemized receipts; donors under $100,000 are not named. People are shown with the employer and occupation they reported. A donor that is itself a political committee is shown with its own largest donors. Companies and nonprofits don't report their funders to the FEC, so the trail ends there, and the page says so.

Sarah Elfreth (DEM, incumbent)

Raised: $1.4M through 2026-10-14 individuals $830K · PACs $593K · candidate's own money, incl. loans $649 · cash on hand $241K
Outside spending: $1,647 supporting Elfreth · latest reported 2025-01-15
Largest outside spenders: NEA ADVOCACY FUND — $1,647 supporting Elfreth Largest donors: Association Nea Advocacy Fund $7.1M (100%), NEA, NOT Applicable

Bundled through PACs: none reported · FEC bulk data of 2026-11-01

155 PACs gave directly — alphabetical; the legal limit is $5,000 per election

AIR LINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION PAC $3,500
ALASKA WILDERNESS LEAGUE ACTION FUND $1,500
ALLIANCE FOR RETIRED AMERICANS POLITICAL ACTION FUND $1,500
ALTICOR, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE ALTIPAC $2,500
AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION - COPE $5,000
AMAZON.COM SERVICES LLC SEPARATE SEGREGATED FUND (AMAZON PAC) $4,000
AMERICA'S CREDIT UNIONS PAC OF CREDIT UNION NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, INC. $2,500
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (SKINPAC) $2,500
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR JUSTICE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (AAJ PAC) $7,500
AMERICAN BANKERS ASSOCIATION PAC (BANKPAC) $2,500
AMERICAN COUNCIL OF ENGINEERING COMPANIES (ACEC/PAC) $5,000
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES $3,500
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES $1,000
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE COUNTY & MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES P E O P L E $10K
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, AFL-CIO COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL EDUCATION $5,000
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION PAC $3,500
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
AMERICAN ISRAEL PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
AMERICAN MARITIME OFFICERS VOLUNTARY POLITICAL ACTION FUND $5,500
AMERICAN PILOTS' ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,000
AMERICAN SPORTFISHING ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $3,000
AMERIPAC: THE FUND FOR A GREATER AMERICA $5,000
ANDURIL INDUSTRIES, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (ANDURIL PAC) $2,000
APPLIED RESEARCH ASSOCIATES, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (ARAPAC) $7,500
ARCHIPAC - THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS $5,000
ARENTFOX SCHIFF CIVIC PARTICIPATION FUND (AFSPAC) $1,000
ASSOCIATION OF MARYLAND PILOTS PAC $1,500
ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL FLIGHT ATTENDANTS (APFA PAC) POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
AT&T INC. EMPLOYEE FEDERAL POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (AT&T EMPLOYEE FEDERAL PAC) $1,000
BARNES & THORNBURG POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,500
BLUE ORIGIN LLC POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (BLUE ORIGIN PAC) $3,500
BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON INC. PAC (BOOZ ALLEN PAC) $8,500
BROTHERHOOD OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS & TRAINMEN PAC FUND $2,500
CACI INTERNATIONAL INC POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE ('CACI PAC') $5,000
CAREFIRST BLUECROSS BLUESHIELD ASSOCIATES FEDERAL PAC $1,000
CARRIER GLOBAL CORPORATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
CHESAPEAKE UTILITIES CORPORATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (CUC PAC) $500
CHUGACH ALASKA CORPORATION PAC (CAC PAC) $6,500
CITIZENS FOR BRIAN FELDMAN $999
CITIZENS HELPING ELECT CHERYL KAGAN $500
CLEAN PAC $1,000
COMMITTEE TO ELECT DAWN GILE $999
COMMUNICATIONS WORKERS OF AMERICA - COPE POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS COMMITTEE $2,500
CONSTELLATION ENERGY CORPORATION EMPLOYEE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (CEPAC) $3,000
COX ENTERPRISES PAC (COXPAC) INC. $1,000
CRH AMERICAS, INC. PAC $2,500
CSX CORPORATION GOOD GOVERNMENT FUND $1,000
D.R.I.V.E. - DEMOCRAT, REPUBLICAN, INDEPENDENT VOTER EDUCATION (THE PAC OF THE INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF TEAMSTERS) $1,500
DEFEND THE VOTE $7,500
DELOITTE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
DEMOCRACY SUMMER LEADERSHIP PAC $1,000
DEMOCRATIC ACTION NETWORK $1,000
DISTRICT NO. 1-PCD, MARINE ENGINEERS' BENEFICIAL ASSOC. - POLITICAL ACTION FUND (MEBA-PAF) $3,500
DRAFTKINGS INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE DBA DRAFTKINGS PAC $1,000
DUTCH RUPPERSBERGER FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE $4,000
EARN INTERNATIONAL UNION OF OPERATING ENGINEERS $2,500
EDP RENEWABLES NORTH AMERICA LLC PAC (AKA EDPR NA PAC) $1,000
ELECT DEMOCRATIC WOMEN $4,500
ELEVANCE HEALTH, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (ELEVANCE HEALTH PAC) $2,500
EMPLOYEES OF NORTHROP GRUMMAN CORPORATION PAC $7,500
EMPLOYEES OF RTX CORPORATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,500
ENTERGY CORPORATION EMPLOYEE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (ENPAC) $1,000
ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE ACTION FUND PAC (EDAF PAC) $1,000
ERIC COSTELLO FOR BALTIMORE $999
ERNST & YOUNG POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
EXELON CORPORATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,000
FAIR SHOT PAC $4,000
FIRSTENERGY CORP POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,000
FLUOR CORPORATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (FLUOR PAC) $2,000
FRIENDS OF ANDREW PRUSKI $500
FRIENDS OF BEN BARNES $999
FRIENDS OF GUY GUZZONE $999
FRIENDS OF JAZZ LEWIS $500
FRIENDS OF JEFF WALDSTREICHER $999
FRIENDS OF KATIE FRY HESTER $999
FRIENDS OF PAM BEIDLE $1,000
FUTURE FORUM PAC $3,500
GENERAL DYNAMICS CORPORATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (GENERAL DYNAMICS EMPLOYEE PAC) $3,500
HANNON ARMSTRONG CAPITAL, LLC CLIMATE SOLUTIONS PAC (AKA HANNON ARMSTRONG CLIMATE SOLUTIONS PAC) $3,500
HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $8,000
HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN PAC $1,000
HUNTINGTON INGALLS INDUSTRIES, INC. EMPLOYEES POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (HIIPAC) $5,500
IBEW PAC VOLUNTARY FUND $2,500
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE FIGHTERS $3,000
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE FIGHTERS $2,000
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SHEET METAL, AIR, RAIL AND TRANSPORTATION WORKERS POLITICAL ACTION LEAGUE $5,000
INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF SHOPPING CENTERS INC POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (ICSC PAC) $1,000
INTERNATIONAL LONGSHOREMEN'S ASSOCIATION COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL EDUCATION $5,000
KBR, INC. PAC $1,000
KRATOS DEFENSE & SECURITY SOLUTIONS, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (KRATOS PAC) $2,500
L3HARRIS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. PAC $5,000
LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS ACTION FUND $3,050
LEIDOS INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $10K
LEONARDO DRS PAC $7,000
LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION $3,000
MACHINISTS NON PARTISAN POLITICAL LEAGUE OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MACHINISTS & AEROSPACE WORKERS $5,000
MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION FOR PRIVATE PHOTOGRAMMETRIC SURVEYORS PAC (MAPPS PAC) $1,000
MASTERS, MATES AND PILOTS POLITICAL CONTRIBUTION FUND $6,658
NATIONAL ACTIVE AND RETIRED FEDERAL EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COM (NARFE-PAC) $2,000
NATIONAL AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS ASSOCIATION PAC (NATCA) $1,000
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BENEFITS AND INSURANCE PROFESSIONALS PAC (NABIP PAC) $2,000
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MANUFACTURERS PAC (NAM-PAC) $1,500
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF POSTAL SUPERVISORS PAC $2,000
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $4,000
NATIONAL BEER WHOLESALERS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
NATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF SOCIAL SECURITY CLAIMANTS' REPRESENTATIVES PAC (NOSSCR PAC) $1,000
NATIONAL POSTAL MAIL HANDLERS UNION - DIVISION OF LABORERS' INT'L UNION OF NORTH AMERICA $1,000
NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION PAC (RESTAURANT PAC) $2,500
NATIONAL RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION AMERICA'S ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES PAC $1,000
NCTA - THE INTERNET & TELEVISION ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (NCTAPAC) $1,000
NELSON MULLINS RILEY & SCARBOROUGH, LLP FEDERAL POLITICAL COMMITTEE $1,000
NEW DEMOCRAT COALITION ACTION FUND $1,000
NEXTERA ENERGY, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
NRDC ACTION FUND INC PAC $2,000
ORACLE AMERICA, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (ORACLE PAC) $1,500
OWENS & MINOR, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (OWENS & MINOR PAC) $1,500
PERATON CORP. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (A.K.A. 'PERATON PAC') $7,000
RELATIVITY SPACE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (RELATIVITY PAC) $1,000
RENAL PHYSICIANS ASSOCIATION PAC RPA PAC $2,500
ROCKET LAB USA, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (ROCKET LAB PAC) $1,000
SEAFARERS POLITICAL ACTIVITY DONATION - SEAFARERS INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NA-AGLIW $4,158
SEIU COPE (SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL EDUCATION) $2,500
SIERRA CLUB POLITICAL COMMITTEE $1,522
SIERRA NEVADA COMPANY, LLC POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,000
SMITH & NEPHEW, INC. PAC (S+N PAC) $4,000
SOCIETY OF INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,000
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES PILOTS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (SWAPA PAC) $5,000
STOP GUN VIOLENCE PAC $2,500
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT COALITION PAC (SEEC PAC) $2,500
T-MOBILE US, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (T-PAC) $1,000
TENABLE, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (TENABLE PAC) $5,000
TEXTRON INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $4,500
THALES USA, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (THALES USA PAC) $6,500
THE BOEING COMPANY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,500
THE CIGNA GROUP EMPLOYEE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
THE COUNCIL OF INSURANCE AGENTS & BROKERS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
THE HOME DEPOT INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
THE NEA FUND FOR CHILDREN AND PUBLIC EDUCATION $4,000
THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY ACTION FUND POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (PAC) $2,000
TRANSPORT WORKERS UNION OF AMERICA POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS COMMITTEE $3,000
UBS AMERICAS INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (UBS PAC) $5,000
UNITED PARCEL SERVICE, INC. PAC (UPSPAC) $2,500
UNITED PILOTS PAC/UNITED AIRLINES MASTER EXECUTIVE COUNCIL $1,000
UNITED POSTMASTERS AND MANAGERS OF AMERICA POLITICAL FUND $1,500
UNITED SERVICES AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION EMPLOYEE PAC - USAA EMPLOYEE PAC $2,500
UNITEDHEALTH GROUP INCORPORATED PAC (UNITEDHEALTH GROUP PAC) $1,000
US ONCOLOGY INC. NETWORK POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
VENABLE PAC (VEN-PAC) $1,000
VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (VERIZON PAC) $2,000
VNA HOLDING INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (VG PAC) $2,000
WALMART INC. PAC FOR RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT $3,500
WINE AND SPIRITS WHOLESALERS OF AMERICA, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
WSP USA INC. PAC $2,500

All filings at the FEC ↗

Berney Flowers (REP)

Raised: $35K through 2026-10-14 individuals $27K · PACs $1,250 · party $4,500 · candidate's own money, incl. loans $3,000 · cash on hand $9,035
Outside spending: none reported

Bundled through PACs: none reported · FEC bulk data of 2026-11-01

2 PACs gave directly — alphabetical; the legal limit is $5,000 per election

HOWARD COUNTY REPUBLICAN CENTRAL COMMITTEE $1,000
PAPALEONTI, JACK $250

All filings at the FEC ↗

No campaign ads analyzed for this race yet.

What this page is

An ad is on this page because its own "Paid for by" line is a campaign in this race; or it comes from a national Senate group and ran mostly in MD; or it ran mostly in MD and names a candidate — unless its sponsor is a campaign for some other office. Ads from outside groups appear alongside the campaigns' own.
Campaigns run one text as many separate ads. Identical text from the same sponsor is one card here, marked with its number of variants.
A technique is a specific rhetorical move in the wording, found by our model and explained in one line. It is not a claim that the ad is false.
Claims are checked when a reader asks: press "Check this ad's claims" on a card. Running a check and seeing its verdicts are part of Semblen Pro, because each check costs money to run; anyone can see which claims an ad makes. The ten ads with the most money behind them in each race are checked ahead of time.
Claim verdicts say what the cited sources say. A verdict that an ad is wrong or misleading is shown only when it cites an established fact-checker or an institutional record — Congress, a federal agency, a court — and its confidence is not low; a weaker one is not shown at all. Each verdict shows what it rests on and how confident it is. If we got one wrong, press Disagree: a verdict that readers dispute and no one defends comes down.
Video ads come from the campaigns' own YouTube channels; the transcript is analyzed. Meta ads are analyzed on their text; their video and images are not, yet.