WASHINGTON — Democrat Kweisi Mfume was sworn in Tuesday to the Baltimore-area congressional seat he once held for nearly 10 years, returning Maryland’s congressional delegation to full strength for the first time in more than six months.
Mfume, 71, won a mostly vote-by-mail special election on April 28, defeating Republican commentator and nonprofit founder Kimberly Klacik to reclaim the 7th Congressional District seat he held before leaving to head the NAACP in 1996.
State election officials have until Friday to certify the results of the election, but Mfume led 74% to 25% as of Tuesday morning in the canvass.
The seat became vacant when Baltimore Democrat Elijah Cummings, who had a rare form of cancer, died in October.
Mfume will fill the remainder of Cummings’ term, ending Jan. 3. He is also running in a June primary to try to win a full, two-year term representing the district, which includes parts of Baltimore City, Baltimore County and Howard County.
During a brief session Tuesday of the U.S. House, Mfume was read the oath of office by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Mask-wearing members of Maryland’s delegation looked on, each standing several feet from one another.
Removing his mask to speak, Mfume acknowledged the unusual circumstances surrounding the ceremony due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has closed much of the nation’s economy, caused record unemployment and forced many Americans to take shelter in their homes. Quoting a passage from Howard University president emeritus James Cheek, Mfume encouraged his colleagues not to give up on the “American possibility” amid those challenges.
“It is against that backdrop that I welcome and embrace both this challenge and opportunity before me,” Mfume said.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of southern Maryland, who introduced Mfume, called him a skilled and experienced replacement for Cummings.
“We welcome Representative Mfume back to his old seat to carry on the work he and Elijah have both been engaged in for many, many years,” Hoyer said.
“The voters of the 7th District, to their credit, replaced great intellect with great intellect,” Hoyer added.
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