I’m joined today by Bobby Lein, a candidate running for Maryland’s State Senate in District 46. Now, I rarely dive into state-level races, but this one stands out for a very specific reason. Bobby is challenging Democratic incumbent Bill Ferguson — a figure many in political media have labeled “the most disliked Democrat in America” due to his refusal to support efforts to redraw Maryland’s electoral maps, even as Republican-controlled states like Texas, Ohio, and North Carolina aggressively reshaped theirs to gain political advantage.
Bobby explains that stepping into this race wasn’t part of his original plan. He speaks from a place of personal frustration — a frustration echoed across the country. With 67% of Americans living paycheck to paycheck, drowning in medical debt, and struggling against rising costs, he watched people like his mother work multiple jobs only to come home exhausted and overlooked. For him, this race is less about politics and more about protecting people who feel forgotten.
He shares memories from his childhood, playing “soldier” with friends in a small wooded lot near their home and arguing over who got to “be America,” because being the United States meant being the good guy. That early belief in justice, fairness, and opportunity eventually led him to join the Army — a decision that opened doors he wouldn’t have had otherwise as the son of a single mother. But growing older made him realize the America he believed in doesn’t exist for everyone. Equity and freedom, he says, are not realities for millions of people.
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That’s where his frustration with Senator Ferguson comes in. According to Bobby, Ferguson made a conscious choice — not to defend the people of Baltimore, not even the broader public across Maryland, but instead to protect a political process at the expense of its citizens. All while seniors choose between food and medication, working families drown in energy and healthcare bills, and children attend schools where the heat doesn’t work in winter.
Bobby recalls teaching government in a Baltimore high school where students kept their coats on in freezing classrooms. He also points out that in one of the wealthiest states in human history, 30% of residents in his city rely on SNAP benefits just to eat — while energy companies enjoy massive profits and little regulation. Meanwhile, Ferguson continues accepting donations from healthcare and energy PACs.
He then talks about a turning point for him personally — the moment the sitting U.S. President deployed masked federal agents into Baltimore neighborhoods, pulling people from their cars and homes. Small business owners kept their doors locked in fear. Instead of defending the city, Bobby says, his senator backed away, claiming the situation was “too risky” and “too complicated.”
Bobby also shares his unexpected rise on social media. In 2022, after getting his captain’s license and launching a small boat charter service, he started an Instagram page, originally just to promote the business. But after posting a simple sunset video showing the real beauty of Baltimore — and receiving hateful comments stereotyping the city as violent — he shifted his content toward showcasing a more truthful, positive side of the community. His audience grew, and with it, his voice.
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