Wala Blegay, Maryland’s 5th Congressional District candidate speaks exclusively with the TANTV Civic & Political Voices Network on the issues shaping the 2026 race.
TANTV Civic & Political Voices Network
In an exclusive sit-down with TANTV Editor-in-Chief Adedayo Fashanu, Prince George’s County Council Member At-Large and Maryland’s 5th Congressional District candidate Wala Blegay did not hold back.
From Gaza to data centers, AI surveillance to ICE deportations, Blegay answered audience-submitted questions directly — offering some of her most candid positions yet as the June 23 Democratic primary
On Accountability: The Data Center Vote That Cost Her
Asked to name a vote that hurt her politically but protected residents, Blegay pointed immediately to her decision to pause data center development at the former Landover Mall site.
“That was one where we got a lot of pushback from the business community — that this was sending the wrong message,” she said. “However, we needed to listen to the residents. The grid was overloaded. There was high water usage that needed to be worked out. And that site was too close to people’s homes.”
Blegay said the Qualified Data Center Task Force had made clear early on that the county’s infrastructure was not ready — and she stood firm despite pressure from developers and business groups.
On AIPAC and Gaza: ‘America First Means No Corporate PAC Money’
When asked whether she would publicly reject contributions from AIPAC, the United Democracy Project, Democratic Majority for Israel, and aligned PACs, Blegay was direct.
“Yes. I have rejected AIPAC money because I do not want us to continue to spend a billion a day on a war,” she said. “I feel strongly that we need to send a message that we are now America first — and you cannot do America first when you’re receiving money from people who have interests beyond the American people.”
On conditions for U.S. military aid to Israel, Blegay drew on a deeply personal lens. As a first-generation Liberian and Nigerian American, she said watching the Liberian Civil War devastate her family shaped how she sees armed conflict — and how she sees the situation in Gaza.
“When I saw those visuals — children being bombed, people losing their lives — it had such an impact on me.”
While a ceasefire took effect in October 2025, Blegay made clear she views it as fragile and incomplete — and that U.S. arms transfers to Israel should stop regardless. The ceasefire agreement has faced significant strain six months in, with humanitarian conditions in Gaza still dire and the U.S. continuing to approve arms sales to Israel as recently as March 2026. For Blegay, the debate is not over.
“There’s no need for us to be sending arms to Israel at this time. We’re involved in a war that we’re paying for while we can’t even pay for SNAP benefits and while we cannot even pay for infrastructure in our community — one of the biggest issues in Southern Maryland. No money should be leaving this country.”
On Palestinian statehood, Blegay said she supports Palestinian rights and a two-state solution with equal rights for all — and repeated her opposition to arms or money leaving the U.S. during what she called a domestic crisis.
On Data Centers and Electric Bills: ‘Seniors Are Paying $1,800 a Month’
Blegay confirmed her support for Senator Van Hollen’s Power for the People Act, which would require hyperscale data centers to generate their own power rather than drawing from the public grid and passing costs onto consumers.
“I have seniors paying $1,300 to $1,800 a month on utility bills,” she said. “A lot of families are facing high utility costs in the middle of a time where groceries are high, where cost of living is high — and then there’s a billionaire gaining off of a data center, and we’re paying for it.”
She acknowledged pushback from some labor unions who build these facilities, but held her position: data centers must be built union, and the federal government — not states or counties — should set the policy framework.
As for the Landover Mall site, Blegay envisions something different entirely. “We could do mixed-use development with entertainment — something experiential, like what Six Flags has done. People are looking for that right now. We can use that opportunity to really serve the community.”
On AI: ‘I Have Not Taken Any AI PAC Money’
Pressed on what safeguards should exist before government agencies deploy AI in benefits, policing, schools, hiring, or immigration, Blegay tied her answer directly to her campaign finance decisions.
“That’s why I have not taken any AI PAC money — because I am trying to stay committed to ensuring that AI is responsible,” she said.
Her task force, she explained, was designed to help local business owners innovate — not to replace workers or enable surveillance. The rules, she said, must come from Washington.
“Whatever they put forth — they’re not replacing jobs, they’re not spying on people, they’re not using their tools to put people in jail. They’re following all the ethical rules.”
On transparency, she said public agencies should be required to disclose every AI system they use. “Transparency is important. We should be putting it forward and creating guidelines at the federal level that rights are not violated.”
On ICE and Immigration: ‘ICE Has No Goal — It’s an Excuse’
Blegay, who sponsored local legislation in Prince George’s County to block private detention facilities, said she would vote to end all federal private immigration detention contracts.
“ICE has no goal. All we’re doing is harassing people who have been here a long time,” she said. “That’s an excuse for not passing immigration reform. These are people who’ve done nothing but keep their heads down, work hard, and take care of their families.”
She said local governments should refuse cooperation with ICE detainers unless a judicial warrant is presented — a model she said Prince George’s County has already embraced. Nearby, Montgomery County has taken similar steps with its own ICE Out Act blocking private detention centers. “We put every barrier in place to make it clear that ICE is not welcome.”
On families currently facing deportation proceedings in the county, Blegay said she is still working locally to help fund legal support — but made clear her priority is getting to the federal level. “We need to pause these deportation proceedings. We need to make it harder for someone to be deported — because we are not deporting people who are hurting anyone.”
On Her Appointment and Democratic Process
Blegay also addressed a lawsuit filed by residents over her at-large council appointment following Councilman Hawkins’ resignation. She defended the process as legal and fiscally responsible, noting that the last at-large appointment filled through a special election cost the county approximately $600,000.
“It’s not ideal on the democratic side — I know that. But it is for a short time to save money so we’re not spending unnecessarily on special elections,” she said.
On Campaign Finance: Refunded Checks and Compliance
Asked about refunded organizational receipts in her amended FEC filing — including one from Atar Enterprises — Blegay said her compliance team caught and returned contributions that should not have been kept.
“We had a lot of fundraisers where people would show up and give checks. I don’t know Atar Enterprises, but when we saw it, we made sure it was returned,” she said.
Closing: ‘We’ve Continuously Been Accountable to the People’
Blegay closed by pointing to her local record — stopping developments at Freeway Airport, pausing data centers, launching an ER wait-time task force amid Prince George’s County’s growing primary care challenges — as evidence of how she intends to govern at the federal level.
“When people said they did not want development that did not make sense, we stopped it. When people were concerned about data centers, we paused them. We’ve continuously been accountable to the people.”
The June 23 Democratic primary
Blegay is seeking to fill the seat left open by longtime Congressman Steny Hoyer’s retirement, in a crowded field of Democratic candidates vying to represent Prince George’s County and Southern Maryland in the U.S. House.
This interview was conducted as part of the TANTV Civic & Political Voices Network — designed to connect civic leaders, public officials, and trusted community voices directly with the residents they serve. Watch the full interview at tantvnews.com and on YouTube.
