06/06/2026
Mark Fisher – From a BLM Advocate to a Republican Candidate
By Dr. Qin Wang
On May 16, a group of Republicans gathered at the beautiful Historic Oakland Manor in Howard County, Maryland, to celebrate America's 250th birthday. Attendees included candidates running in the 2026 midterm elections as well as ordinary citizens who support conservative principles—White Americans, Black Americans, and Asian Americans like myself.
Over the past several weeks, I have been following and writing about several candidates running in the 2026 midterm elections. One interesting observation is that Howard County has a number of Black Republican candidates this year, which challenges my previous assumptions. I had always believed that the vast majority of Black voters saw the Democratic Party as representing their interests and therefore consistently voted Democratic.
Curious about this trend, I decided to speak directly with some of the candidates. The first was Berney Flowers, a candidate for Congress. Berney told me that he grew up in North Carolina and has always held conservative values.
The next person I spoke with was Mark Fisher, the Republican candidate for Maryland House of Delegates District 13. District 13 includes parts of southeastern Howard County, including Columbia, Elkridge, Laurel, and portions of Clarksville and Highland.
My conversation with Mark was particularly interesting because he had previously been an organizer and advocate for the Black Lives Matter movement. When I asked him about his political journey, he smiled and replied, “Have you heard the saying: If you're 20 and not a Democrat, you have no heart; if you're 40 and not a Republican, you have no brain?” It was a direct and familiar response, and we both laughed.
Of course, Mark—and Berney, who was standing nearby—offered a more detailed explanation. They believe that many Black Americans are, in fact, conservative in their values and are increasingly realizing that many of the promises made by the Democratic Party to the Black community will never be fulfilled.
According to Mark's campaign website and public statements, he is an entrepreneur with a background in leadership and community involvement. His policy positions are not fundamentally different from those of other Republican candidates. He advocates for limited government, individual responsibility, economic opportunity, and constitutional principles—values commonly shared among conservative candidates across Maryland.
Author: Dr. Qin Wang, a long time resident of Howard County, is currently retired, enjoying travel and writing. She holds a PhD of Political Science from Southern Illinois at Carbondale.
Candidate for State Delegate District 13: Fighting for safer communities, lower costs, and a government that actually works for you.
