Maryland State Senate candidate Raaheela Ahmed is calling for the immediate retraction of a campaign mailer distributed during the Democratic primary race in District 23, alleging that the material contains false and misleading claims about her professional activities.
Ahmed, a former Prince George’s County Board of Education member and longtime democracy advocate, is running for the District 23 Senate seat after narrowly missing victory in her 2022 bid by just 2 percentage points. A lifelong Bowie resident, Ahmed has built her campaign around education funding, government transparency and civic engagement.
The latest development in the race centers on a mailer authorized by the Maryland Democratic Senate Caucus Committee that criticizes Ahmed’s involvement in purchasing tax-sale properties. The mailer alleges that Ahmed “forced Marylanders off their land” and “forced their properties into foreclosure,” while also claiming she profited from residents who had fallen behind on property taxes.
READ: Maryland District 23 candidate Raaheela Ahmed on education, transparency, and public service (
In response, Ahmed’s attorney, Michael D. Herman, sent a cease-and-desist letter to the Maryland Democratic Senate Caucus Committee on June 15, arguing that the statements are “factually incorrect” and intended to mislead voters. The letter requests an immediate retraction and correction of the claims before Election Day.
According to the attorney, Ahmed purchased properties through tax sales after foreclosure proceedings had already been initiated by government entities. The letter further contends that three of the properties highlighted in the mailer were ultimately redeemed by their owners after delinquent taxes were paid, allowing the owners to retain possession of their properties. As a result, the letter argues that the individuals referenced in the campaign material were “never forced off their land.”
Responding to the allegations, Ahmed also told The American Bazaar: “If you’ve seen or received an attack ad about me, here’s the truth.”
“The ad is based on a nearly decade-old public tax lien matter involving vacant, undeveloped parcels of land. The public record is clear: No homes existed there. No residential structures were ever built there. Most importantly, no families lived there, and absolutely no one was displaced,” Ahmed said.
“Yet, my opponent’s establishment-funded campaign chose to use misleading images of children and homes to fabricate a crisis that simply does not exist,” she continued. “Reaching back nearly a decade to distort an old public record shows just how desperate their campaign has become.”
Ahmed said she intends to keep the focus on policy issues rather than campaign attacks.
“I will not let them hijack the conversation,” she said. “This campaign is, and always will be, about the real issues facing Maryland families. My record of service and the broad coalition of educators, labor unions, and grassroots organizations supporting us speak for themselves.”
“The establishment can try to buy influence, but real trust must be earned,” Ahmed added. “I am proud of the deep trust we have built with the people and organizations rooted right here in our community.”
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“And perhaps that’s why, after all the establishment money spent attacking me, this is the best they could come up with,” she said. “Let’s reject the noise, look at the facts, and focus on building a Maryland that works for everyone.”
The attorney also accused the committee of engaging in “false and misleading electioneering” and argued that political advertising, while often aggressive, should not include statements that are factually inaccurate.
Images of the disputed mailer included with the complaint feature headlines such as “Instead of Helping — Raaheela Ahmed Threw Them Off Their Land” and “Raaheela Ahmed Is Not On Our Side,” alongside allegations concerning tax-sale property purchases.