Lorie Friend describes herself as a “non-political nurse” who has “jumped into the political arena.”
A native of Dundalk, Friend’s ties to the area go back generations. Her grandfather worked at the Bethlehem Steel Mill, she went to Gray Manor Elementary School as a child, and she still has family here.
Friend, a Republican, has thrown her hat into the ring for the state’s highly contested open U.S. Senate seat, running on a platform she said centers around ensuring medical freedoms for Maryland residents.
The catalyst for her involvement in politics, she said, came when the COVID-19 pandemic prompted vaccine mandates and other measures she felt violated personal liberties.
“I felt like it infringed upon my medical freedom,” Friend said. “... My job was threatened. It was either you take the vaccine or you lose your job, and that was a fight that I had to win because they really didn’t give you any options, and Hogan didn’t help that at all.”
Friend is a registered nurse at Garrett Memorial Hospital, where she has worked for more than 27 years.
She will face off against six other Republicans, including former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, for the party’s nomination for the Senate seat during the statewide primary election on May 14.
“I want people to know that they have a choice besides Larry Hogan,” Friend said.
This is her second time running for political office. Friend was defeated in the Republican primary for the state’s other U.S. Senate seat in 2022. She placed second in that primary with 14.7 percent of the vote, according to the State Board of Elections.
“Of course, now we have so many other issues,” Friend said. “I continued on because I just felt like we have a humanitarian crisis. You know, it was really never my intention beyond the first running to run again, but I had a lot of push to run again.”
Among other issues Friend said are central to her campaign are supporting small businesses and addressing illegal immigration.
A lifelong Maryland resident, Friend said she has connections all around the state that help to inform her campaign. She hopes to appeal to voters looking to elect a senator who does not come from a background of politics or money.
“I really want to just run on myself and my own merit, and I want people to know who Lorie Friend is and how I stand up for the American people because I am actually one of them,” she said. “I don’t come from money. I’m not like Larry Hogan. He’s not affected by any of this because he has millions.”
“As a nurse, I advocate for my patients. As a senator, I would advocate for Marylanders,” Friend said.
Maryland’s Primary Elections will be held on May 14, 2024. Early voting will be open May 2–9.
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