ARNOLD, Md./SHADY SIDE, Md. (Heartland Newsfeed) — Two Libertarians based in Anne Arundel County, Maryland have hopes that distrust and frustration with the Democratic and Republican parties — and of the U.S. government as a whole — will boost their chances next year in their Congressional Races.

Dave Bishop, a resident of Arnold, is running for the seat in Maryland CD-4, currently held by Democratic representative Anthony G. Brown. Despite having an active campaign page, Brown, a former Maryland lieutenant governor who was elected to the post in 2016, has not filed for a re-election bid in 2018.

Jacob Pulcher, a resident of Shady Side, is running for the seat in a nearby district, Maryland CD-5, currently held by career politician and current Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, who has filed for possible re-election to a twentieth term. Hoyer has been in office since first elected in 1980. Hoyer has faced some blowback this week regarding incidents of sexual misconduct by colleagues in the House, saying calling for the resignation of fellow Democrats who are awaiting appearances in the Ethics Committee.

While both candidates admit their chances are a long shot, as Libertarians have not performed well in Congressional races in the past, Brown and Hoyer defeated their Republican opposition by dozens of points in the 2016 election.

The candidates were nominated and confirmed by the Libertarian Party of Maryland and expect to be on the ballot for the 2018 general election on November 6, 2018.