Aisha Braveboy

Aisha Nazapa Braveboy (born July 29, 1974) is an American politician who has served as the county executive of Prince George's County, Maryland since 2025. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the state's attorney of Prince George's County from 2018 to 2025, and a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from the 25th district from 2007 to 2015.

Braveboy unsuccessfully ran for attorney general of Maryland in 2014, losing to state senator Brian Frosh in the Democratic primary. In 2025, following the election of Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks to the U.S. Senate, Braveboy successfully ran to fill the remainder of Alsobrooks's term as county executive.

Early life and education

Braveboy was born in Washington, D.C., to father Cuthbert and mother Norma Braveboy, who migrated to the United States from Saint Patrick Parish, Grenada. She graduated from Largo High School and later attended the University of Maryland, College Park, where she earned a bachelor of art degree in government and politics in 1997. Afterwards, Braveboy earned her Juris Doctor degree from the Howard University School of Law in 2000.

After graduating, Braveboy became an associate with Bowie, Maryland law firm Gabriel J. Christian & Associates. From 2000 to 2002, she worked as an attorney for the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission.

Political career

Braveboy first got involved in politics in 2002, when she worked on the county executive campaign of Jack B. Johnson. From 2003 to 2005, she worked as an advisor to Prince George's County officials. Afterwards, Braveboy worked in the Office of Central Services, where she managed properties owned or leased by the county.

In 2003, Braveboy started the Community Public Awareness Council nonprofit, which sought to provide mental health services and workshops to first-time juvenile offenders and their families to reduce truancy.

Maryland House of Delegates

In 2006, Braveboy ran for the Maryland House of Delegates in District 25, seeking to succeed state delegate Anthony Brown, who ran for Lieutenant Governor of Maryland.
Braveboy was sworn into the office on January 10, 2007. During her tenure, she supported legislation to reduce mass incarceration and domestic violence, and to protect homeowners from deceptive lenders.

Braveboy was a member of the Economic Matters Committee during her entire tenure, including as the chair of its consumer protection and commercial law subcommittee from 2011 to 2015. She was also a member of the Prince George's County Delegation and Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland. She served as the caucus's chair from 2012 to 2014, during which she advocated for increased funding for historically black colleges and universities and opposed legislation setting mandatory minimum sentences.

2014 Attorney General campaign

On September 19, 2013, Braveboy filed to run for Attorney General of Maryland. Her platform included supporting the state's historically black colleges and universities, opposing the death penalty, and fighting against large polluters.

During the Democratic primary, her campaign received endorsements from various labor unions, including the Washington D.C. Building and Construction Trades Council and International Association of Fire Fighters Local 1619.

Braveboy was defeated by state senator Brian Frosh in the Democratic primary on June 24, 2014, placing last with 20.1 percent of the vote. If elected, she would have been Maryland's first African American attorney general. Following her defeat, Braveboy worked as a lobbyist for the Children's National Health System and the Innovations Group LLC until 2018.

Prince George's State's Attorney

Elections

On November 9, 2017, Braveboy announced her candidacy for state's attorney of Prince George's County. She ran on a progressive platform that included prosecuting domestic violence, expanding county diversion programs, and prosecuting repeat violent offenders. Braveboy led the Democratic primary in endorsements, which included the Prince George's County Fraternal Order of Police, correctional officers union, and various labor unions. She won the Democratic primary on June 26, 2018, receiving 62.8 percent of the vote, and ran unopposed in the general election.

Braveboy ran for reelection unopposed in 2022.

Tenure

Braveboy was sworn in as state's attorney on January 7, 2019. Upon being sworn in, she named juvenile justice reform and crackdowns on illegal guns as her top priorities while in office.

In 2019, Braveboy created the state's first conviction and sentencing integrity unit to weigh new consideration for county convictions and sentencings, which led to the release of seven people sentenced to life as juveniles. Later that year, she announced that the county would no longer recommend cash bail as a condition of release, instead requesting alternatives including counseling, drug testing, and mental health evaluations.

In March 2020, after Prince George's County recorded its first case of COVID-19, Braveboy sought the release of 150 pretrial defendants to reduce the spread of the virus.

During the 2020 legislative session, Braveboy supported legislation to make strangulation a first-degree felony assault and another bill to allow prosecutors to pursue hate crime charges for acts "motivated in part" by hate. In October 2020, she launched an initiative to support victims of domestic violence and strangulation.

In May 2021, following a national spike in carjackings, Braveboy launched a task force to increase awareness and prevention of carjackings in Prince George's County, which collaborated with community organizers to host community-focused events and broadcast commercials targeting young people. She also worked with U.S. Attorney Erek Barron to prosecute carjackings. In August 2021, Braveboy endorsed efforts encouraging the Biden administration to create a task form to reform the justice system to be less punitive and more equitable.

Prince George's County Executive

Election

In November 2024, after county executive Angela Alsobrooks won the 2024 United States Senate election in Maryland, Braveboy said that she would run to succeed Alsobrooks as county executive. After Alsobrooks resigned on December 2, 2024, Braveboy formally announced her candidacy in the 2025 Prince George's County executive special election. Her campaign was endorsed by Governor Wes Moore. She placed first in the Democratic primary election, declaring victory on election night with 40% of the vote in preliminary results. Braveboy defeated Republican nominee Jonathan White in the general election on June 3, 2025 with over 85% of the vote.

Tenure

Braveboy was sworn into office on June 18, 2025, a day ahead of a public swearing-in ceremony.

Political positions

Criminal justice

In 2013, Braveboy introduced a bill to remove the check box that asks if applicants have a criminal record from hiring applications for state jobs. The bill passed and was signed into law by Governor Martin O'Malley. She also voted in favor of legislation to repeal the death penalty, which passed the House of Delegates by a 82–56 vote.

In June 2020, after the American Civil Liberties Union released a 92-page partially redacted report detailing discriminatory actions taken by the Prince George's County Police Department that prompted the resignation of Chief Hank Stawinski, Braveboy called for increased police transparency and sought greater access to police officer records.

In September 2020, Braveboy said she opposed ceding the ability to prosecute police officers to an independent body, and lobbied against efforts to pass a bill doing so during the 2021 legislative session. In 2021, she testified in support of the Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2021, a police transparency and accountability reform package. In October 2021, she released the county's "do-not-call" list of 57 officers with credibility issues.

In 2021, Braveboy said she supported legislation to end life sentences without parole for juveniles.

During the 2023 legislative session, Braveboy said she supported legislation to establish a "safe harbor" to protect minors who are victims of trafficking.

During the 2024 legislative session, Braveboy supported legislation to extend probationary periods for gun crimes committed by juveniles, limit the Child Interrogation Protection Act, and allow state's attorneys to file a motion to modify an incarcerated individual's sentence "at any time".

Education

During the 2012 legislative session, Braveboy introduced legislation to require students to stay in school until they turn 18 years old, which passed and was signed into law by Governor Martin O'Malley. She also opposed shifting the state's $239 million teacher pension system to counties.

Environment

In 2012 and 2013, Braveboy opposed bills to levy a five cent tax on disposable bags.

Gun control

In April 2013, Braveboy voted for the Firearm Safety Act of 2013, a gun control reform package.

In May 2021, Braveboy launched the "Our Streets, Our Future" campaign to promote gun violence prevention efforts in Prince George's County through community engagement, employment services, and social media advertisements targeted toward young people.

In 2022, Braveboy said she supported a bill to ban privately made firearms in Maryland.

Housing

During the 2014 legislative session, Braveboy testified in support of a bill that would ban deficiency judgments and place a six-month moratorium on foreclosures.

Minimum wage

In 2013, Braveboy introduced legislation to raise the state minimum wage to $10.10 per hour by 2015. In 2014, she voted for a bill to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour by 2017.

Redistricting

During the 2010 redistricting cycle, Braveboy supported efforts to create a third minority-majority congressional district. She later voted against the state's redistricting plan, which she said "dilutes minority votes by breaking them up into several districts".

In 2014, Braveboy said she supported the Open Our Democracy Act, which would require states to use independent redistricting commissions to draw federal and state districts.

Social issues

In 2008, Braveboy voted against bills that would give domestic partners hospital visitation and medical decision-making rights in emergency situations. In 2011, during debate on the Civil Marriage Protection Act, which she voted against, Braveboy introduced an amendment that would block the bill from going into effect unless it was approved in a statewide referendum. Her amendment was criticized by supporters of same-sex marriage rights as a delay tactic, but she later defended her amendment as a way to gauge public opinion. In 2014, Braveboy voted for legislation to ban discrimination against transgender individuals.

In 2011, Braveboy abstained from voting on a bill to prohibit Prince George's County officials from taking contributions from developers with development proposals in the county, saying that she would prefer a statewide ban on such contributions.

During the 2012 legislative session, Braveboy introduced a bill to repeal a law that gave presiding religious denominations the legal authority to seize properties of local congregations.

In November 2012, Braveboy spoke against Question 4, a ballot referendum that sought to repeal Maryland's Dream Act, a bill that would extend in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants.

In 2014, Braveboy said she supported a bill to decriminalize simple marijuana possession in Maryland.

In July 2022, following the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in ''Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization'', which repealed ''Roe v. Wade'', Braveboy said she would not cooperate with extradition requests for individuals who travel across state lines to get an abortion.

Taxes

In 2013, Braveboy voted against a bill to index the state's gas tax to inflation to fund the state's transportation budget.

Electoral history

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Braveboy, Aisha N.
1974 births
Living people
African-American state legislators in Maryland
American people of Grenadian descent
Democratic Party members of the Maryland House of Delegates
Howard University School of Law alumni
Lawyers from Washington, D.C.
Politicians from Washington, D.C.
State's attorneys in Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park alumni
Women state legislators in Maryland
21st-century American women politicians
21st-century African-American women politicians
21st-century African-American politicians
21st-century American women lawyers
21st-century American lawyers
21st-century African-American lawyers
Politicians from Prince George's County, Maryland
21st-century members of the Maryland General Assembly
Candidates in the 2014 United States elections