Meet Mckayla

My name is Mckayla Wilkes. I’m running to represent Charles County’s 3rd District because we deserve a representative who will prioritize working class people. When I was a child, I was incarcerated for missing class while dealing with grief undiagnosed depression after losing my aunt in the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the Pentagon. When I was pregnant, I nearly died due to deep-vein thrombosis after my pain was repeatedly dismissed, then watched as my insurance company attempted to deny covering life-saving medication. I’ve had to support my family while living paycheck-to-paycheck. These experiences are how I know firsthand it’s time for change.

I first ran for Congress in 2020 to fight for working-class people who feel disenfranchised by our political system. With the help of a great team behind me, we built a grassroots movement unlike any seen before in MD-05. We knocked on over 57,000 doors (before the pandemic began) and made over 400,000 calls to voters. Every conversation began the same way: “What issues are most important to you?” Our campaign won more votes than any Democratic challenger in 40 years. Since then, I co-founded the youth-led advocacy organization Schools Not Jails to ensure no one experiences the school-to-prison pipeline like I was forced to.

Now, I’m running to represent Charles County’s 3rd District because We Deserve Change. Without a doubt, our political system has been and continues to be dominated by corporate money and lobbying. As your Commissioner, I will work to serve the interests of everyday people and will listen to the concerns of my constituents. It’s time to prioritize the concerns of working families in our County. We need a Commissioner who hears our voices, feels our pain, and lives our struggles. There is so much at stake: our children’s future, the health of our community, and the livelihoods of our families.

I hope you will trust me to represent you.