Bernard Flowers

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Bernard Flowers

Republican Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

May 14, 2024

Education

Bachelor's

University of North Carolina at Pembroke, 1987

Graduate

Golden Gate University, 1991

Other

United States Air Force War College, 2006

Military

Service / branch

U.S. Air Force

Years of service

1987 - 2008

Personal

Birthplace

Lumberton, N.C.

Religion

Christian

Profession

Cybersecurity

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Campaign Instagram

Campaign YouTube

Personal Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

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Bernard Flowers (Republican Party) (also known as Berney) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent Maryland's 3rd Congressional District. He lost in the Republican primary on May 14, 2024.

Biography

Bernard Flowers was born in Lumberton, North Carolina. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1987 to 2008. Flowers earned a bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke in 1987 and a graduate degree from Golden Gate University in 1991. He graduated from the United States Air Force War College in 2006. His career experience includes working in cybersecurity for the federal government. Flowers has been associated with Disabled American Veterans, the Ft. Meade Rifle and Pistol Club, and the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity.

Elections

2024

See also: Maryland's 3rd Congressional District election, 2024

Maryland's 3rd Congressional District election, 2024 (May 14 Democratic primary)

Maryland's 3rd Congressional District election, 2024 (May 14 Republican primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Maryland District 3

Sarah Elfreth defeated Rob Steinberger and Miguel Barajas in the general election for U.S. House Maryland District 3 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sarah Elfreth (D)	59.3	236,681
		Rob Steinberger (R)	37.9	151,186
		Miguel Barajas (L)	2.6	10,471
		Other/Write-in votes	0.2	862

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 399,200
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Maryland District 3

The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Maryland District 3 on May 14, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sarah Elfreth	36.2	29,459
		Harry Dunn	25.0	20,380
		Clarence Lam	11.7	9,548
		Terri L. Hill	6.5	5,318
		Mark S. Chang	5.0	4,106
		Aisha Khan	2.7	2,199
		Mike Rogers	2.6	2,147
		John Morse	1.8	1,447
		Abigail Diehl	1.7	1,379
		Lindsay Donahue	1.5	1,213
		Juan Dominguez	1.3	1,025
		Michael Coburn	0.7	583
		Malcolm Colombo	0.6	527
		Don Quinn	0.5	408
		Kristin Lyman Nabors	0.5	397
		Jeffrey Woodard	0.4	352
		Gary Schuman	0.4	286
		Mark Gosnell	0.3	221
		Jake Pretot	0.2	162
		Matt Libber	0.2	159
	Submit photo	Stewart Silver	0.1	78
		Dan Rupli	0.0	34

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 81,428
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• John Sarbanes (D)
• Vanessa Atterbeary (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Maryland District 3

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. House Maryland District 3 on May 14, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Rob Steinberger	25.1	8,766
		Arthur Baker Jr.	19.9	6,931
		Bernard Flowers	17.3	6,028
		Joshua Morales	9.1	3,159
		Jordan Mayo	8.4	2,918
	Submit photo	Thomas Harris	8.2	2,857
		Ray Bly	5.8	2,015
	Submit photo	John Rea	3.2	1,120
		Naveed Mian	3.1	1,085

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 34,879
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

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Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Flowers in this election.

2022

See also: Maryland's 2nd Congressional District election, 2022

General election

General election for U.S. House Maryland District 2

Incumbent Dutch Ruppersberger defeated Nicolee Ambrose in the general election for U.S. House Maryland District 2 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Dutch Ruppersberger (D)	59.2	158,998
		Nicolee Ambrose (R)	40.6	109,075
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	361

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 268,434
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Maryland District 2

Incumbent Dutch Ruppersberger defeated George Croom, Marques Dent, and Liri Fusha in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Maryland District 2 on July 19, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Dutch Ruppersberger	75.5	62,896
		George Croom	10.2	8,465
		Marques Dent	9.3	7,728
	Submit photo	Liri Fusha	5.1	4,218

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 83,307
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Brittany Oliver (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Maryland District 2

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. House Maryland District 2 on July 19, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Nicolee Ambrose	32.3	12,201
		Dave Wallace	20.2	7,643
		Michael Geppi	14.8	5,595
		Bernard Flowers	13.2	4,983
		Ellen McNulty	11.1	4,204
		Lance Griffin	8.4	3,192

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 37,818
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Bernard Flowers did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign website

Flowers' campaign website stated the following:

“	People Before Politics: Prioritize people over party, address the economy, amplify voices, tackle immigration, term limits, and fiscal responsibility. I will always keep People before Politics. I will fight for Term Limits, Fiscal Responsibility and Collaboration for a better future! Empowerment Through Education: Depoliticize public schools, empower parents, teachers, and local communities. I recognize the transformative power of education in shaping the future of our nation. I am committed to supporting parental rights, delivering access to Charter School Vouchers, and expanding Technical Education opportunities while focusing on School Safety. Prioritizing America’s Security: End endless wars, and focus on domestic security. In an ever-changing world, a strong and secure America is paramount. As a veteran and retired Civil Servant, I am dedicated to bolstering our national security. With a constitutional focus on securing our borders, I promise to uphold the principles that make America the land of the free and stop the criminal influence that is overwhelming our neighborhoods. Building Prosperity: Encourage home ownership, protect against predatory lending, support small businesses, diversify credit-building methods, and promote domestic manufacturing. Economic prosperity is a key to America’s future! By eliminating Government Waste, Lowering Taxes, and Promoting US Manufacturing, Small Businesses, and Employment, I will create an economic landscape that benefits all Americans! I will also lead the fight against the growing predatory-style lending that is on the rise as struggling Americans fight Joe Biden’s steep inflation. Together, we can build a nation where everyone has the opportunity to achieve the American Dream. Enhance Family-Focused Policies: Increase childcare tax credits, invest in school repairs, and foster innovation hubs connecting educational institutions with federal R&D. At the heart of my campaign is a commitment to policies that strengthen American families. I understand the importance of creating an environment where every family can thrive and respecting family values. I will fight for increased Childcare Tax Credits.	”
—Bernard Flowers' campaign website (2024)

2022

Bernard Flowers completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Flowers' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Why am I running for Congress? I love America. I owe it greatly and as a retired military officer, I swore to keep it from harm. In January 2022, I was a senior DoD civil servant with over 13 years of high level, successful service. Before that, I served nearly 21 years in the US Air Force, deploying to Iraq, Afghanistan, S. Korea and even the Ukraine. Today, I am a candidate for Congress because I didn't like the direction in which our country is headed. So, I quit my job to pursue the fight against the incumbent Congressman in District 2, who I believe is no longer working effectively for his constituents, after over 19 years in office. Very Respectfully/Berney Flowers

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• We Believe In Strong Connected Families
• We Believe In Freedom Of Individual Choice
• We Believe Responsible, Limited Government Working For Citizens.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

We Are Passionate About Improving Public Eduction In Maryland.

We Are Passionate About Reducing Crime, Specifically In Great Baltimore.

We Are Passionate About Supporting Legal Immigration And Stopping Illegal Immigration.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Abraham Lincoln freed my ancestors and preserved the union.

MLK was the greatest humanitarian I have known. His non-violent protests were courageous and dignified, and showed the world that American Black people were to be taken seriously.

Fredrick Douglas showed courage and dignity to all Americans, but especially Black Americans.

General Smedley Butler retired as the most decorated soldier of his generation. He reminds me that we should be careful to avoid foreign wars. War should be used only to defend our country and our allies. It should be declared by Congress. It should not be used to line the pockets of big business.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

No.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Calmness, Rational thought, and resoluteness in decision making and responsibility to the taxpayers.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I have a very extensive background working at some the highest levels of government over the past 34 years. I decided that I personally, should try to make a positive change in the direction of our government. My time in the Federal bureaucracy allows me to know "where the bones are buried" so to speak. I understand the budget process, and how agencies are supposed to work with Congress.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

responsibility to the taxpayers.

What legacy would you like to leave?

That I was a good man who cared about his country.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I remember the run up to the 1972 Nixon election. I was 6 years old and remember my family discussing its conservative values. They all voted for Nixon.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Cleaning my local church was my Mom's way of bringing in extra money. The whole family cleaned our local church every Saturday in my home town, until I got big enough to do farm work. I have always had a job of some sort.

What is your favorite book? Why?

War Is A Racket, by Gen Smedley Butler

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Superman.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

The Whale Song.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I have too many struggles in my life to county.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

It's the people's house and should represent the citizens point of view. Right now, I don't see that to be true.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

I believe that good people do not need to have previous political experience to succeed in politics. It helps to have a working knowledge of government like I have, but I also believe in term limits. POTUS has 50 years in government and his decision-making skills have not helped the American people at all. It's time for new blood in our government, to include the civil service.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

We must stop this divisive thinking. It's tearing our country apart. Critical Race Theory and the idea that people should be judged by their respective skin color, ideology or sexual preferences must be stopped. "A House Divided Cannot Stand".

If you are not a current representative, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

I will serve where Maryland needs me to serve.

If you are a current representative, why did you join your current committees?

n/a

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

I believe that 4 years would be a more appropriate term for Congressional Reps. The current 2 year term makes rep have to constantly beg for money, and thus become ineffective.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

I totally support them.

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

No.

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

No.

Tell us your favorite joke.

I don't know any jokes.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

It depends on the situation.

The Constitution says that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House. What role would this power play in your priorities if elected?

I would use that power to reign in the bureaucracy in the executive branch.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Bernard Flowers campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	U.S. House Maryland District 3	Lost primary	$40,727	$40,727
2022	U.S. House Maryland District 2	Lost primary	$31,869	$30,751
Grand total			$72,596	$71,478
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete

See also

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Footnotes

[show]

Maryland's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Angela Alsobrooks (D)

Chris Hollen (D)

Representatives

District 1

Andrew Harris (R)

District 2

John Olszewski (D)

District 3

Sarah Elfreth (D)

District 4

Glenn Ivey (D)

District 5

Steny Hoyer (D)

District 6

April McClain-Delaney (D)

District 7

Kweisi Mfume (D)

District 8

Jamie Raskin (D)

Democratic Party (9)

Republican Party (1)