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A 27-year-old graduate student at the University of Maryland, College Park, has filed to run for the congressional seat held by House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Dist. 5) of Mechanicsville.

Andrew Gall, a political science student who worked as an organizer for the Obama presidential campaign in 2008, filed to run for the Fifth District seat Feb. 21. He is one of two Democrats challenging Hoyer, 70, who has held the seat since 1981.

Gall cited his youth as a bonus for his campaign, saying it will help him challenge older practices and advocate for the younger generation.

"I'm sick and tired of what's going on in Washington," said Gall, citing the Iraq War, federal spying through telecommunications companies and the influence of special interest groups in Congress. "I know I'm not alone in my frustration."

Gall said he supports Obama's push for health care reform.

Originally from Illinois, Gall graduated from Tulane University in 2005 with a double major in political economy and African diaspora studies. From fall 2007 to 2008, he said he worked on the Obama campaign as a field organizer in Iowa, Ohio, Alaska and West Virginia, and handled voter outreach in Colorado in the general race.

He started pursuing a master's degree in public policy at the University of Maryland, College Park, in 2009 and lives in College Park, working as a graduate assistant.

According to the board of elections, a candidate must reside in the district at the time of the election, be at least 25 years old and have been a U.S. citizen for at least seven years to be eligible to run for Congress.

Gall said he wants to focus on college student needs, including ways to keep higher education affordable.

Gall joins Anne Arundel Democrat Thomas Defibaugh Sr., who filed in July 2009. Hoyer has not yet filed.

In addition to the state's congressional seats and the U.S. Senate seat held by Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), every office in the state and county is up before voters this fall. The Democratic and Republican primary elections will be held Sept. 14 and the general election is Nov. 2.

Hoyer also faces Republican challenges this year from Charles Lollar of Newburg and Collins Bailey of Waldorf.

ANDREW GALL

Candidate for Congress, District 5

Place of residence: College Park

Age: 27

Place of birth: Evanston, Ill.

Current occupation: Graduate

student, University of Maryland,

College Park

Education: Graduate, Tulane

University, 2005. Bachelor's Degrees in Political Economy and African diaspora studies

Graduate assistant, UMCP

Family: Single

E-mail: andrewforcongress@

gmail.com