Maryland Eastern Shore
Voting Guide
November 2, 2010
A Student Project of the
Presidential Citizen Scholars Class
Editor’s Note
This election guide was produced by the Institute for Public Affairs and
Civic Engagement (PACE) at Salisbury University. This publication is
a result of efforts by students who are in PACE’s Presidential Citizen
Scholars Program and who are currently taking the “Introduction to
Political Engagement” class. The program, now in its six year, is a
unique initiative where students of diverse majors spend one year
learning about political and civic engagement and focus on the value of
participation in public life.
Our mission at PACE is to help foster civic engagement and political
awareness on campus and in the surrounding community. We achieve
this through forums, events, and unique learning opportunities for
students.
Our goal in providing this guide is to help educate and inform voters on
the Eastern Shore about the candidates running for office in the
upcoming election on Tuesday, November 2, 2010. We have included
brief summaries of the Maryland candidates running for the United
States Congress in both the House and Senate races. In addition, there
are summaries of the candidates running in the major state races,
including for Governor, and the Maryland General Assembly.
As a non-partisan institute, PACE has tried as best as we can to provide
accurate, balanced and unbiased information on each candidate. We
encourage citizens to use this guide, as well as a variety of other
sources online and in print, as an educational tool to learn more about
the candidates, the issues and the parties in anticipation of the
November elections.
Dr. Adam Hoffman
PACE Director
To learn more about PACE, please visit us at
http://www.salisbury.edu/pace/
To contact PACE directly - call (410-677-5045) or email
pace@salisbury.edu
Contributors
PACE Director Dr. Adam Hoffman
PACE Managing Director Ginie Lynch
Research Assistant Ember-Poole Kroner
Research Assistant Robby Sheehan
Introduction
This guide is divided into four sections based on the four highest
offices in Maryland that candidates are competing in during the
upcoming election. These include the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of
Representatives, the Governor of Maryland, and the Maryland General
Assembly. We have provided brief summaries describing the
candidates’ backgrounds, party affiliation, and their votes or position
on issues. For the Maryland General Assembly candidates, we have
also included the answers of those candidates who responded to a twopart question, which we posed to them. We asked, “What is the most
important issue facing your district and how will you address this?” We
have included the responses from the candidates who submitted their
answers to us in time for the publication deadline.
All Maryland voters can use this guide for the U.S. Senate, U.S. House
of Representative and the candidates for Governor. For the General
Assembly candidates, residents can find which state legislative district
they reside in by looking at the introduction to the state legislators’
description. This guide includes state legislative candidates running to
represent Districts 37 and 38 in the Maryland Senate and Districts 37A,
37B, 38A, and 38B in the Maryland House of Delegates.
For more information on your polling locations, state district, or other
general questions, please contact the following:
Maryland Board of Elections
Street Address: 151 West Street, Suite 200
Annapolis, MD 21401
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 6486
Annapolis, MD 21401-0486
Phone (410)-269-2840
Toll Free (800)-222-8683
Fax (410)-974-2019
Email Address: info@elections.state.md.us
Dorchester
County Office Building
Street Address: 501 Court Lane, Room 105
Cambridge, MD 21613
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 414 – Cambridge, MD 21613-0414
Karin Kuntz, Election Director
410-228-2560
410-228-9635 (Fax)
Email Address: kkuntz@docogonet.com
Talbot
Street Address: 142 N. Harrison Street, Easton, MD, 21601
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 353 – Easton, MD 21601-0353
Patricia Mitchell, Election Director
410-770-8099
410-770-8078 (Fax)
http://www.talbotcountymd.gov/index.php?page=Election_Board
Email Address: pmitchell@talbotcountymd.gov
Wicomico
Street Address: 123 Bateman Street
Salisbury, MD 21804
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 4091 Salisbury, MD 21803-4091
Anthony Gutierrez, Election Director
410-548-4830
410-548-4849 (Fax)
www.wicomicocounty.org
Email Address: election@wicomicocounty.org
Worcester
100 Belt Street
Snow Hill, MD 21863-1310
Patricia Jackson, Election Director
410-632-1320
410-632-3031 (Fax)
http://www.worc.lib.md.us/library/LBE.htm
Email Address: pattijackson@verizon.net
Governor of Maryland
The Governor of Maryland is the chief executive of Maryland and is
elected to serve a four-year term. The Governor has a broad range of
appointive powers in both the State and local governments, as specified
by the Maryland Constitution. The Governor heads the executive
branch of the state government, which includes all state executive
departments and agencies, as well as advisory boards, commissions,
committees, and task forces. The main constitutional responsibility of
the Governor of Maryland is to carry out the business of the state and to
enforce the laws passed by the Legislature. The Governor is also the
commander-in-chief of the Maryland National Guard and Air National
Guard. The Governor has the authority to declare a state public
emergency, mobilize military forces and pardon criminals.
Candidate for Governor
Martin O’Malley, Democrat
Martin O’Malley, current Governor of Maryland, was born on January
18, 1963 in Washington, D.C. and grew up in Baltimore, MD. He and
his wife, State District Judge Catherine ‘Katie’ Curran O’Malley, have
four children. O’Malley graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from
Catholic University in 1985 and with a J.D. from University of
Maryland School of Law in 1988. In 1982, O’Malley worked on the
“Gary Hart for President” campaign.
O’Malley was a State Field Director for Barbara Mikulski’s U.S.
Senate Campaign in 1986, a Legislative Fellow for the Office of
Senator Barbara Mikulski from 1987 to 1988, and an Assistant State’s
Attorney in Baltimore City from 1988 to 1990. O’Malley was also a
candidate for the Maryland State Senate in 1990, a Council Member for
the Baltimore City Council from 1991 to 1999, a Delegate for the
Democratic Party National Convention in 2000 and 2004, and the
Mayor of Baltimore City from 1999 to 2007.
As Governor, O’Malley’s priorities include: education, the
environment, job creation, crime prevention, and health care.
Education: O’Malley aims to improve public education and make
college more affordable for Maryland students. In 2010, the Education
Reform Act was adopted in Maryland to improve the public school
system by reforming teacher tenure, student growth in evaluations, and
differentiated pay. O’Malley has frozen tuition for four straight years
for in-state students.
Environment: O’Malley believes in assessing, coordinating and
targeting Maryland’s Bay restoration programs and supporting
environmental reform. Under his administration, the Maryland Clean
Energy Incentive Act of 2010 was passed to give Marylanders a state
income tax credit for electricity generated by clean energy (solar, wind,
geothermal and “clean coal”). Coupled with the already-existing
federal tax credit, this credit is supposed to reduce the cost of the
installation of renewable energy systems by as much as 45% for
residents and businesses in Maryland. O’Malley credits The Motor
Vehicle Exercise Tax to provide incentives for using clean energy and
purchasing environmentally friendly automobiles as another
achievement. The O’Malley Administration more than doubled funding
for the Chesapeake Bay 2010 Trust Fund, providing $20 million to
protect and support the health of the bay region.
Crime: O’Malley is a strong supporter of public safety on the streets
and in neighborhoods. According the Governor’s Office, Maryland has
reduced violent crime to its lowest rate since 1975. He credits the
Violence Prevention Initiative, the Regional Gun Task Force,
outstanding law enforcement databases and personnel in helping to
reduce crime in Maryland.
Immigration: O'Malley predicted has that Arizona's controversial new
immigration law would be "problematic" and costly. O'Malley has
stated that border protection is the responsibility of the federal
government, not the states.
Health Care: O’Malley supports expansion of health care and the
Health Care Reform Bill passed by Congress. He signed an executive
order to create a council to speed the implementation of the law.
O’Malley has also signed legislation that cracks down on waste, fraud
and abuse in our public health programs such as Medicaid. He has also
signed legislation establishing the framework for a patient centered
medical home program to improve quality of care in Maryland, and a
bill authorizing nurse practitioners to provide primary care for patients
in Maryland.
Jobs: O’Malley supports growing the middle class by supporting
family businesses and farms. His administration passed a $5,000 tax
credit to encourage job creation. The tax credit was funded under the
current budget at $20 million. Current unemployment in Maryland is
about 7.6 percent.
Candidate for Governor
Robert Ehrlich Jr., Republican
Robert Ehrlich Jr., former Governor of Maryland, was born in
Baltimore, MD. He earned his B.A. from Princeton University in 1979;
and graduated from Wake Forest University School of Law in 1982. He
first worked for Ober, Kaler, Grimes and Shriver and served as a
Republican in the Maryland House of Delegates from 1986-1994, the
U.S. House of Representatives from 1994-2002 and Governor of
Maryland from 2003-2007. Ehrlich is married to Kendel Sibiski
Ehrlich, a former public defender and prosecutor, and has two children.
Since leaving office, he has been practicing law at Womble Carlyle
Sandridge & Rice, hosting a radio show with his wife and also served
as the chairman for Rudy Giuliani’s 2008 presidential run on the MidAtlantic Campaign Committee. He was elected Governor in 2003 after
promising to reign in the state’s fiscal excesses and usher in change.
While working as an attorney, Ehrlich ran successfully for House of
Delegates representing Baltimore County where he was a member of
the House Judiciary Committee, the Joint Committee on Legislative
Ethics, and the Governor's Council on Child Abuse and Neglect. Some
of Former Governor Ehrlich’s priorities include:
Education: Robert Ehrlich supports increasing Maryland students at
Maryland colleges, strengthening need-based scholarships, promoting
community colleges, and investing in technology in schools. He
supports raising state college tuitions to make up state deficits. Ehrlich
also is an advocate for allowing school prayer and school vouchers.
Environment: Ehrlich signed the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Act,
which funded upgrading wastewater treatment plants so runoff and
pollution to the bay would be reduced, and he would protect it from
budget transfers. Ehrlich supported opening up the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge to drilling. He has indicated he believes in increased
support for alternative energies.
Crime: Robert Ehrlich supports the death penalty and supports
requiring DNA testing for all federal executions. He does not support
alternative sentencing programs, but does support juvenile boot camps
as a solution for under-age offenders.
Immigration: Ehrlich opposes giving discounted, in-state tuition to
illegal immigrants at the expense of Maryland students and will fight to
close loopholes that allow certain illegal immigrants to legally possess
a MD driver’s license. He supports the Arizona immigration law and
opposes the Justice Department’s lawsuit seeking to overturn the law.
Health Care: Ehrlich has called for the repeal of the recent Health
Care Reform legislation, passed by Congress. He supports requiring the
MD Insurance Administration to study how allowing MD residents to
purchase health insurance across state lines would reduce costs. He
proposes reducing health care costs through the reform of the medical
malpractice system. He supports the MD Babies Born Healthy initiative
and will work to find ways to provide children lacking medical
coverage with appropriate care.
Jobs: Ehrlich proposes attracting business and jobs development
through research and development, tax-cuts and biotech tax cuts.
100,000 new jobs were created while Ehrlich was governor from 20032007. He has promised to roll back the sales tax 20 percent.
Candidate for Governor
Maria Allwine, Green
Maria Allwine is a Green Party candidate running for governor of
Maryland. Allwine was born April 10, 1953 in Baltimore, MD. During
1998-2000, Allwine served as a board member on the Mount VernonBelvedere Improvement Association. Since 2002, she has served as a
member of the Iraq Pledge of Resistance for Baltimore. Maria
Allwine’s political experience dates back to 2004 when she was
candidate for the United States Senate for Maryland as the Green Party
candidate. In 2006, she was a candidate for the Maryland State Senate
District 43. Currently she is a member of the Charm City Greens.
Allwine is a long-time peace activist and community leader. She has
participated and been arrested in several non-violent protests on the war
in Iraq and Afghanistan. In her previous election of 2006, she ran
against State Senator Joan Carter Conway and received 11% of the
votes. Additionally, she ran unsuccessfully for the 2007 Baltimore City
Council President. Allwine believes “people are angry because they
realize that the politicians they vote for turn their backs on them the
minute they are elected and legislate in the interests of those who
contribute the most to their campaigns.” Allwine’s platform focuses on
creating more jobs, a healthier environment, a sound educational
system, and the belief that all individuals in the state should receive a
real living wage.
Business: Allwine is an advocate for closing corporate tax loopholes.
She believes that the one third of Maryland’s largest corporation, who
pay no taxes, should be forced to pay.
Education: Allwine believes teachers should be given more support
and flexibility in their teaching. Additionally, she feels school
communities should have a greater pull over the local schools. Allwine
is a strong advocate for addressing poverty. She advocates increasing
funding for school’s libraries to increase the quality of the textbooks.
She feels strongly that education should be free up until college.
Allwine wants standardized testing to become less relevant to student
success. She believes that to address poverty and free education,
corporate welfare must be cut to increase school funding. Allwine
opposes charter schools because she thinks they undermine our
educational system and views them as an avenue to privatize the public
education system.
Living Wage: Allwine is an advocate for a standardized living wage
for everyone in Maryland. She believes the living wage could average
from $9.50 to $12.00 an hour, depending on in what region of the state
an individual resides. She believes that this wage would give people a
reason to work and have a sense of basic dignity. If elected governor,
Allwine pledges to make a long-term Baltimore Gas and Electric rate
relief among one of her top priorities.
Environment: She is committed to moving Maryland away from
electricity generated from dirty and expensive fossil fuels. Allwine
wants to move into the renewable energy aspect of electricity. Allwine
believes in economic sustainability as well. She is interested in taxing
corporate polluters and the depletion of natural resources rather than an
individual’s income and property.
Health Care: Allwine disagrees with the new Federal healthcare
legislation because she believes it will be bad for small businesses and
individuals. If elected, she will strive for a single public fund using
federal, state, and local health money as well as a progressive tax rate
to pay for the healthcare of Marylanders.
Candidate for Governor
Susan Gaztanaga, Libertarian
Susan Gaztanaga was born February 23, 1949 in Nyack, NY. She
received a Bachelor’s Degree from Barnard College in 1970. Susan
Gaztanaga has been a Baltimore resident since 1984. She works full
time as an Administrative Coordinator for an institution of higher
learning. Her civic actions include leadership in the Baltimore- area
Libertarian Party, serving as Party Treasurer, Secretary, and Chair at
different times. She also serves on a voluntary basis, as newsletter
editor for the local alumnae chapter of an international music fraternity,
and secretary of the Board of Directors of a nonprofit environmental
organization.
Her administration’s goal is to ensure that citizens know exactly where
their tax dollars are being spent. She argues that the double burden of
excessive taxation and intrusive regulation is keeping the neediest
citizens of Maryland from starting business, creating jobs, and building
a thriving economy. According to the Baltimore Sun, Susan has a
three-point plan: eliminate the state sales tax; keep the Maryland
National Guard in Maryland; and allow anyone without a criminal
record to carry a handgun. She believes that the state government
should stick to its basic responsibility of providing a safe, secure
environment in which people can conduct their business, maintaining
our infrastructure of roads, bridges and tunnels, and providing an
emergency response system.
Susan Gaztanaga has stated that as a first step to restoring the tradition
of true public service, she will reinvest $90,000 of the Governor’s
$150,000 yearly salary every year toward reducing the State debt.
As a Libertarian, Gaztanaga believes that both individual liberty and
personal responsibility are required in a civil society, and that
government welfare of all types, including social, individual, corporate,
and political, rewards irresponsibility. As a group, Libertarians support
the 2nd Amendment.
Candidate for Governor
Eric Delana Knowles, Constitution
Eric Delana Knowles is the Constitution Party’s candidate for governor
of Maryland. Knowles is a 32-year-old former Air Force mechanic
who served for four years. He currently works as a bartender in
Annapolis and attends Anne Arundel Community College. Knowles
has limited experience in the political realm. "I am not a career
politician,” he states.
Nevertheless, he is determined to instill a sense of liberty into the state
of Maryland through strict adherence to the Constitution. Knowles’
ultimate goal is to put power back into the hands of the people and
enact a more autonomous state system.
If elected into office, Knowles would encourage three main acts of
legislation. For one, he will work to reduce government spending on
public aid programs such as healthcare and welfare.
Knowles believes that these institutions promote unnecessary spending
and can be handled equally as well, if not better, by the citizens of the
state.
Second, Knowles will strive to diminish taxes on the state level in an
effort to preserve the freedoms of the people. He believes the current
economic recession can be solved through a variety of tax cuts and less
government interference in business. Knowles believes many problems
can be solved through tax cuts.
Lastly, Knowles believes in a strict interpretation of the Constitution
and that most of America’s modern problems stem from politicians not
following the Constitution. It is Knowles’ main ambition to uphold the
statutes established by the Constitution. In doing so, Knowles hopes to
empower the citizens and reverse the controlling influences of the state
government. In his own words, Knowles said, “I play no favorites
and I pick no sides. Freedom is equal for ALL!”
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the Upper House of the United States
Congress. The Senate is comprised of 100 Senators total, with each
State represented by two senators who serve six-year terms. The Senate
has the sole authority of “advice and consent” which gives Senators the
power to confirm the President's nominations and to ratify treaties as
well as confirm the appointments of Cabinet secretaries, federal judges,
and ambassadors. The Senate is also given the authority to impeach
Federal officials. Senators, as well as House Representatives, have the
authority to introduce bills as well as the authority to vote on legislation
that has either been passed by the House of Representatives or itself.
Candidate for U.S. Senate
Barbara Mikulski, Democrat
Born in 1936 in Baltimore, MD, Senator Barbara Mikulski received a
B.A. from Mount Saint Agnes College in Baltimore and a Masters of
Social Work from the University of Maryland. After receiving her
degree from UMD, Mikulski worked as a social worker in Baltimore
and as a professor of Sociology at Loyola College. While teaching at
Loyola College from 1971 to 1976, Mikulski was also a member of the
Baltimore City Council. After serving on the Baltimore City Council
for five years, she was elected to the House of Representatives for
Maryland’s 3rd District. She represented Maryland for 10 years before
running for United States Senate in 1986. She ran for Senate and won,
becoming the first woman senator elected to represent Maryland.
After being elected to the Senate in 1986, Barbara Mikulski was reelected with large majorities in 1992, 1998, and 2004. Barbara
Mikulski is running for her fifth consecutive term as Maryland’s Senior
Senator in the United States Senate. She has been in public office for
39 years.
She serves on the Appropriations Committee, the Health, Education,
Labor, and Pensions Committee, and the Select Committee on
Intelligence. Mikulski chairs the Subcommittee on Retirement and
Aging, and the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and
Related Agencies.
Senator Barbara Mikulski lists some of her major campaign issues as
jobs, education, health care, the economy, education, the environment
and immigration.
Employment and jobs: Mikulski has worked to bring U.S. Cyber
Command to Maryland and to create Cyber Security Center at NIST as
an attempt to bring private sector jobs to the state. She was also a leader
to prepare Maryland for the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure
(BRAC) process, bringing new employees to the state, as well as
creating new jobs. Mikulski also worked with Senator Christopher
Dodd (D-CT) to pass the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which would
make it easier for victims of pay discrimination to challenge their
mistreatment by reversing a 2007 Supreme Court decision.
Education: As a member of the Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions Committee, Mikulski keeps education on the top of her list.
She was a creator of the AmeriCorps program, increased need based
Pell Grants to $5,350 a year, cut rates for need based loans, and created
a $2,500 tax credit for college. She introduced legislation to increase
capacity at community colleges, strengthening Maryland’s colleges.
Mikulski emphasizes the importance of funding for science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics in schools and expanded
scholarships to train math and science teachers.
Health Care: Barbara Mikulski stands by her vote for Health Care
reform, emphasizing that it strengthens Medicare, helps small
businesses, and prevents unfair practices by insurance companies.
Mikulski introduced a Nurse Reinvestment Act in hopes of expanding
and providing training for nurses, and increased student aid for medical
students going into primary care medicine.
Environment: Representing Maryland, Barbara Mikulski has made
protecting the Chesapeake Bay one of her main goals. She’s quoted as
saying, “The Chesapeake Bay is a natural resource critical to our
economy, culture, and heritage. You can count on me to fight to
protect the Chesapeake Bay and protect the jobs that depend on it.” As
Senator, Mikulski has fought for federal funding for the Environmental
Protection Agency and other organizations that focus on cleaning up
the bay and improving the wildlife of the area. Under the Farm Bill,
Mikulski fought for $438 million in mandatory funding exclusively for
the Chesapeake Bay.
Immigration: Senator Mikulski supports a pathway to citizenship for
guest workers as part of a comprehensive plan to combat illegal
immigration while also securing our borders.
Candidate for U.S. Senate
Eric Wargotz, Republican
Eric Wargotz was born in Akron, Ohio on December 28, 1956. He
received a Bachelor’s of Science from Rutgers University in New
Jersey in 1978 and his Medical Doctorate from Ohio State University in
1983. Wargotz completed his medical residency at George Washington
University Medical Center (GWUMC) in Washington, D.C. He and his
wife reside in Queen Anne’s County with their three children.
Wargotz is a physician and community leader who is looking to bring
his real-world experience to the United States Senate. Wargotz was a
gubernatorial appointee to the Board of Physician Quality Assurance
and he is the President of the Queen Anne’s County Board of County
Commissioners.
From 1989 to 2007, Wargotz served as Medical Director and Chief of
Pathology at Doctors Community Hospital in Lanham, MD. He was the
President of the Queen Anne’s County Medical Society, and Professor
of Pathology at GWUMC and completed a fellowship at the Armed
Forces Institute of Pathology. He is also published in over two dozen
scholarly journals.
Wargotz supports principles such as fiscal discipline, adherence to the
Constitution, personal responsibility, and considers himself an
“independent-minded Conservative.”
Employment and Jobs. Wargotz’s platform focuses on job creation
and instilling an environment conducive to small businesses. He plans
to extend the tax cuts of 2001 and 2003, and then work toward
reduction and elimination of the Capital Gains Tax and the Death Tax.
He claims he will implement fiscal discipline in Washington, vote
against non-emergency deficit spending, and vote against bailouts. If
elected, Wargotz has said that his first priority is creating jobs for
Marylanders. He also is an advocate of lowering taxes and believes that
government spending is threatening our children’s future. Wargotz is
an advocate of the nation becoming self reliant in areas such as oil for
fuel.
Education: Wargotz does not support federal education standards and
testing requirements for K-12 students.
Health Care: Wargotz opposes the federal healthcare reform passed by
the U.S. Congress. Wargotz supports tax-free medical (health) savings
accounts, portability of a person’s plan from one employer to another,
tort reform, and the ability to purchase insurance across state lines. He
also believes that the government should stay out of healthcare as much
as possible and that people should have access to private health care
when they most need it. To Wargotz, health care reform should have
three goals: lower costs, improved patient care, and reduce waiting time
for care.
Environment. To provide improved energy and environmental
policies, Wargotz will support energy policies so long as they do not
impede on the economy. He wants improve the health of the
Chesapeake Bay and he also strongly supports the Second Amendment
of the Constitution.
Immigration and National Security. Wargotz is in favor of enforcing
strict immigration laws and improving our country’s military. Wargotz
opposes amnesty for illegal aliens and for holding employers
responsible who “make the market” for illegal aliens.
When asked why he is running for office, Wargotz answered,
“[Because] I love being a physician, caring for patients. But I also love
my country and I was raised to stand up and take action if I didn’t like
something. So I run for U.S. Senate for a similar reason I ran for
Commission President, because I feel compelled to, to try and make a
difference. I offer myself as a citizen legislator.” Wargotz believes in
term limits for Congress.
Candidate for U.S. Senator
Richard Shawver, Constitution
Richard Shawver was born in 1947 and was raised in Baltimore, MD.
He served in the U.S. Marines, the USMC Reserves and the Maryland
National Guard. In 1990, he was activated for Desert Shield and Desert
Storm. He also held the position of Duty Fire Chief in the National
Guard for 22 years, until he retired in 1998. Shawver also worked for
Hecht Company for 38 years. He resides in Eldersburg, Maryland with
his wife, Mae and their two sons.
Shawver first ran for the U.S. Senate in the 2006 Republic primary,
where he received 2298 votes. Shawver believes that the main issue is
the Constitution of the United States. He contends that our elected
officials refuse to honor their oath to uphold and defend the
Constitution. Specifically, he indicates that when it comes to financial
reform, he would start impeachment proceedings on the President and
Members of Congress, for not obeying their oath to the Constitution.
He is opposed to abortion and same sex marriage and is in favor of the
death penalty and drilling for oil off the coast of Maryland (if done with
100% safety). He also indicates that the Comprehensive Health
Insurance reform passed by Congress is illegal and unconstitutional and
should be repealed.
Candidate for U. S. Senate
James Guy Adams, Libertarian*
*No information was available on this candidate
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is the Lower House of the
United States Congress. The number of representatives that a state
sends to Washington is based on the population of the state. Maryland
currently sends eight representatives. Voters on the Eastern Shore have
the opportunity to vote for one representative from the 1st
Congressional District. The U.S. House has the power to initiate
revenue bills (all bills that deal with enforcing taxes or authorizing the
spending of federal funds), impeach federal officials and elect the
President in Electoral College deadlocks. The U.S. House (with the
approval of the Senate) has the power to pass Federal legislation into
law that affects the entire country.
Candidate for 1st Congressional District
Frank Kratovil, Democrat
Frank M. Kratovil, Jr. was elected to Congress from Maryland’s First
Congressional District in November 2008 after serving six years as the
elected State’s Attorney for Queen Anne’s County. A career prosecutor
prior to his election to Congress, Frank Kratovil received a law degree
from the University of Baltimore in 1994 and received his
undergraduate degree at Western Maryland College (now McDaniel
College). Upon graduation from law school, Kratovil accepted an
appointment as a judicial law clerk for the Circuit Court of Prince
George's County and then accepted a position as an Assistant State's
Attorney in Prince George's County. In 1997 Kratovil was appointed
Assistant State's Attorney in Queen Anne's County, and until 2001
served as the County's only full-time prosecutor and community
prosecutor.
Kratovil was elected by his colleagues as President of the Maryland
State's Attorney's Association, and was appointed by Governor Robert
Ehrlich to the Maryland State Board of Victim Services. In July of
2006 the Court of Appeals of Maryland appointed him to the Court of
Appeal's Standing Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure.
Since his election to Congress, Frank Kratovil has secured
appointments to the Agriculture Committee, the Natural Resources
Committee, and the House Armed Services Committee. He has also
joined the Blue Dog Coalition of fiscally conservative Democrats, with
whom he is working to restore fiscal discipline to Washington. His first
official act in Congress was to become an original co-sponsor of a bill
to freeze Congressional pay. During his first term in Congress, Kratovil
voted against both the Health Care Reform (H.R. 4872) and the larger
$825 billion economic recovery package (H.R. 679). He later voted in
favor of the $192 billion anti-recession stimulus spending (H.R. 1) as
well as in favor of the Cap and Trade bill (H.R. 2454).
Environment: Kratovil is a strong supporter of policies that improve
the overall health of the Chesapeake Bay and the Eastern Shore. He
also recognizes the importance of the district’s agricultural industry and
that policies that address the Chesapeake Bay should involve farmers in
conservation initiatives. Kratovil is a member of both the Natural
Resources Committee and the Agriculture Committee and has
supported policies to bring more conservation resources to the district
as well as supported legislation to restore oyster populations. He has
also worked to protect and expand the Blackwater Wildlife Refuge and
create the new Harriet Tubman National Park on the Eastern Shore.
Immigration: Kratovil is a strong supporter of enforcement of
immigration laws, not amnesty. He believes that steps should be taken
to ensure that illegal immigration is not rewarded and supports a focus
on securing our borders. Kratovil is also an advocate of preventing
taxpayer dollars from being spent on illegal immigrants. In Congress,
Kratovil authored a bill to increase penalties for businesses that
knowingly hire illegal immigrants. He sponsored the BRIDGE
resolution, which supports measures to focus on illegal immigration
reform, increasing border security, and improving the enforcement of
existing immigration laws.
Health Care: Kratovil voted against the Health Care legislation
proposed in Congress. He is an advocate for reducing premium costs,
expanding consumer choice, and improving competition amongst
insurance companies.
Jobs: Kratovil introduced a bill to increase the tax deduction for small
business startup costs to encourage small business growth. He supports
legislation to aid small businesses in providing employment
opportunities for those who are unemployed.
Candidate for 1st Congressional District
Andy Harris, Republican
Andy Harris is currently serving his second term as Maryland State
Senator representing Maryland’s 7th Legislative District. A graduate
of Johns Hopkins Medical School, Harris is an anesthesiologist and
associate professor at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Harris also serves
Easton Memorial Hospital and volunteers at Peninsula Regional
Medical Center in Salisbury. In addition, he has been an active member
of the United States Naval Reserve achieving the rank of Commander
and is also a veteran of Operation Desert Storm.
From 2003-2006, Harris served as Minority Whip in the Maryland
Senate. He also served as a delegate to the Republican Party National
Convention in 2004. As a member of the Maryland State Senate,
Harris worked with a number of issues through his service on
committees including Education, Health and Environmental Affairs
Committee, Health Care Delivery and Financing Committee,
Subcommittee on Ethics and Election Law, and the Subcommittee on
Health. In 2008, he ran for Congress in Maryland’s 1 st Congressional
District, and narrowly lost to Frank Kratovil (D-MD).
While serving in Annapolis, Harris has sponsored bills which would
require a 3/5th majority in both houses of the General Assembly
regarding any new tax increases and the imposition of spending limits
on state government. He has also favored legislation that would require
tougher enforcement on illegal immigration and restricting the use of
eminent domain by state and local governments. On national issues, he
is known for his stances on limited government, lower taxes, and less
federal spending.
Environment: Harris is an advocate for preserving and restoring the
Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. If elected, he plans to meet
regularly with elected officials of Bay watershed states to improve
cooperation and communication to ensure multistate responsibility.
Immigration: Harris is a supporter of legal immigration and believes
that the federal government needs to enforce our borders. He is an
advocate for workers holding H2B visas, but believes that the
immigration laws in place should be respected once these visas expire.
Harris plans to work for stronger border enforcement.
Health Care: As a physician, Harris supports common-sense market
based legislation to protect the rights of patients. He believes that
reform should focus on decreasing costs and preserving quality. Harris
is also a supporter of increasing competition, cost transparency, tax
credits and expanded medical savings accounts as well as malpractice
liability reform.
Jobs: Harris is a strong proponent of tax cuts to stimulate economic
growth and job creation. Specifically, Harris advocates for the flat tax
or fair tax, legislation to support small businesses, making the 2002 tax
cuts permanent, abolish the marriage penalty and death tax, lower and
eventually abolish taxes on capital gains, as well as never raising taxes
on Social Security or Medicare.
Candidate for 1st Congressional District
Richard James Davis, Libertarian
Richard Davis is the Libertarian candidate running for Maryland’s First
Congressional District. He was born in Buffalo, NY and currently
resides and practices dentistry in Hurlock, MD. Davis received his
Bachelor of Science from Allegany College, completed graduate school
at the State University of New York, and graduated from Ohio State
University’s dentistry program. Davis is a member National Rifle
Association, the Hurlock Volunteer Fire Company where he served
eight years as vice-president, the Society for Military History, the
American Dental Association and the Eastern Shore Dental Society.
Davis also serves as scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 167. Davis also
ran as the 2008 Libertarian 1st Congressional Candidate earning 8,873
votes. Davis supports removing all contribution limits on federal
campaigns and is also a strong advocate for 2 nd Amendment gun
ownership rights.
Education: Davis does not support the Federal government providing
college students with financial aid, nor does he support federal funding
for universal Pre-K programs, charter schools or K-12 school vouchers.
He also does not support federal education testing requirements for K12.
Jobs and the Economy: Davis supports privatizing elements of Social
Security and does not support using government funds to stimulate and
improve the economy. He is a proponent of a variety of tax reform
including short term capital gains taxes being collected as normal
income, individuals over age 80 should be exempt from tax on
interest/dividends/capital gains, and shifting from tax on income to tax
on consumption.
Maryland Senate
The Maryland Senate, the upper house of the Maryland
Legislature, is composed of 47 senators that represent the 47 Maryland
Districts. Senators are elected to six-year terms in even-numbered years
and currently do not have term limits. The Senate, as well as the House
of Delegates, is responsible for passing legislation for the State of
Maryland.
The Districts represented in this voter guide are District 37
and 38. For a precise determination of your District, contact the county
board of elections or visit http://mdelect.net/electedofficials.
District 37Part of Caroline County: Preston and Federalsburg
Part of Dorchester County: East New Market,
Hurlock, Secretary, Church Creek, Brookview,
Eldorado, Galestown, and part of Cambridge
Part of Talbot County: Easton, St. Michaels, Oxford,
and Trappe
Part of Wicomico County: Sharptown, Hebron,
Mardela Springs, and the outskirts of Delmar and
Salisbury
District 38Part of Somerset County: Princess Anne, Crisfield
Part of Wicomico County: Salisbury, Delmar,
Pittsville, and Willards and Fruitland
Part of Worcester County: Berlin, Ocean City, Snow
Hill, and Pocomoke City
Maryland State Senate
Chris Robinson, Democrat
District 37
Chris Robinson was born in the Washington D.C. suburb of
Kensington, MD. In 1978 he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in
Political Science and a minor in English from Northern Arizona
University. Robinson’s legal career began immediately following his
graduation from the Columbus School of Law at Catholic University in
1994. He worked in the law firm of Harrington, Harrington and Nabb
before he established his own practice in 2001 in Cambridge. Robinson
previously served as Legislative Director and Chief of Staff for
Congressman Roy Dyson.
Robinson is running for the Maryland Senate District 37 seat. Robinson
is a former President of the Dorchester County Bar. He currently serves
as legal counsel to the Dorchester Board of Licensing Commissioners.
In his legal work, Robinson has represented children and victims of
domestic violence on the Mid-Shore.
Robinson declares himself to be a fiscal conservative, supporting
limited government. In his campaign, Robinson emphasized the
importance of preserving land and water as founding elements of the
Eastern Shore. He also identified farming and fishing as two of the
most important businesses in Maryland, and states he is committed to
their defense. His highest priority is preserving, improving and
protecting the natural resources of Maryland and restoring the
Chesapeake Bay.
Economic policies endorsed by Robinson include lowering taxes and
reducing spending in order to create new jobs.
Robinson advocates environmental conservation; he drafted legislation
concerning Chesapeake Bay and represented Maryland’s Eastern Shore
as a Congressional aid fighting to protect the oyster industry. He lists
“early involvement of parents, better pay for teachers, expansion of
early education, a renewed emphasis on vocational education” as
essential aspects of quality education.
Maryland State Senate
Richard F. Colburn, Republican
District 37
Richard Colburn is the current Republican Senator representing
Maryland’s 37th Legislative District. He was born in Easton in 1950
and has lived on Maryland’s Eastern Shore his entire life. He served as
Sergeant for the United States Army Security Agency with top secret
clearance and received a Good Conduct medal. Following his service,
he graduated from Chesapeake College in 1982.
Colburn has been a senator for District 37 for 16 years since 1994. He
is a member of the Maryland Veterans Caucus, the Taxpayers
Protection Caucus and the Maryland Rural Water Association. Colburn
serves as chair for the Subcommittee on Alcoholic Beverages, and is a
member of Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area
Committee.
Colburn’s voting records indicate that he is firmly pro-life on the
abortion issue. He voted against the Capital Punishment Restrictions
Bill in 2009. He strongly supports the Christian Coalition of Maryland
and the Maryland Gun Owners of America. He has voted against
environmental protection issues, such as the Maryland Clean Cars Act
of 2007 and also against the Maryland Strategic Energy Investment
Program in 2008. He did support the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan
in 2009. He voted for the Indoor Smoking Ban in 2007. Colburn did
not support the Hospital Visitation/ Decision-Making Rights for
Domestic Partners in 2009.
In Colburn's own words taken from the League of Women Voter’s
2010 Maryland Voter Guide with regard to his priorities: "Continuation
of job creation and retention efforts ... Agriculture and Seafood are the
two most important industries of the Eastern Shore...We need to find
other means to support essential services instead of constantly raising
taxes."
Maryland State Senate
James N. Mathias, Jr., Democrat
District 38
Democrat James N. Mathias, Jr., a member of the Maryland House of
Delegates, is currently seeking office in the Maryland State Senate,
District 38. Mathias grew up in Baltimore, MD, attended high school at
Calvert Hall College (Towson, MD) and graduated in 1969. He
received his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science in 1974 from
the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Over the years he has
maintained various businesses, including his father’s amusement/arcade
business in Ocean City. Previously, he served on the Board of Zoning
Appeals in Ocean City (1987-1990), was a city council member in
Ocean City (1990-1996), and was mayor of Ocean City (1996-2006).
James Mathias voted for the Safe Schools Act to give tools to educators
and law enforcement to hinder gang activity within public schools. He
is a charter member of the Knights of Columbus and served as
Chaplain of the Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company. Mathias served
as State Chairman for the 2004 Walk America for the March of Dimes,
and was Chairman of the Ocean City Humane Society Commission.
Mathias is a current member of the Economic Matters Committee, in
which he serves on several subcommittees: the Subcommittee on
Alcoholic Beverages, the Subcommittee on Banking, Economic
Development, Science and Technology, and the Subcommittee on
Consumer Protection and Commercial Law.
James Mathias, Jr. is committed to increasing financial prospects,
particularly with regards to small business owners. He stresses the
importance of small businesses within communities because he ran a
small business for over 30 years. As a legislator he fought for targeted
investments, lower taxes, and helped establish a tax credit for small
business owners who hire unemployed workers. Mathias also voted
against raising the corporate income tax and the Maryland sales tax.
Regarding educational improvement, Jim Mathias has consistently
voted in support of teachers and public schools in the counties of
Wicomico and Worcester. In 2007, he voted against the allowance of
in-state tuition for illegal immigrants. He has supported the Tax Reform
Act (2007), the Maryland Gang Prosecution Act (2007; gang members
subjected to up to 20 years in prison and/or up to $100,000 in fines),
and Jessica’s Law (2007; no parole for the most violent child sexual
predators, and a minimum sentence of 25 years in prison.)
Mathias is currently a member of the following groups and committees:
the Economic Matters Committee (2007-), the Alcoholic Beverages
Work Group (2007-), the Consumer Protection and Commercial Law
Work Group (2007-), the Critical Area Commission for the Chesapeake
and Atlantic Coastal Bay (2002-), the Maryland Tourism Development
Board (2007-), the Lower Eastern Shore Children’s Center Advisory
Board (2008-), the Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee
(2009-), and he is Chair of the Worchester County Delegation (2007-).
Question: “What is the most important issue facing your district
and how will you address this?”
Answer: As our nation, state and district gradually emerge from the
worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, the most
important issue we face is ensuring Maryland lives within its means
with an eye toward growing for the future. Over the past four years, we
eliminated $5.7 billion in spending to balance our budget, and now our
state’s operating budget is smaller today than it was at the beginning of
the term; while maintaining our funding commitment to public schools,
keeping tuition affordable for higher education, and striving to keep our
citizens and communities safe.
However, the challenge to rebuild our state’s economy continues. Our
elected officials must get a real time understanding of the challenges
facing our business community, for it is our industrial base that creates
our jobs and enables our vitality. Reducing burdensome regulation
enables venture capital to flow into Maryland and fosters private sector
growth, industry, and jobs. On the Eastern Shore, we must actively
protect our family farms, provide a sustainable future for our legacy of
watermen and grow tourism. It is also vital that we encourage the
growth of our medical industry through specialized care, hospitals and
policies that address the doctor shortage on the Eastern Shore and in
rural areas. The immediate dividend to solving this problem is
achieving a vital industrial base. The long-term accomplishment is
sustaining our Eastern Shore family legacy, as our children and next
generation realizes opportunities, remain on the Shore and grow the
Eastern Shore legacy far into the future.
MD State Senate
Michael James, Republican
District 38
Michael James is a Republican running for Maryland State Senate
District 38. James was born in Haywood, Wisconsin. He is a resident of
West Ocean City and a Salisbury University Alum. He has lived on the
Eastern Shore for the past 30 years. Michael James started his career as
General Manager of the Salisbury Sheraton. Most of James’s
professional life has been in the hospitality business. James is currently
the General Manager of the Carousel Oceanfront Hotel on 118 th Street
in Ocean City, MD.
He is a member of The Greater Salisbury Committee, Ocean City
Tourism Commission, President of the Ocean City Economic
Development Committee, member of the Board of Directors for
Atlantic General Hospital, and a part of the Industry Advisory Board.
James champions lower taxes through fiscal responsibility. James
stresses conservative values and a smaller and less intrusive
government. He stresses the importance of independent thinking and
individual freedom. James is an advocate for supporting businesses
through strong economic development and less regulation. He stressed
the importance of cutting the state’s budget deficit. He believes that
farmers need to be profitable in order for the economic situation of
Maryland to become stronger so he supports the deregulation of poultry
farmers. James also plans on increasing the visibility of the rural
Eastern Shore in hopes of gaining more support for local projects and
funding. James advocates the importance of the private sector and plans
to work on promoting tourism, agriculture and small business. In terms
of immigration, James does not support amnesty and believes that
Maryland needs a similar law to the one passed in Arizona.
Question: “What is the most important issue facing your district
and how will you address this?”
Answer: The most important issue facing our district right now is the
high unemployment rate. I will address this by working to make
Maryland more competitive with other states to bring new businesses to
Maryland and to bring consumers to Maryland, who we are obviously
competing for when we are competing with our neighboring states. The
most important thing we can do to initiate that is to promote our state
better. I would introduce legislation to repeal the Maryland sales tax
increase. I would also lower business tax on small businesses so we are
more competitive in attracting jobs to Maryland. It is very important
that we create an environment where businesses want to be in Maryland
and they also know that we want them in Maryland.
Maryland House of Delegates
The Maryland House of Delegates, one of the two Chambers in the
Maryland Legislature, is comprised of 141 Delegates representing 47
Districts. Delegates are elected to two-year terms in even-numbered
years and currently do not have term limits. The House of Delegates, as
well as the Maryland Senate, is responsible for passing legislation for
the State of Maryland.
The Districts represented in this voter guide are District 37A, 37B,
38A, and 38B. Each seat is up for re-election on November 2. For a
precise determination of your District, contact the county board of
elections or visit http://mdelect.net/electedofficials.
District 37APart of Dorchester County: East New Market,
Hurlock, and part of Cambridge
Part of Wicomico County: Sharptown, Hebron, and
the outskirts of Delmar and Salisbury
District 37BPart of Dorchester County: Secretary, Church Creek,
Brookview, Eldorado, and Galestown
Part of Talbot County: Easton, St. Michaels, Oxford,
and Trappe
Part of Wicomico County: Mardela Springs
Part of Caroline County: Preston and Federalsburg
District 38APart of Wicomico County: Salisbury and Fruitland
Part of Somerset County: Princess Anne, Crisfield
District 38BPart of Wicomico County: outskirts of Salisbury,
Delmar, Pittsville, and Willards
Part of Worcester County: Berlin, Ocean City, Snow
Hill, and Pocomoke City
MD House of Delegates
Rudolph Cane, Democrat
District 37A
Democrat Rudolph Cane represents District 37A in the Maryland
House of Delegates. He attended Maryland State College (now UMES)
and Coppin State College as an undergraduate. Cane was a radar
sergeant in the United States Army from 1952-1955, and worked as an
engineer and director of administration at the Eastern Regional
Laboratory. He has built more than 80 housing units as the
administrator of Shore Up! Inc in the Wicomico area. In his career, he
has served as a member of the Wicomico County Zoning Board of
Appeals, the Maryland Association of Engineers, the Maryland
Advisory Committee of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and he
was the coordinator of Special Projects for the NAACP. He was also
the vice-president of the Maryland State Conference of branches of the
NAACP in 1969.
Cane has been a member of the House of Delegates since January 13,
1999, when he became the first African American to represent the
Eastern Shore. He is also the former chairman of the Legislative Black
Caucus of Maryland from 2004 to 2006. As a State Legislator for the
Maryland House of Delegates, Cane has been was an active member of
the Environmental Matters Committee, the Chairman of the Agriculture
Preservation & Open Space Subcommittee, and Vice Chairman of the
House Rules and Executive Nominations Committee.
Delegate Cane focuses on issues such as economy, the environment,
employment, housing and health care. Cane supports preserving
Medicare and Medicaid and providing affordable health care.
Education is Cane’s “highest priority,” he emphasized the importance
of schools receiving more money to ensure up-to-date technological
resources for the students, a lower student to teacher ratio, and a focus
of character development in the classroom. Anti-truancy, a curfew, and
after- school programs are how Cane believes he can keep juveniles out
of crime and drugs. Through prevention programs Cane holds the view
that public safety would be better prevented and curtailed. Regarding
transportation for the Eastern Shore, Cane emphasizes the study of the
“feasibility of cost- effective mass transit systems” in Salisbury and
Cambridge. For Cane, economic development and employment go
hand in hand. Cane aims to help provide “financial incentives to
businesses in empowerment zones and enterprise communities.” Cane
also supports better employment training in high schools and tax
incentives to businesses that hire the “hard- to- employ”.
Question: “What is the most important issue facing your district
and how will you address this?”
Answer: In my opinion the high rate of unemployment in our area is
the most important issue facing our district during the upcoming four
years. Unemployment impacts our tax base and reduces the amount of
money the State has to share with local counties thereby reducing
services that are needed to maintain top notch communities. In order to
stimulate job growth, we must invest in small businesses and their
employees. Small businesses are the foundation for strengthening our
financial base. In order for small businesses to attract and retain
qualified employees, we need our communities to value education and
the quality of life. This can be accomplished in part by opening up
financial opportunities to small businesses through tax credits and
mandating that banks loan funds necessary for businesses to develop
and to expand. I support finding ways to help our small business
community prosper and grow.
MD House of Delegates
Dustin Mills, Republican
District 37A
Dustin Mills, a Republican, is currently seeking a spot in the Maryland
House of Delegates, District 37A. He attended Salisbury University and
graduated with a Bachelor of the Arts in History in 2008. Mills began
his career working on Andy Harris’s Congressional Campaign in
charge of the three Lower Shore Counties. Mills also helped establish
the Lower Shore Young Republicans. In 2008 he received the William
A. Paca Award for Young Republican of the Year for the State of
Maryland.
Mills’ is a proponent of reducing spending, cutting corporate tax to 7%,
reducing income tax, and the deregulating of the agriculture sector.
Mills stresses county government autonomy from the state government
as well as school reformation, allowing for more resources to be
available for public education. In terms of the economy, Mills
emphasizes addressing the Maryland State budget through cutting
waste and abuse and keeping taxes from increasing. Mill holds the view
of fiscal responsibility and cutting the government spending.
Mills, a proponent of strong agriculture, wants to stop over-regulation
and costly environmental programs. Mills stresses the importance of
farmers and watermen for Delmarva and believes the government
should ensure that they prosper. Mills plans to push for an automatic
Maintenance of Effort Waiver for a county when unemployment is
above 7%. Mills also plans to make local and county tax incomes
untouchable by the state to ensure that counties retain their own money
to better provide for their community. Regarding community efforts,
Dustin Mills recently joined over 40 other Republican officeholders
and candidates for the House of Delegates in signing the Prosperity
Pledge for Maryland, a promise to jump-start the business community
on the Eastern Shore in effort to strengthen the economy.
Question: “What is the most important issue facing your district
and how will you address this?”
Answer: In my opinion, the most important issue facing 37A is
economics. While that is a broad term, I believe there are several facets
of the problem. First, we need to focus on job creation. People want to
work and provide for their families, yet there is a significant lack of
quality jobs on the Eastern Shore. We need to find a way to attract
employers and businesses, both small and large, to Delmarva. We do
that by lowering the corporate tax, cutting the sales tax and making
Maryland business friendly. Currently, Maryland is among the worst
states to do business in and we need to change that attitude. By
implementing these changes, as well as lowering the regulatory burden
on small business, we have the opportunity to help create meaningful
employment on the Eastern Shore.
Second, we need to address the budget deficit. Maryland is set to face
over $5 billion worth of budget deficits in the next few years. It is not a
problem that will go away (as seen by the 2007 Special Session) and
we need to fix it. The solution is to take a hard look at government
spending and reduce it significantly, through cuts or contracting of
services to the private sector. For example, the State currently spends
nearly $150 million a year to fund jobs that have no occupant. Also, as
a State, we currently own and operate TWO golf courses that are
operating at a loss. We need to stop foolish policies like that.
Maryland does not have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem.
We need to make sure that our expenditures match our political
lifestyle. We cannot continue to spend money like it is water and
expect more to come up. By doing this, we put the burden on the
working middle class of Maryland and Delmarva and that is completely
unacceptable.
MD House of Delegates
Patrice Stanley, Democrat
District 37B
Patrice Stanley, a Democrat running for MD House of Delegates in
District 37B, was raised in Dorchester County and received her B.A. in
Political Science from Washington College of Chestertown, MD in
1996. While in college, Stanley interned at the White House and at the
Maryland General Assembly introducing her to politics. Stanley is
known for her efforts at the Federal Highway Administration, at the
U.S. Department of Transportation, the U.S. Commission on Civil
Rights and the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.
Stanley supports future commercial and residential development on the
Eastern Shore specifically emphasizing the importance of reinvesting in
current structures. Stanley also wants to reduce the shortage of health
care workers on the Eastern Shore. She stresses job sharing agreements
with hospitals and health centers by providing job training and
incentive programs to promote interest in the health care program.
Stanley is a consistent champion of the Chesapeake Bay and
strengthening the local economy through the preservation of the Bay.
Stanley also emphasizes a well educated and trained workforce is
important for the Eastern Shore. She plans to promote sustainable jobs
and diverse industries by bringing high-tech, bio-tech and green
industries to the Mid-Shore region if elected.
MD House of Delegates
Addie Eckardt, Republican
District 37B
Addie Eckardt currently represents District 37B, which encompasses
parts of Caroline, Dorchester, Talbot and Wicomico Counties. Eckardt,
a House Member since 1995 has served on House Appropriations
Committee, the Joint Committee on Health Care Delivery, and the Joint
Committees on Access to Mental Health Services. Since in office, she
has focused on economic development, health care, and workforce
preparation/education and planned development that preserves the
environment. Eckardt recently retired as a full-time Psychiatric-Mental
Health Clinical Nurse Specialist employed at the Eastern Shore
Hospital Center. She continues to practice nursing as a part-time
adjunct Nursing Professor for Salisbury University providing clinical
supervision for the Psychiatric Nursing rotation. She also works parttime for the Dorchester County Health Department as a School Health
Nurse. She is married to Dick Eckardt of Cambridge.
Eckardt has been active in the Women Legislators of Maryland as
serving on the Dorchester County Republican Central Committee and
as Chair for two terms from 1986 -1994. Eckardt has been a proponent
of health care reform that provides access to quality, affordable health
care for citizens, reduce escalating costs, stop frivolous lawsuits, and
give people the ability to own their own care. Eckardt co-sponsored a
bill that increases the number of bedside nurses in Maryland hospitals,
as well as attracts and retain minorities in nursing. In addition, Delegate
Eckardt has made economic development a top priority, working to
bring industry and broadband Internet to the Shore, and to assure a
sustainable economic base to provide necessary services to citizens.
She has been a strong supporter of the agricultural industry, has pushed
for job creation on the Eastern Shore, and expanding small business
opportunities.
In terms of the economy, Eckardt believes that the tax burden should
be reduced for our families and small businesses. Eckardt believes that
prescription drugs should be more affordable for seniors, that health
care should be more consumer driven, and that everyone has access to
quality, affordable care. Eckardt believes the Chesapeake Bay is one of
Maryland’s most important features and it needs to be protected. She
supports oyster restoration, clean water, and clean air. Eckardt supports
economic and educational opportunities for students to make
Cambridge, Salisbury, and Easton top destinations for employers in
high-tech fields. Eckardt has sponsored and co-sponsored several
successful bills to provide tax relief, nutrient management, and promote
historic preservation. She has supported efforts that direct activities
toward resource-based businesses, niche farming and other farm-related
business. In regards to Second Amendment Rights, Eckardt has been a
cosponsor of concealed carry permit legislation and has supported
hunters and sportsmen on the Eastern Shore.
Question: “What is the most important issue facing your district
and how will you address this?”
Answer: The most important issue facing the Eastern Shore, as well as
the state, is to develop and pass a state budget that does not severely
impact the infrastructure of our local jurisdictions while at the same
time stimulate the economy. The decline in property tax revenues, the
exodus of millionaires, the increasing cost of government and the
increasing regulatory climate do not encourage businesses to domicile
in Maryland. Compounded by the rising unemployment, increased
costs of health care, the graying of the Shore and the shortage of health
care providers, all contribute to create the perfect storm for the next few
years. Business creation and retention is critical for jobs and an
improved tax base for our Eastern Shore Counties. Without work, there
are no jobs for citizens.
Several approaches are possible:

Freeze spending period of time, institute strategic budget
process-review all government agencies and determine their
core mission and funded accordingly.

Assess the implication of the false claims legislation that
passed last session to determine impact on Medicaid.

Continue to address fraud and abuse.

Monitor the Federal Health Care reform to assess the impact
on health care and citizens in the rural areas.

Continue to streamline our regulatory processes particularly
throughout the Dept of the Environment.

Plan for pension reform.

Work with the DNR and local watermen to establish areas for
oyster cultivation and restoration, remembering that fisheries
are a business as well as the unique culture of the Shore.

Value the special contribution of our family farms, the
agriculture industry, and foster a positive exchange with the
environmental community to retain existing businesses while
continuing to expand into niche markets including vineyards,
cheese production, specialty plants and vegetables.

Work with the local universities and community colleges to
create new markets for environmental business and
opportunities for alternate fuel sources.
MD House of Delegates
Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio, Republican
District 37B
Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio is an Eastern Shore native who grew up in
Neavitt, MD. Haddaway graduated from Salisbury University in 1999
with a B.A. in Political Science. She is a member of the Talbot County
Republican Central Committee and was appointed Assistant Minority
Whip in the House of Delegates in 2005. She is Co-Chair of the
Legislative Policy Committee for the Women's Caucus and Treasurer
of the Eastern Shore Delegation.
Haddaway is a proponent of Republicans for Environment Protection
and believes that conservative and conservation go hand in hand. At
the Maryland Department of the Environment, she researched potential
renewable energy sources for the state. She co-sponsored legislation to
establish a renewable portfolio standard in Maryland. She also serves
on the Public Utilities Committee, advocating for a diverse portfolio of
energy sources in Maryland that includes renewable energy. As a
member of the Task Force on Renewable Fuels, she attempts to
incentivize the development of bio fuels in Maryland and improve the
infrastructure in our state.
Haddaway co-sponsored House Bill 319 on the Eastern Shore, which
improves access to health care for rural Marylanders. Jeannie cosponsored House Bill 1043, helping Child Advocacy Centers in
Maryland with funding from the State Victims of Crime Fund and
gives organizational support from the Governor’s Office of Crime
Control and Prevention. She voted in support of the Job Creation and
Recovery Tax. Haddaway voted in opposition of Mandatory Shift
Breaks and Unemployment Insurance Changes.
Regarding the environment and energy, Haddaway voted in favor of a
bill that prohibits the sale, manufacture and distribution of children’s
products that contain biphenyl-A (BPA), a harmful compound found in
some plastics. Haddaway voted in support of the Safe Schools Act of
2010, which requires courts to contact school administrators when a
student is under the supervision of the Department of Juvenile Services
for serious and violent crimes. It also requires the State Board of
Education to devise a policy to address gang activity that can be
implemented by local boards.
Question: “What is the most important issue facing your district
and how will you address this?”
Answer: The most important issue facing my district right now is
economic recovery. In order to address this, we have to improve the
business climate of our State. We also have to consider the negative
impact that the 2007 historic tax increases have had on our citizens and
our small businesses. Finally, since agriculture, commercial fishing and
tourism, film and the arts are the largest economic drivers in our State;
we have to balance economic interests and environmental interests
through policies that keep them viable, sustainable and competitive.
MD House of Delegate
Mike McCready, Democrat
District 38A
Mike McCready is the Democratic candidate running to represent
District 38A in the Maryland House of Delegates. McCready works for
Perdue Farms Inc. as a flock supervisor. He currently serves as the
president of the Board of County Commissioners in Somerset County.
McCready was born and raised on the Eastern Shore and graduated
from Crisfield High School in 1976. He has worked for over 30 years
as a local poultry farmer and owns his own poultry farm. He is a
member of the Somerset County Farm Bureau, The Waterman’s
Association, the NRA, and the Delmarva Poultry Industry (DPI).
McCready has served as the president of the Tri-County Council, sat on
the board of the Board of Directors of Shore Up, and is a member of
the Blood Bank of Delmarva.
McCready favors legislation to support small businesses, farmers, and
waterman. He is a supporter of decreasing the regulatory burden on
farmers and plans to restore a sense of sovereignty to local farmers and
stimulate agricultural growth. McCready plans to protect local
waterman and fisherman’s rights by preventing restrictions on the
breadth of fishing operations in the regions. He also supports a possible
repeal of the 6% sales tax and lower taxes in general.
MD House of Delegates
Charles James Otto, Republican
District 38A
Charles James Otto is the Republican candidate running for the MD
House of Delegates District 38A. Otto was born and raised in Somerset
County and operates his family’s 80-year-old farm. Otto has worked for
the Farmers and Planters Company in Salisbury, MD for the past 15
years as a certified crop consultant and sales manager. He holds a
Bachelor’s of Science degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Otto
currently serves as the president of the Wicomico County Farm Bureau
and on the Board of Directors for the Maryland Farm Bureau. He has
served as president of the Maryland Grain Producers Association,
Somerset County Farm Bureau, and as chairman for the Salisbury Area
Chamber of Commerce Agri-Business Committee. Otto was elected to
three terms to the USDA Farm Service Agency County Committee for
Somerset County and is also a charter member of the Mt. Vernon
Volunteer Fire Department.
Otto is a strong proponent of property rights and believes that they are
essential to the preservation of human freedom. Otto also supports
impartial administration of legislation without special privilege. He also
plans to create legislation that will support the rights of both waterman
and farmers. Otto is a supporter and signer of the “Prosperity Pledge for
Maryland,” which pledges to lower taxes, create jobs, support small
business and hold government accountable.
Question: “What is the most important issue facing your district
and how will you address this?”
Answer: The Most Important Issue Facing Our District Is Fiscal
Responsibility Of Government And Job Opportunity For The Citizens.
The State Government Is Strangling Business And Job Opportunity
Through Punitive Tax Policies And Cumbersome, Inefficient &
Ineffective Regulatory Programs. State Government Has To Prioritize
Each Dollar Spent To The Basic Responsibilities.
Dealing With This Problem First Would Be No New Taxes Or Fee
Increase. Second, Evaluating Recent Tax and Fee Increases That Have
Been Stagnating Economic Activity And Actually Reduces Revenue
To The State. Third, No New Mandates On Local Governments Or
Individuals That Can't Be Paid For. Fourth, Have An Independent
Cost/Benefit Analysis Of All State Programs And Agencies.
MD House of Delegates
Norman Conway, Democrat
District 38B
Norm Conway is the incumbent running for his 12 th term as Delegate
representing District 38B. Conway was born and raised in Salisbury,
MD. He received a Bachelor’s of Science and Master’s Degree of
Education Administration from Salisbury State University. He began
teaching at Pinehurst Elementary School, became vice-principal, and
eventually became principal. Conway served as a volunteer firefighter
at the Salisbury Volunteer Fire Department for 47 years as well as
serving in a variety of civic and local policy-making organizations.
Conway currently serves as the chairman of the Maryland House of
Delegates Appropriations Committee and oversees the Maryland’s
budgetary legislation. Conway was awarded the Legislator Recognition
Award by the Maryland Association of Counties. His committee
membership includes jurisdiction over a variety of issues including
higher education, the environment, agriculture, and public safety.
As an advocate for education, Conway secured $11 million for the
renovation and construction of schools and was a supporter of
Governor Martin O’Malley’s college tuition freezes. Conway has also
been a strong supporter of the Eastern Shore agribusiness as well as
environment. He created legislation to sustain the farming industry and
supported agricultural measures to benefit the Chesapeake Bay. He has
also supported legislation encouraging heightened public safety,
economic development and improved healthcare. As Delegate, Conway
increased funding for Medicare and children’s healthcare programs by
$220 million and sponsored legislation to recruit and retain doctors in
the state of Maryland.
Conway also supported legislation against sexual predators and
advocated for the Job Creation Tax Credit to hire unemployed citizens.
Conway was also influential in the passage of legislation proposed by
the Thornton Commission on Education Finance, Equity and
Excellence, which provided increased state funding for schools. He was
also a key advocate of the construction of Salisbury University’s
Henson Science Hall and the building of the Perdue Business School at
Salisbury University.
Question: What is the most important issue facing your district and
how will you address this?
Answer: The most important issue facing our district and the State is
the economy. As a result, the direction has to be jobs, jobs, jobs. I
would continue to work with local groups and businesses to address
their needs and seek State Agency assistance to help with meeting any
needs identified. I would also seek to meet with our Economic
Development directors and review our comprehensive plans for
attracting new industries and businesses using the many resources
available.
MD House of Delegates
Gee Williams, Democrat
District 38B
Gee Williams, current Mayor of the Town of Berlin, is running as the
Democratic candidate to represent District 38B in the Maryland House
of Delegates. Williams graduated from the University of Maryland,
College Park in 1971 with a B.A. in Journalism and an emphasis in
Business and Marketing. Williams worked as a local newspaper editor
and publisher in Worcester County for 30 years and eventually owned
his own newspaper company on the Eastern Shore. Williams worked as
the Nature Tourism Development Officer for the Maryland State
Department of Natural Resources as well as a Public Information and
Community Relations Officer for the State Highway Administration.
He has also worked for several years with the Community Foundation
of the Eastern Shore assisting nonprofit organizations in Wicomico,
Worcester, and Somerset counties in development and market
strategies. After serving for several years on the Berlin Town Council,
Williams was elected Mayor of Berlin in 2008. He served as Council
Vice-President in 2004, elected to the Worcester County Democratic
Central Committee where he served from 1994-1998 as vice-chair, and
held the position of chair of the Democratic Central Committee from
1998-2002. Williams was a co-founder and a charter member of the
Democratic Club of Worcester County.
Governor Schaefer appointed Williams Chairman of the Maryland
Lower Shore Tourism Center in 1984, and again in 1989. Williams was
appointed by Governor Glendening in 1995 to the Governor’s
Education Policy Committee and served as the first Chairman of the
Worcester County Career and Technology Task Force after being
appointed by Worcester County Commissioners in 1996 and again in
1998. As mayor, Williams was able to reduce Berlin’s budget by $1.9
million in three years. Williams also added an Economic and
Community Development Office to focus on improving the town’s
infrastructure and focused on environmental partnerships and
initiatives. He is a strong supporter of policies that will encourage small
business and allow them to thrive in Maryland. Williams is also an
advocate of effective and transparent government.
Question: What is the most important issue facing your district and
how will you address this?”
Answer: The most important issue facing this district is the need to get
our state's economy back on track so it is able to provide a sustainable
economic recovery that will create private sector jobs and confidence in
the future by both businesses and consumers. I will support legislation
that takes a multi-faceted approach to spurring our state's economic
recovery.
First, we must streamline regulations across the board, and where
possible, eliminate outdated or conflicting regulations that discourage
investment in Maryland's economy. We cannot regulate ourselves into
economic recovery. Our regulatory environment creates uncertainty
and unpredictability for business development and this is a major
problem in getting existing Maryland businesses to invest in our state,
or in attracting new firms.
I will support targeted tax cuts that will help spur business
development. Two examples where I believe reductions will help
promote investment in Maryland business are the corporate tax rates
and the personal income tax rates. I also believe Maryland needs to do
a comprehensive review of fees in all state agencies to see where they
can be either reduced or where possible, eliminated.
And finally, Maryland must make economic opportunity and
environmental stewardship compatible, not competitive. We must work
to begin balancing the caretaking of our natural environment with the
economic limitations of not only government, but also private
enterprise and individuals. The state needs to shift its efforts in
protecting the environment from too much emphasis on litigation and
fines and instead, work toward developing widespread environmental
stewardship by supporting efforts that promote education, cooperation
and mutual respect between all stakeholders.
MD House of Delegates
Mike McDermott, Republican
District 38B
Mike McDermott is the Republican candidate running for the Maryland
House of Delegates seat representing District 38B. McDermott has
served as Mayor of Pocomoke City for six years. Born and raised on
the Eastern Shore, McDermott managed his family’s poultry farm in
Willards, MD. He has 28 years of law enforcement experience,
previously served as Snow Hill’s Chief of Police, and is currently the
Commander of the Investigative Division of the Worcester County
Sheriff’s Office.
Over the past five years, McDermott initiated policies that decreased
Pocomoke City’s crime rate, increased community enhancement, as
well as cut residential and corporate taxes. McDermott is a proponent
of fiscal conservatism and believes in simple government. He is a
strong advocate of lower taxes, as well as a decrease of government
regulation and control. McDermott is also a strong supporter of
legislation supporting heightened public safety, increasing state
infrastructure, land conservation, improving municipality service and
creating jobs on the Eastern Shore.
Question: “What is the most important issue facing your district
and how will you address this?”
Answer: Economic recovery is the most important issue that must be
addressed by the General Assembly. Locally, we suffer from some of
the highest unemployment percentages in Maryland. We need a course
correction in Annapolis. Among the states, Maryland is ranked almost
last in “business climate,” and fourth worst in overall “tax burden”.
This is not conducive to growing our corporate base. In fact, our tax
policies have caused businesses to flee our state, along with a healthy
number of entrepreneurs and their investment dollars. Our state budget
has nearly doubled in the past ten years and it is quite clear that we
have a spending problem in the legislature. Prosperity will require
diligence and the following should be applied by the legislators:


Look for ways to reduce the size of government through
consolidation of redundant activities;
Support an independent, comprehensive audit of all
government programs and activities to determine whether to:


continue, discontinue, or reorganize each program and
activity;
Reduce taxes and burdensome over regulation on
corporations and small business; and
Support the reduction of marginal and sales tax while
reducing the overall tax and fee burdens placed upon our
citizens and businesses.
These measures, if applied, would stimulate our economy and make us
a national competitor for future jobs and growth. If we do not change
our approach and the way we think, we will continue to be passed over
in favor of neighboring states who are already applying these principles
with great effect. The previous two fiscal budgets have been heavily
propped up by Federal stimulus dollars, which have created a false
economy in Maryland. The current administration and their legislative
supporters have cost us precious time and wasted much of our treasure.
The road back is not easy, but it is one that will lead to a sustainable
prosperity and a healthy Maryland.
MD House of Delegates
Marty Pusey, Republican
District 38B
Marty Pusey is the Republican candidate for Maryland House of
Delegates District 38B. She was born and raised on the Lower Eastern
Shore, graduated from the University of Maryland, and later received a
master’s degree in Education. Pusey and her husband reside on a grain
and chicken farm outside Snow Hill and she co-owns a retail business
in Salisbury with her two daughters.
She presently serves as the Director of Prevention Services for
Worcester County and received the Governor’s Citation for Drug and
Alcohol Awareness programs in Ocean City, Berlin, and Snow Hill.
She currently serves on the Governor's Commission on Suicide
Prevention where she is the Chairwoman of the Worcester County
Domestic Violence Coalition. She is a member of the Worcester
County Shoreline Commission and past president of the Worcester
County Commission for Women. Pusey is also a member of the
Worcester County Domestic Violence Commission as well as a
member of the Worcester County Local Management Board.
Pusey is in favor of reducing government spending, cutting taxes,
balanced budgeting and making it easier for small businesses to thrive.
She supports the Rule of Law, the Constitution including 2 nd
amendment rights, private property rights, and state rights. She
supports teachers by reducing class sizes, is opposed to perpetual
federal standardized testing, and is a strong opponent of illegal
immigration in Maryland. Pusey also supports common sense
government, greater transparency in government, and more effective
reporting and ethics procedures.
Question: “What is the most important issue facing your district
and how will you address this?”
Answer: I believe the most important issue facing 38B and the rest of
Maryland's Eastern Shore is jobs and getting the economy moving
forward. Maryland has become a highly taxed State with many
industries and small businesses choosing to re-locate or locate in
neighboring States such as Virginia or Delaware. With Maryland
ranked 45th by the Tax Foundation on its business index and with a
looming budget deficit, it becomes clear that the practice of raising
taxes in order to meet a growing government is not working.
Agriculture, our largest industry in Maryland, is under attack because
of increased regulation. There is much to do to make Maryland a more
desirable place for business and industry to locate.
I would recommend the following strategies to address these concerns:
1- Spending must be brought under control by building a budget based
on real revenues, not desired revenues. Seeking a new way to tax
citizens that are already stretched to their limits is not acceptable. We
must live within our means, set priorities, and not expand the role of
government.
2- Reduce taxes starting with rolling back the sales tax to at least 5%
but 4% would be even better. That would get people back shopping in
Md. instead of going to our neighboring State of Delaware where there
is no sales tax. However, that alone will not help bring back businesses
or inspire investment. There must be a stable economy with sufficient
infrastructure to insure that taxes will not later be raised once the
business is established. Other taxes to be reduced would be the estate
tax, dividends tax, personal income tax maximum, corporate taxes, and
the system for increasing unemployment insurance rates should be
changed.
3- Offer incentives to businesses and investors to locate in Maryland,
especially the Eastern Shore. This could happen through tax
abatements for property acquisition for specified time periods, low
interest operating and start-up loans, mentorships by successful
businesses to help with drawing up business plans, understanding tax
and corporate law, and how to stay on top of the day to day operations.
4- Lastly, getting rid of burdensome regulations is paramount. The cost
of hiring an individual and complying with regulations has made hiring
difficult. There needs to be reform in the unemployment
insurance system, Labor reform such as passing the "Right to Work"
legislation which makes State contracts within reach of more private
contractors and does not require workers to pay into unions even when
they are not members.
The assault on the poultry farmer to spend more and more money to
satisfy regulations that are not grounded in science is also hurting
agriculture. Exposing farmers to potential law suits that will bankrupt
their family farm is wrong. Regulatory agencies should be partnering
with the farmers to help them meet the requirements related to nutrient
management plans, not trying to put them out of business. Where will
we be when the farmer is extinct? We must fight to keep the family
farm viable and keep the regulators off their backs.
References
addieeckardt.com
allwineforgovernor.org
andyharris.com
baltimoresun.com
bobehrlich.com
chrisrobinsonforsenate.com
colburnashoresenator.com
constitutionpartymd.com
davis4congress.com
delmarvadealings.com
delmarvanow.com
electcharlesotto.com
electdustinmills.com
electmartypusey.com
electmccready.com
electmikemcdermott.com
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governor.maryland.gov
grythumn.org
idesigninc.net
jimmathias.com
joeollinger.com
martinomalley.com
md.lp.org
md.newszapforums.com
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mikulski.senate.gov
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msa.md.gov
normconway.net
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ontheissues.org
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rudycane.org
stardem.com
votehaddaway.com
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votemichaeljames.com
votepatricestanley.com
votesmart.org
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wtop.com
Maryland Eastern Shore Voting Guide
A Student Project of the PACE
Presidential Citizen Scholars Class