MD Chooses Moore vs. Cox

 

The voters have spoken; I think!

When the final tallies are in from all the mail-in/drop-box ballots, it seems that Democratic candidate Wes Moore and Republican Dan Cox will be the nominees. The differences could not be more pronounced. The challenges cannot be understated. Free State voters must choose between two views of America. One, which is progressive and believes in protecting individual rights, ending child poverty, working for climate change policies, safeguarding abortion access, and educational opportunity, and one which claims philosophical purity and denies climate change issues, fought against COVID masking and restrictions, denied Biden’s election and claims schools are indoctrinating children.

Cox, who touted a DJT endorsement, states he will return Maryland to true conservatism; he fought against the somewhat moderate policies of current Governor Hogan and tried to impeach him over Covid restrictions. Cox, a Republican Delegate from Frederick County, brought a busload of MAGA supporters to the January 6^th insurrection and decried what he called Marxist educational practices and governmental actions that were contrary to the MD Constitution. Cox also called VP Pence a traitor. He now claims that Bidens’ policies on immigration, inflation, and high gas prices will drive Democrats to the GOP side. The Governor endorsed Cox’s opponent, the more moderate Kelly Schultz, a member of Hogans’ administration; Hogan states now that he will not vote for Cox and has described him as a “Qanon whacko”. The Democratic Governors’ association poured money into ads boasting of the MAGA endorsement for Cox. It remains to be seen whether or not this was a wise decision. The Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor is a woman, Gordana Schifanelli, a lawyer from Kent County, who was active in defining and protesting school curriculum issues. She emigrated to the U.S. from Yugoslavia and is married to a disabled veteran. According to Kelly Schultz, the law practices of both Cox and Schifanelli have both been cited for fraudulent business practices and listed as “not in good standing.”

Wes Moore came through on top of a crowded Democratic race with nine candidates, some more viable than others, but all quite sincere. Three, Perez, Jain, and King, had served in the Obama administration. Franchot was the current state Comptroller, while Perez and Gansler were both previous statewide officeholders in previous administrations.

While Wes Moore was unknown to me, he is well-known in Baltimore, where he is famous for building the finances of the non-profit anti-poverty Robin Hood Foundation, where he once served as CEO, and promoted education. He is also a former investment banker, Black media star, entrepreneur, Rhodes scholar, member of Phi Beta Kappa, veteran, and author. Although he claimed to have survived the rough streets of Baltimore, he did not grow up there, but in New York. However, he has a success story that resonated with many, including Congressman Steny Hoyer and Oprah, who endorsed him. His running mate for Lieutenant Governor is Aruna Miller, a well-known and respected former Montgomery County Delegate whose family was from India and emigrated to the U.S. when she was seven years old. She was educated as a civil engineer and worked in the Transportation Department in Montgomery County, MD for many years. After serving in the State House of Delegates, she previously ran for Congress in the Sixth District but lost. If elected, this ticket would have the first Black Governor in Maryland and the first Lt. Governor from an Asian background.

According to Maryland Matters: Moore wasted no time trying to draw contrasts between himself and Cox. “The choice could not be more clear,” he said, accusing Cox of fomenting divisiveness and promoting “cynical policies of conspiracy theories and fear.”

The Attorney General (AG) nominations also present a contest of contrasts. The Republican is someone only Republicans could have found. Former Anne Arundel County Councilman Michael Peroutka was previously a member of the Constitution Party and claims to be a Christian Nationalist who “will bring God back to Maryland.” A retired lawyer, his website claims: “As Attorney General of MD, Michael will prosecute unlawful officials, secure the right to bear arms, defend life, restore election integrity, and protect our borders.”

The last time I looked when I crossed over into West Virginia, the borders seemed pretty secure to me!

According to a recent article in the NY Times: “Christian nationalism isn’t a route to the future. Its purpose is to hollow out democracy until nothing is left, but a thin cover for rule by a supposedly right-thinking elite, bubble-wrapped in sanctimony and insulated from any real democratic check on its power.”

The Daily Beast describes many of the January 6^th insurrectionists as believing in the theory “that America was meant to be a white Christian nation” and allows for racist rants such as were written by the anti-black Buffalo Tops store shooter. These are the same theories spouted by some on Fox TV as they discuss their concerns about white replacement and others who tout succession by the South. (Haven’t we heard of that before?)

Candidate Cox spouts a lot of stuff about the U.S. not being a democracy, but a republic and apparently relies on his endorsement from the MAGA crowd to put him in office. I am hoping the so-called “blue” state of MD will prove him wrong. However, MD is blue in the core and red on the edges, despite gerrymandering, and some have called it purple. Democrats will need to turn out and not be complacent as those on the fanatic right will show up.

Here are some definitions from How Stuff Works:

Is the United States a democracy or a republic? The answer is both.

The U.S. isn’t a “pure democracy” in which every decision is put to a popular vote, but today scholars use the terms “democracy” and “republic” interchangeably to mean any government where power is invested in the people, whether it’s exercised directly by the people or by their elected representatives.

While the United States was the first modern democracy, the world is now full of democracies and republics of various flavors: presidential republics, parliamentary republics, constitutional monarchies, and more. Each type of democracy has its advantages and disadvantages, but they all share founding principles like free and fair elections, guaranteed human rights, and the rule of law.

This American style of democracy is called the “presidential model,” since the president is the chief executive and is elected separately from members of Congress. As the head of the executive branch, the president also exercises certain powers, like the ability to veto bills passed by Congress, to appoint members to the Supreme Court, and to serve as commander-in-chief of the military.

Consequently, this multi-faceted nation once described as a melting pot, but encompassing peoples from across the world of all nationalities and races is not a Christian nation, not a nation of a single race; and those proclaiming these theories need to look at such ideas and hopefully, those who promote them will never be elected. Officials who promote hate and autocracies have no place here.

The Democratic candidate for AG is Congressman Anthony Brown, once a Lt. Governor under O’Malley and a previous candidate for governor who lost to Hogan. A lawyer and former JAG officer in the Army, he gave up a safe Congressional seat to run against the wife of his former running mate, Judge Katie O’Malley, whose father was once AG. Gets kinda complicated, right? Anyway, Brown is also African American, which should provide a stark contrast against a White Christian Nationalist opponent. According to his website, Brown will stand for justice, protect the environment, stand for reproductive rights and fight against gun violence. So, they set the stage; it will be up to Brown to get out there and make his argument to Marylanders. I certainly hope that he does, as that other guy is scary!

Below is an article from the Baltimore Business Journal with some opinions about his failed campaign in 2014:

Maryland voters, who lean Democratic by more than a 2-to-1 margin, didn’t just wake up Tuesday and change their minds on all matters of public policy. They saw Brown as a candidate who didn’t explain how he would differentiate himself from O’Malley; belatedly explained his role in Maryland’s failed rollout of the Affordable Care Act; never described how he would make Maryland more competitive for business; and who already played a role in two terms of tax increases. Heather Mizeur, who lost to Brown in the June Democratic primary, wrote an op-ed in the Baltimore Sun describing her effort to support Brown in the general election. She came away discouraged — still asking people to vote for Brown, but only as she held her nose. “I was told they had no interest in promoting new policies but were instead locked on a strategy to just draw contrasts with their opponent,” Mizeur wrote. “That is campaign doublespeak for settling to run negative attack ads rather than to promote a positive vision.” Those liabilities — combined with Brown’s negative campaign — led voters to either take a chance on Hogan and his promises of lower taxes or to sit out the election.

Brown has a good story to tell, about his immigrant physician father, his Swiss mother, and his upbringing and career, (if my memory is correct). I certainly hope that lessons were learned!

Now on to the last race in the statewide contests: the race for Comptroller. In this race on the Democratic side, the contest was between Bowie Mayor, Timothy Adams and State Delegate from Baltimore, Brooke Lierman (whom I volunteered for). Lierman won decisively, receiving 64% of the vote in the yet to be finalized, results. If elected, she would be the first woman in that office.

Her opponent is Republican Barry Glassman, a moderate former Harford County Executive, who describes himself as a Larry Hogan Republican and who is trying to distance himself from the others on the top of the ticket. He declared that their selection would make his race more difficult.

In the Congressional races, all the incumbents on the Democratic side won. In the race for the seat currently held by gun-toting Congressman Andy Harris, CD1, Heather Mizeur won the Democratic nomination, in what will be a tough race against the only Republican Congressman in the state. Although the Democratic legislature tried to redistrict the area to better favor an opponent, the courts overturned that division and returned the district to include more Republicans. The courts also revised the district for David Trone, CD6, and included a more Republican population, so he might have a more difficult time this year. Congressman Jamie Raskin used to have part of Frederick County in his district, but that was also redistricted out, so he no longer has any portion of Frederick County.

In Montgomery County-the Democratic County Executive race, where opponents to incumbent Marc Elrich went strongly negative and repeat opponent David Blair put in millions of his own money, while Elrich took public financing, there is no clear winner. Hans Riemer ran third and conceded, but Elrich has a narrow lead of about 276 votes over Blair as mail-in ballots continue to be counted. In the race in 2018, Elrich beat Blair by 77 votes.

In Frederick County, two county council members and a former board of ed member vied for the top spot on the Democratic ticket. Jessica Fitzwater bested Kai Hagen and Daryl Boffman for the nomination with 57% of the vote in unofficial tallies. She will face state Senator Michael Hough for the leadership of the county in November. Hough ran unopposed for the Republican nomination. Hough was once an aide to the controversial conservative and former Frederick Delegate, Alex Mooney, and is chief of staff for the same, now Congressman, Mooney in WV.

So, Marylanders, in these races the choices for Democrats should not be difficult. In every instance, the Democratic candidates are clearly the only rational choices, in my opinion.  Women need to step up for those who would protect a woman’s right to reproductive freedoms, bodily autonomy, and freedom to travel as they wish. Senator Romney complained recently that no one wants to restrict contraception; why should this be made into law? Uhh, Senator, there are bills proposing that in some states now!

Hey, this is my blog, my opinions! But voters cannot give in to pleas from ideologues, demagogues, racists, fascists, or be those who would vote only for gas price reductions. If you vote for someone who says they will fix the economy, you are buying a bag of air. They do not make these policies at the state level; the economy is an international, interrelated issue and inflation is just a portion of it.

Another blog will deal with why President Biden is getting a bad rap; he has implemented policies and signed legislation that helped the economy and reduced unemployment and much more. It will be a long autumn until the mid-terms. Hang onto your hats; there might be a lot of heated air blowing out there!

“Til next week-peace!