Republican, Democratic candidates present for forum of Congressional District Six hopefuls
Nearly a dozen candidates, both Republican and Democrat, aiming to be Maryland’s next United States Congressional District Six representative came to the Washington County Free Library in downtown Hagerstown on Saturday to share their remarks with the community.
The forum, sponsored by the Washington County branch of the NAACP, gave each candidate a couple minutes to introduce themselves to the dozens assembled in the upstairs conference room before moderator Eddie Peters, the president and owner of Vocal Expressions, asked candidates questions prepared in advance from the nonpartisan organization’s political action committee.
Two Republicans, former state Del. Brenda Thiam, R-Washington, and former state trooper Chris Hyser, a chaplain, shared a table with eight Democratic candidates. With the state Legislature convened on Saturday and wrapping up its scheduled session Monday, two current members of the Maryland General Assembly, Del. Lesley Lopez, D-Montgomery, and Del. Joe Vogel, D-Montgomery, sent short video messages, which played after the candidates in attendance spoke.
The tone of discussion from the array of candidates remained largely civil during the forum that exceeded two hours. At times, there was bipartisan agreement between candidates, who are not running against each other in the closed party primary with Election Day scheduled for May 14.
More: Republican congressional candidates weigh in on Western Maryland's top priorities.
More: Democratic congressional candidates weigh in on Western Maryland's top priorities.
“I’m tired of people from (Congressional) District Eight thinking that they have to represent us because we’re too backwoods out here in District Six,” said Hyser, a Republican, referencing the adjacent congressional district located entirely in Montgomery County.
He proposed candidates should not be able to raise or spend any more than the office salary for the seat for which they are running.
At-large Montgomery County Councilmember Laurie-Anne Sayles, a Democrat whose district includes the northern part of Montgomery, which is a part of the Sixth Congressional District, agreed. “I’ll say ditto to what Chris said,” Sayles said.
Absent from the forum at the library were a pair of individuals who have dominated the discussion in Congressional District Six in recent years, U.S. Rep. David Trone, D-6th, who is currently running for a seat in the U.S. Senate, and former state Del. Neil Parrott, R-Washington, who is seeking the seat again and advised the forum’s organizers he would be unable to attend.
The Democrats in attendance, in order of their seating left to right at the table, were Mohammad Mozumder, Destiny Drake-West, April McClain-Delaney, Ashwani Jain, Peter Choharis, George Gluck, Sayles and Altimont Mark Wilks. Prior to the forum, Washington County NAACP Branch President Taj Smith said Hagerstown Mayor Tekesha Martinez, who is also seeking the seat as a Democrat, did not attend the forum due to travel for city business.
The Herald-Mail sent a question to the district’s congressional candidates. Responses from the Republican candidates can be found here, and responses from the Democratic candidates can be found here. Candidates listed are on the ballot in the May 14 Presidential Primary Election.
Dwight A. Weingarten is an investigative reporter, covering the Maryland State House and state issues. He can be reached at dweingarten@gannett.com or on Twitter at @DwightWeingart2.
This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Forum held for GOP, Democratic candidates in Western Maryland district
