Dems for CD6 at Hood College
[Photo above, courtesy of Ryan Miner, AMinerDetail.com]
The six Democratic candidates hoping to fill Congressman John Delaney’s seat in the sixth district responded to questions at a forum on January 17 at Hood College. The event was hosted by the Women’s Democratic League of Frederick County, the United Democrats of Frederick County, the Hood College Democrats, and the Hood College Political Science Department. [Ryan Miner of AMinerDetail.com posted a video of the entire forum here.]
Moderator Kai Hagen commented on the size of the crowd, which filled the auditorium, with many in attendance wearing t-shirts naming their chosen candidates.
The candidates began by introducing themselves. Andrew Duck emphasized his military experience and ties to the local community, pointing out that he had run for the seat before redistricting helped take it away from long-time Republican Congressman Roscoe Bartlett.
Nadia Hashimi, pediatrician and novelist, talked about her background as the child of immigrants and her experience in the field of health care. Chris Hearsey highlighted his time on Capitol Hill and stressed the importance of keeping the social programs that had helped him in his youth.
State Senator Roger Manno and Delegate Aruna Miller both emphasized their legislative accomplishments; Manno discussed the need for universal health care coverage, while Miller called for all citizens to stay involved in the political process. Finally, entrepreneur David Trone stressed the importance of thinking about issues long-term, criticizing President Trump for not doing so.
In general, there was more agreement than disagreement. When asked for their top health care priorities, the candidates varied only slightly, with most of them in favor of some kind of single-payer program. Duck, who joined the army so that his young family would have health insurance, said, “No one should have to put their life on the line to get health care for their child.” Trone wants to double the NIH budget, educate the populace about opioids, and continue to improve the Affordable Care Act. Miller thinks that we need to double the funds for CHIP permanently, saying that health care is like education: we should fund it because it’s for the public good.
Next, Hagen asked how the candidates proposed to protect services threatened by the budget priorities of the Trump administration. Hashimi said that preventative care always gives a solid return on the investment and must be included in any plan. Hearsey called the protection of individuals with pre-existing conditions “non-negotiable,” and added that technology can be used to keep costs down and provide better health tracking.
The question of law enforcement’s role in the so-called “war on drugs” elicited more consensus, with Miller calling it “a colossal failure.” She added that it puts a disproportionate number of minority populations behind bars and that she was proud to have had a part in decriminalizing marijuana in Maryland. All seemed to agree that addiction is a public health issue and we cannot continue to treat it like a criminal justice issue.
Manno said that young people in particular fall into drugs and related problems because of bad living situations, and we need to address that underlying cause. Hearsey, whose father and uncle were both police officers, sees a need for people to talk about drug use as a disease, while Hashimi stressed the danger of stigmatizing entire groups of people, especially young people, who need support services “before the label becomes their fate.” Duck, who is trained in the administration of NARCAN and carries it with him at all times, wrapped up the discussion by saying, “We will never arrest our way out of the drug addiction problem.”
Candidates were then asked to address the threat of climate change as a public health crisis. Manno called it “the most important existential threat facing humanity” and touted his own role in stopping fracking in Maryland. Hashimi said that one silver lining of the current administration’s positions is that “science is making a comeback,” and Trone continued the criticism of Trump, pointing out that this administration took us out of the Paris Climate Accord and chose an EPA head who had sued the EPA eighteen times.
Finally, Hagen commented on the apparent consistency and unity of ideas among the candidates and asked each to tell what distinguishes her or him from the others before giving their closing statements. Hashimi said that as a physician, she sees every issue through the lens of what is good for a person. Duck described himself as a local boy with a long record of public service. Trone’s experience of losing a nephew to substance abuse inspired him to “leave the world a better place.” Miller, an immigrant, said, “Diversity is not a problem in this country; it’s a promise.”
Manno, in his closing remarks, made a request of the audience: “Two years. Give me two years to prove to you that no one will ever work harder for you and your family than me.” Hearsey returned to his earlier comments and repeated his conviction that technology will enable us to compete on the world stage.
Duck had the final response of the evening: “There’s a lot of agreement in this room, but the country is more divided than ever.” He believes that the next representative from the sixth congressional district will need to be willing to bridge that divide.
