Susan Olsen’s March 21 letter to the Spy, in which she criticized First Congressional District candidate Dave Harden for his emphasis on national security issues, ignored the three fundamental points of the upcoming Democratic primary election.
First, Andy Harris has been a terrible congressman and has repeatedly embarrassed the First District with his far-right, extremist actions. On this point, I think we can agree. He has sided against law enforcement, against emergency responders, against offshore wind and even against cost relief at the gas pump. Andy Harris must go.
Second, Heather Mizeur simply cannot win a general election in our moderate-to-conservative district. Contrary to Ms. Olsen’s mischaracterizations, the fact that former delegate Mizeur used to live in Takoma Park isn’t the issue here. What is relevant is that she represented Takoma Park for more than a decade as an elected official and has the far-left voting record to show for it.
Ignoring the fact that Delegate Mizeur voted for higher income taxes, higher sales taxes, higher business taxes and higher gas taxes, or pretending that these votes simply never occurred, won’t make them go away. Nor can we pretend that she never criticized the American experience as one of “toxic individuality” and bashes capitalism as a system that “promotes scarcity and hordes supplies.”
We can either have this conversation during the primary, while we still have our choice of candidates. Or we can wait until the general, when Andy Harris will have millions of dollars to define her as a far-left Takoma Park transplant whose mindset is fundamentally different than that of the typical First District resident.
Finally, Dave Harden can win. He is a moderate Democrat whose career as an American foreign service officer and diplomat will serve us well in a time of such uncertainty around the world. The humanitarian, economic and political consequences of the Russian slaughter in Ukraine will affect the U.S. in so many ways. It will be so important to have in Congress a man who has negotiated peaceful outcomes and preserved our national interests in some of the world’s most dangerous places. He is a man of the First District who, when elected to Congress, will only answer to the families of the First District and not the political bosses on Capitol Hill and Annapolis.
Dave Harden is my choice. I encourage everyone to take an in-depth look at his vision at www.hardenforcongress.com.
John Queen
Chestertown
Carol Voyles says
Heather Mizeur never “answered to political bosses.” She is known for negotiating across the aisle and delivering positive results for all of Maryland.
Charles Barranco says
Mr Queen,
So Well Stated!
Dave Harden is the perfect fit for the 1st District.
A moderate, as was Wayne Gilcrest, he brings much needed international experience and depth as a diplomat, which neither Heather Mizeur or Andy Harris possess. There is no doubt he will be a respected leader in Congress. When considering strengths of a candidate, integrity and loyalty to his constituents will be paramount. Dave is for the people in his District.
Congressman Harden will be a leader, not a follower as is Andy Harris who votes as he’s told by the GOP.
Dave Harden will Defeat Andy Harris.
Unfortunately Heather Mizeur is 0-1. She can’t beat Harris.
Jim Franke says
Heather Mizeur has run all her campaigns stating her values and ideas, not using Republican-like innuendo and smear tactics. The District needs a major improvement in the character of our Rep., not a minor improvement.
Mr. Queen quotes from a Harden campaign email on taxes.
In 2012 from the impact of the 2008 recession and years recovering, the State had a massive budget deficit problem. A legislative special session was called to handle it. Income tax brackets were shifted so that higher incomes were being taxed more. The tobacco sales tax was raised. The sales tax exemption on “cylinder demurrage charges” was eliminated. And the property tax on “indemnity mortgages” was raised.
The majority of legislators did their duty and passed these changes.
Sometimes minor changes in taxes are made in the annual Budget Bill which is usually passed with supermajorities.
Maybe 2012 was one of those 17 years Harden wasn’t in the country while doing his foreign service job and has no understanding of how and why taxes are changed.