The guile and audacity of Rep. Harris to take unhinged positions in support of our amoral and irresponsible president is directly attributable to gerrymandering. He represents a congressional district that is safely and securely Republican. He need not worry about appealing to Democrats and moderate Republicans.
He can climb on the rhetorical limb and fear not its dismantling. He can speak with impunity, unconcerned about the absurdity of his political positions.
When Wayne Gilchrest represented the 1st Congressional District, I felt proud. He exemplified integrity and common sense. His constituent service was superb. He was approachable and down-to-earth. His political stands were not off-putting and off-the-wall.
The 1st District deserves better.
While Harris bemoaned the violence that engulfed our U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, he didn’t criticize the instigator, our disgraceful president. He continues to defend the indefensible.
Amid the chaos created by the inexcusable storming of the Capitol, he voted, along with more than 120 fellow Republicans, to object to presidential vote counts in Arizona and Pennsylvania despite overwhelming evidence of fraud-free results. What kind of elected official votes to nullify the legitimate wishes of the populace?
Harris won’t resign in spite of calls for him to step down. He’s too sure he’s right. His credentials as a medical doctor are overshadowed by his alarming lack of common sense.
I hope that the 1st Congressional District sees fit in 2022 to elect a person who values democracy and civility, and who condemns people and actions that incite attacks on our democracy. That seems a reasonable expectation.
Howard Freedlander
Annapolis
Vincent DeSanctis says
Andy Harris is a disgrace to Distict 1. Because of gerrymandering he has the luxury of taking extreme right wing positions with little consequence. He has never exhibited qualities of leadership. He is content to lurk in the shadows of Congress appearing infrequently and then usually just to be anti-government.
Frank Carollo says
Our empty-suit congressman Andy Harris is Exhibit A in the case against gerrymandering.
Jim Franke says
Dr. No needs to go. But gerrymandering isn’t the main factor of his “popularity” in our district. Voters voting against their own self-interest is a more likely reason he keeps winning. In 2008, Frank Kraotovil rode the Obama voter turnout wave and beat Harris by almost 3,000 votes. Harris had won the 2008 primary over moderate nine-term Wayne Gilchrest by 8,00 votes. In 2010, Harris beat Kratovil by ~30,000 BEFORE about 10,000 GOP voters were added to our district to get rid of the incumbent GOP Rep in Western Maryland. The various configurations of the district have included St. Mary’s County or Anne Arundel County in attempts to make the district more moderate. The District does have a bit of history of losing incumbents to a scandal. One can hope.
Douglas Firth says
Well said Howard!
Willard T Engelskirchen says
Agree. 100%
Time for all of us who own stocks to pick a few and write Shareholder Services or whatever an individual company calls it and demand that those who voted not to certify the election on January 6 get no further funding from PACs or corporate funds.