There was only standing room only at the Talbot County Free Library auditorium Sunday afternoon as the League of Women Voters hosted a lively forum with the major candidates in the 1st Congressional District race. Democrat Jesse Colvin, incumbent Andy Harris, and libertarian Party Jenica Martin gathered in Easton for the second face-off sponsored by the nonpartisan voter education organization.
The Spy was there to capture the complete answers to LWV questions as well as submitted questions from audience members. As with all LWV forums, there were time limitations placed on all candidate answers and participants were asked in advance to restrict their remarks to those questions rather than address/attack their opponents.
This video is approximately one hour and three minutes in length
Jay Shotel says
I was fortunate enough and got there early enough to occupy one of the 150 or seats that were available at forum this afternoon. Unfortunately I had two questions for the candidates but neither of the questions was selected in the limited time available. If the candidates happen to see my questions perhaps they could write a response to the Talbot Spy.
1.My first question was about the federal role in education and the candidates position regarding the role that the federal government has or should have in public education in the United States. My example was the long standing role the federal government has had in making sure that all children have with the right to free appropriate public education, particularly those children with disabilities, or children who have imigrated to the United States. It seems that aour current administration has little interest in these areas or in the loans that make it possible for many children to attend college but seems to have great interest in for profit educational institutions.
2. My second question was with regard to whether a congressman ( and more specifically a congressman representing our disrict) has the responsibility to INITIATE legislation that he or she believes is critical to the needs of his constituency. Further it would seem that it would be critical for Dr. Harris to explain his extremely limited acitivity in this area. It is my understanding that in his significant years as our representative he has never INITIATED a piece of legislation although he may have supported bills submitted by others. Perhaps Dr. Harris believes that the constituency that he represents has no distinct (or unique) needs that the federal government can be helpful with and the other candidates might differ with him if that is his opinion.
Finally, I would suggest that in the future perhaps the League of Women Voters could find a venue that would be more appropriate for the interest that is generated by the particular campaign. e.g. I would guess that a high school auditorium would be more appropriate than a room that held less than 150 people. The candidates were not asked to stand when responding and I would estimate that approximately 50% of the audience could not see the respondents when it was there turn to address the questions that were asked.