Last week John Queen of Chestertown wrote a letter to the editor of the Spy in support of Dave Harden, a Democratic candidate who hopes to replace Andy “Handgun” Harris in the U.S. House of Representatives. The letter suggested Democrats should support Harden over Heather Mizeur because she may be “unelectable” in the conservative-leaning First District.
Queen wrote, “Heather Mizeur simply cannot win a general election in our moderate-to-conservative district. . . 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. “
Queen goes on to say, “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.”
I was saddened to see the letter. Mr. Queen is right that should Heather Mizeur win the Democratic nomination, Dr. Harris will brutally attack her as a socialist, or worse. But what really upset me about the letter is the prospect of two good candidates slugging it out in a primary, thereby increasing the chances that Harris will embarrass us in Washington for two more years.
Thus, the First District has a dilemma. If you agree that we need someone other than an anti-government, election-results-denying right-winger representing us, you want a unified Democratic party. And the only way for the party to unify is to make a difficult choice between two good candidates.
The district must select the better candidate. Who is that? Is it the one who might be less susceptible to Republican Harris’ attacks? Or is it the candidate whose experience and expertise will best serve the First District in Congress?
I have a preference between the two, but this column is not about endorsing one of them. Eastern Shore Democrats–the activists who are the heart of the party—must make that decision. And that decision should be based on which candidate shares our vision of what government should be and how it should serve.
Any democrat facing Dr. Harris faces a tough fight, but I reject the claim that a progressive candidate cannot beat Harris. Want proof? Review the elections of Senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff in Georgia in 2020. Or just ask Stacy Abrams for her opinion. She would tell you voter enthusiasm is everything.
Democratic voters will be less enthusiastic about a Democratic nominee chosen based on who might be less susceptible to attacks from Dr. Harris. If that is the case, Dr. Harris will have chosen his own opponent. If that opponent proves to be Mr. Harden, Harris will attack him as viciously as he would have attacked Ms. Mizeur. I can imagine Harris ads telling us that Dave Harden lived abroad for more than two decades.
Thus, First District Democrats face a difficult choice. Would we be better served by an experienced expert in domestic policy with a demonstrated commitment to improving healthcare, education, housing, racial and social justice, and income equality or a foreign policy expert expert who was raised on the Eastern Shore and whose family’s Eastern Shore roots go back nine generations?
I hope that Ms. Mizeur and Mr. Harden will increase their engagement with Eastern Shore voters and that a nominee will be chosen who enjoys the full support of all who want Dr. Harris out of Washington. Either candidate would be huge improvement over Harris.
I want a new representative in Congress. That means that I do not want to see mudslinging between Ms. Mizeur and Mr. Harden. Any nastiness that either of them might possess should be saved for the general election.
Democrats tearing down other democrats is not the way to win elections.
J.E. Dean is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant writing on politics, government, birds, and other subjects.
Brian Wroten says
Andy Harris will call anyone a “socialist” regardless of what their actual political persuasion is. You can’t allow who can and can’t run for office based on what you think Republicans will say.
John Dean says
Thanks for your comment. As you might guess, I could not agree more. The goal needs to be getting better representation for the district.
Stephen Schaare says
Your contempt and loathing for Dr. Harris seems to grow every time you mention the man. You seem to believe that only Republicans attack their opponents during a campaign. This is, at best, a childish notion.
I shall “cut to the chase”. The Dem nominee will have more than ample funding. Financial support will come from the DNC, and whichever candidate Speaker Pelosi deems worthy. Oh, it would also help if all the haters of Harris reach deep into their pockets and send some cash. I doubt very much this will happen. The Dems of the 1st District, along with Pelosi, know very well the question is moot.
The GOP will handily take back the Congress (both houses) due to the disaster of one Joseph Robinette Biden Jr..
Just as Biden won the Presidency with the sentiment of ” anyone but the Orange Menace” (your words) so shall the tables be turned this November.
I wish both Dem candidates the very best, but my well wishes will not change the outcome. Yes, Mr. Dean, I agree that both Mizeur and Harden better show themselves on the Eastern Shore. Make an effort.
DEIRDRE LAMOTTE says
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Just when you think the world can’t get much worse, A Republican somewhere opens their mouth.
Please explain what is a “disaster” in Biden’s Presidency. From day one when the leader of the GOP, still, declared “Russia if you have those emails” to day two when when he revealed Israeli intel, to day
three when he tried to leverage aid to Ukraine for an attack on Biden, to doing Putin’s work in weakening NATO, to the Helsinki accord where Trump stood there like a whipped puppy and denigrated his own intelligence services, kissed Putin derriere and tried to extort Ukraine into helping him, to 1/6 when he orchestrated the overturning of an American Presidency. And now, a former President asking Putin, in the middle of a war on democracy, to come up with the goods on the President’s son. Trump is asking a murder, war criminal to help him bring down a US president. Let that sink in. He should be arrested, tried, jailed and then allowed to rot in a cell for the rest of his sorry life.
Anyone who thinks republicans are good for our economy has not been paying attention as our economy grows faster whenever the US has a Democratic Congress and President. Inflation is caused by the pandemic boom after the pandemic 2-year shutdown. As I have said, what is inflationary is passing a $1.3 trillion dollar tax break for the rich and putting it on credit card. The Republican “free market” is just a code for “don’t obstruct people’s right to steal, cheat and lie in the name of profit”.
Stephen Schaare says
You have no knowledge of the polls and job approval for Joe Biden?
The disaster of the Afghanistan retreat? The open southern border? The choking inflation? The Hunter Biden laptop and corrupt money to both Biden and his brother Jim? The absolutely disgusting increase in violent crime? The war on fossil fuel and subsequent weakening of our economy?
Have you never heard of these matters(I hope so), or do you approve?
DEIRDRE LAMOTTE says
Oh my, Hunter’s laptop. Is this the new Hillary emails you can obsess over? Funny, I do not recall seeing a “Hunter Biden” on any ballet and I don’t believe he has an West Wing office to influence policy. The President can let the DOJ do what they do best if there is anything nefarious, unlike your mob boss who had his finger in every branch of government (and other places too, remember that elegant remark ?)
Exactly what would you like done about inflation, something I already addressed above? What socialist
approach would you like, price controls? Nationalizing the oil industry? This inflation is Econ 101 free market response to global disruptions caused by corvid. Let drivers adjust their demand downward while producers adjust production upward.
Afghanistan? You can thank Trump for dumping this in Biden’s lap. This was, however, a war America was tired of. Biden airlifted 125,000 Americans out of Afghanistan in a couple weeks; now that is a success.
And you can thank the January 6 storming of the Capital, further trying to dismantle our democracy, as the final motivation Putin needed to invade Ukraine. But as long as the GOP continues to foment anti-democratic movements in this nation, the conservative media are effectively in a soft alliance with our enemy.
Stephen Schaare says
I seem to remember much aggression and false accusations against the Trump children and they were not on the ballot. I cannot possibly follow illogic and speak in such a fractured manner.
To your credit, you did not mention racism or bigotry. I have no “mob boss”, nor do I idolize any former President.
Can you not discern from my knowledge of history, politics, human nature and my ability to write effectively that I have original thought and a critical approach?
Please do not dismiss me as a knuckle dragging sycophant. Try showing a little respect and inclusion.
John Dean says
Stephen: Thank you for reading the piece.
There is too much in your comment for me to address all of it, so let me note that I don’t hate Andy Harris. I do hate his blind loyalty to Trump, his right-wing opposition to needed social programs, his breaking his term-limit promise, and his attempting to carry a loaded gun onto the Floor of the House of Representatives.
The 2022 elections are still over 6 months away. In my view, it is too early to announce the winners.
Stephen Schaare says
Thank you for the reply, though I believe you dodge my inquiries. Trust me, not a single reader will think less of you for agreeing with me every now and then.
Ernest Hemingway once said ” when you hear the truth, it has a certain ring to it”
Maureen Curry says
Amen, John Dean. Thank you for that thoughtful article; fellow Dems, please get out and vote!
John Dean says
Thank you for your kind words. I appreciate your reading the piece.
John Dean says
Thank you for your kind comment. I appreciate your reading the piece.
Jim Franke says
Maybe I’ve missed something but the only “slugging” I’ve seen has been Harden’s. I think Mizeur has been running a positive campaign talking about her values, ideas, and plans. Harden has been campaigning like a Republican.
John Dean says
Thanks for reading the piece. I don’t think I said that Mizeur is “slugging.” I did say that I hope the two candidates don’t engage in mudslinging that will ultimately work to the benefit of Dr. Harris.
I would also take issue with “Harden has been campaigning like a Republican.” I haven’t seen everything he has written or said, but from what I have seen, he is not “campaigning like a Republican.” I think Harden would be a dramatic improvement in Congress over Harris. Harden might not be a domestic policy expert, but he is no Republican. To call him one is, in my view, slinging mud at him.
Finally, I agree with you that Mizeur has been running a positive campaign I would like to see more of that as the campaign heats up.
Christina Mills says
Mr. Dean,
You are correct that there are at least two good candidates running for Congress in our First District. We need to take this opportunity to support the one who will give us qualified representation, not only for our district, but for our country.
The most promising candidate needs to be known by more citizens if we hope to win in November. We need more open dialogue.
Issues today affect all of us, not just one group in one party.
Christina Mills
John Dean says
Thank you for reading the article and commenting. As you might guess, I am in complete agreement.