They only got 30 seconds for introductions, closing remarks, and answers to about a dozen questions, but even at that, it took two hours to work through the 14 State House candidates who showed up for a candidate forum in Charles County Wednesday night.
The forum, hosted by the Charles County Chamber of Commerce, drew the bulk of the 18 candidates for state Senate or House of Delegates seats from the county, with less than eight weeks to the June 23 primary.
There were no heated exchanges, but a few chuckles as the candidates took turns giving rapid-fire answers to questions on ways to improve the business community, education and affordable housing, among others, and some stares over a response to a question on working across party lines.
“We would like to work with the Democratic supermajority [in the General Assembly], but many times they only listen when it’s like tampons from the men’s bathroom, condoms for kiddies, things like that,” said James Emerson Ashburn, a Republican running for one of three delegate seats in District 28.
Another Republican, Winfield Clark Jr., is also seeking the seat in the primary.
The forum – with all 14 candidates sitting at long tables facing the audience – featured candidates in at least two repeat contests in the county.
Sen. Kevin Harris, a Democrat from Prince George’s County, will face another challenge from Jason Fowler, an attorney from Calvert County, for the Democratic nomination for the District 27 Senate seat, which represents portions of Charles, Prince George’s, and Calvert counties.
Harris was chosen in November by Democratic central committees in all three counties to replace former Sen. Michael Jackson, who left to become the superintendent of Maryland State Police. Fowler received a total of four votes from the three committees in that go-round, and Gov. Wes Moore (D) quickly named Harris to the seat.
The winner of this year’s Democratic nomination will face Republican Al Larsen of Calvert County, who is running unopposed and did not attend Wednesday’s forum.
There’s another rematch in the Democratic primary for District 27A, which includes parts of Charles and Prince George’s counties.
Del. Darrell Odom Sr. received the Democratic nomination in late December from fellow Prince George’s Democrats to replace Harris, but the central committee in Charles County selected Yonelle Moore Lee, an attorney and county school board member, a few days later. In January, Moore appointed Odom.
The other three candidates seeking the seat in the single-member district are Democrats Clifton Crosby Jr. of Charles County and Shawn Maldon of Prince George’s County. Jim Crawford, a Republican from Charles County, didn’t attend the forum.
Several dozen voters attended the forum at the American Legion Post 82 – Harry White Wilmer, in La Plata, which also featured four of the six Democratic candidates vying for the three delegate seats in District 28.
One of those seats opened up when current Del. C.T. Wilson announced a bid for Senate from District 28. The remaining two incumbents, Dels. Debra Davis and Edith Patterson, were on hand Wednesday, along with Democratic primary challengers John Jones Jr. and Evan Smith. The other Democratic challengers, Abena Affum-McAllister and Tarinna N. Terrell, did not attend Wednesday’s forum.
One independent candidate, Anbrea McCoy, will compete against the Democratic and Republican nominees in the November general election.
Wilson is running to replace Sen. Arthur Ellis, who is one of two dozen Democrats seeking the nomination for the 5th District seat in Congress that is being vacated by longtime Rep. Steny Hoyer (D), who is retiring. Air Force veteran Aaron Corbin is the only other Democrat in that race. No Republicans or unaffiliated voters filed for the seat, which means the winner of the primary may not face a challenger in the Nov. 3 general election.
Near the end of the forum, candidates were asked for a 10-second answer on data centers. For or against them?
The two Republican candidates seeking the District 28 delegate seat said they are for data centers. Corbin was the only Democrat for them, “as long as we put in the proper environmental protections to make sure that we don’t have any strain on…” Before he could get out the entire word, “utilities,” a bell rang to cut him off.
The chamber is scheduled to host what could be another crowded forum for candidates running for the 5th District congressional seat, on May 6 at the Village Green Pavilion in Indian Head.