In District 18 forum, candidates work to stand out from pack

Eight vie for three open House seats

Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2006

The eight Democratic candidates for the House of Delegates in District 18 did their best to distinguish themselves in a crowded field of similar voices at a forum in Kensington last week.

The six challengers, along with incumbents Del. Jane Lawton and Del. Ana Sol Gutierrez, both of Chevy Chase, took related stances on most of the top issues raised during the forum, relying heavily on their personal résumés as a way of standing out from the crowded field.

‘‘We’re all progressives,” said Dana Beyer of Chevy Chase. ‘‘We all share the same beliefs and the same goals.”

Also running for one of the three House seats are James Browning of Silver Spring, Alfred C. Carr Jr. of Kensington, Daniel E. Farrington of Chevy Chase, Noah Grosfeld-Katz of Kensington and Jeff Waldstreicher of Kensington.

Each of the candidates was forced to think and talk fast during the Aug. 15 forum. The candidates had 30 seconds to answer questions on issues like health care, education, transportation and the environment.

Charles Duffy, host of the Montgomery Municipal Cable talk show ‘‘Political Pulse,” moderated the forum, sponsored by the District 18 Democratic Caucus, the Greater Silver Spring Democratic Club and the Presidents’ Council of Silver Spring Civic Associations.

Differences, if any, over top issues like the Purple Line, education funding and universal health care were subtle. All candidates want to see the Purple Line built with minimal impact to the adjacent neighbors and the Capital Crescent Trail, though some favor tunneling while others favor light rail. Everyone seems to see Maine and Massachusetts as examples of what Maryland can do on health care legislation. The candidates were also unanimous that all children should have access to quality education and health care coverage.

Though the candidates’ legislative priorities are similar, they offered a broad spectrum of skills, backgrounds and experiences in describing what sets them apart from their seven opponents.

Several candidates promoted their ability to build relationships with other members of the General Assembly. Beyer, 54, cited her religious upbringing as a tool for reaching across the aisle to more conservative delegates to work together on issues, and Browning, 37, described his experience as a full-time advocate as the director of Common Cause Maryland and a lobbyist for the American Cancer Association in Annapolis.

‘‘There is no substitute for experience on the ground in Annapolis,” Browning said.

Carr, 40, and Lawton, 62, pointed to more local experience. Carr is serving in his fifth year on the Kensington Town Council and Lawton is a former council member and mayor of the Town of Chevy Chase, with additional experience with both the county and federal governments.

Grosfeld-Katz, the 21-year-old son of retiring District 18 State Sen. Sharon Grosfeld, also pointed to a passion for public service. Gutierrez, 64, said being an immigrant brings a unique insight and experience to the General Assembly.

Farrington, 33, a Bethesda attorney, said he distinguishes himself not only from his opponents, but also from most of the current Montgomery County delegation members by being the parent of a child in the Montgomery County Public School system.

‘‘I can bring the passion of a parent to Annapolis,” he said.

Calling District 18 one of the state’s most diverse, encompassing portions of Silver Spring, Chevy Chase, Bethesda, Kensington and Wheaton, Duffy also asked the candidates to talk about what brings the district together.

‘‘We are very diverse,” Lawton said, ‘‘but we are brought together by our dream for opportunity.”

While noting the broad range of economic and ethnic differences, most candidates said the District 18 constituency is largely a tolerant group.

‘‘We have a mentality of embracing diversity that doesn’t exist elsewhere in the state,” Grosfeld-Katz said.

Waldstreicher, 26, who cites education as his top legislative priority, pointed to the Montgomery County Public Schools system as common ground for the diverse district, calling it the backbone of the economy.

‘‘It’s really the schools that unite us,” Waldstreicher said.

The candidates were also unanimous in their stances opposing the death penalty and supporting equal rights for gay and lesbian couples.

‘‘As an African American, I appreciate what it’s like to be discriminated against,” Carr said. ‘‘I believe families come in all shapes and sizes.”

Strategies for protecting the environment brought out a variety of responses from the panel.

‘‘I think it’s a public awareness campaign,” Farrington said. ‘‘I think we need much more of a team attitude and a team spirit in environmental issues.”

Browning and Beyer both called for more incentives to use energy-efficient products, green buildings and hybrid vehicles, while Waldstreicher and Lawton want to see a crackdown on sprawl and over-building. The candidates were unanimous in the opinion that more needs to be done at the state level.

‘‘What I have seen too little of in Annapolis is the will to make the environment a priority,” Gutierrez said.

By the end of the forum, candidates were confident that the delegation would be in capable hands in the next term.

‘‘I’m really proud to hear this kind of voice coming from District 18,” Gutierrez said.