District 19 House candidate Jay Hutchins has sent out a mass email to supporters claiming that his signs are being stolen, including one at his house. The district has a history of sign-stealing, with several candidates butting heads over the practice in 2006. Jay is one of the nicest candidates on the campaign trail, so if he is being targeted, that is truly a disgrace.
Following is his email.
Friends,
With just 53 days to go until the election, the race here in District 19 has taken a nasty turn. Several days ago, a supporter informed me that a young man in a pick-up truck pulled in front her house, where he sat for several minutes talking on his cell phone. She watched in dismay as he looked around, jumped from the cab, ran to pull my lawn sign from her yard and threw it in the back of his truck. She ran from her house yelling at him to stop, but he sped away.
A lawn sign from in front of my house was removed the day before yesterday. Whoever took it left only the wire frame.
And then again last night, attendees at an event in the district reported that my campaign signs were being destroyed by people who were there with another political group.
I think democracy works best when the voters are allowed to make their minds up on the merits. Thug tactics and the strong-arming of elections are antithetical to democratic ideals.
Please go to my website and make a donation right now to send the message that political vandalism and intimidation are not democratic values. The shameful tactics of a desperate few will not prevent the voters of District 19 from learning about the vibrancy of the Hutchins for Delegate campaign.
We continue to make progress and move ahead. I have been endorsed by the local and state education associations (MCEA and MSEA), the Sierra Club, the Montgomery County Chapter of NOW, SEIU, Progressive Maryland and the Amalgamated Transit Union. The County Executive Ike Leggett has endorsed my campaign; as have Council Members Marc Elrich and Valerie Ervin. I have the experience and the judgment to be a most effective representative in Annapolis. And, I am out knocking doors every day connecting with the voters to tell them how I wil make Maryland better for them.
But, I’m not in a fair fight. Every lawn sign that’s taken or destroyed will need to be replaced… and that costs money. Please donate what you can, but do it right now. I will win this fight on September 14th… but I need your help today.
Jay