By Adam Pagnucco.
The easiest thing in politics is to blindly repeat the consensus positions of your party. On the one hand, this gives party labels some meaning as voters can use them as short-hand predictors of what candidates would do in office. On the other hand, the image of politicians as craven lemmings following the dictates of interest groups and political bosses has little appeal for many (including some politicians!). So I asked the candidates this question to learn what they are made of:
Name one issue on which you have a different position than most politicians in your party.
Chris Hyser (Republican): One area where I diverge from many politicians in my party is my commitment to detailed action plans rather than vague promises. While others may opt for superficial proposals to evade accountability, I prioritize comprehensive strategies to ensure transparency and accountability. Additionally, as the sole “America first” candidate, I staunchly advocate that no funds exit the country until the needs of our citizens are adequately addressed. This stance underscores prioritizing our citizens’ welfare over global concerns and highlights a departure from traditional political paradigms.
Neil Parrott (Republican): I support a balanced budget amendment which puts me at odds with many of the free spending members of my party. A balanced budget would help us to stop incurring so much debt which devalues the dollar and then leads to high inflation which we are experiencing now.
We need to help American families. The result of recent borrowing and spending of trillions of dollars that we do not have resulted in a 40-year high inflation rate. Now, to maintain the same cost of living as in 2021 when President Biden entered office, the average family needs another $11,434. The vast majority of people did not get over $11,000 in raises and this inflation is putting financial strains on American families, especially hurting the middle class and retirees.
I also like to use green campaign signs, which is unusual for a Republican. I’m a traffic engineer and like to work for practical, common-sense solutions. I know that white on green signs are effective at getting messages across to drivers.
Mariela Roca (Republican): I believe that one critical issue where I diverge from the mainstream of my party is the need for Republicans in Congress to prioritize unity and cooperation over internal disputes. I advocate for a more collaborative approach, emphasizing the importance of working together to effectively address the challenges facing our nation. Rather than engaging in divisive tactics or obstructing progress because of personal disagreements, I am committed to fostering a culture of mutual respect and teamwork. It’s imperative that we set aside individual differences and focus on the greater good, advancing policies that benefit all Americans. My goal is not to sow discord or disrupt the legislative process but rather to facilitate constructive dialogue and meaningful action. By promoting unity within the Republican Party, we can overcome partisan gridlock and achieve tangible results for the American people.
Brenda Thiam (Republican): Some Republicans in Congress think it’s time to remove Speaker Johnson from office. Some think he needs to be removed from the speaker position because he isn’t effective enough or he’s not moving fast enough regarding issues that are important to Republicans. Some think it’s best to wait until elections are finished to consider having him removed. There must be compromise somewhere on policy matters. Neither party has all the answers to help this country to be better. We must work together, and it often takes time and compromise, but not at the cost of a policy that flies in the face of common sense. It’s not the right time to consider removing Speaker Johnson. Congress must look at the bigger picture and get through elections first. If matters don’t improve, it should be considered again.
Jason “Mr. J” Johnson (Unaffiliated): As an Independent candidate I can share that I firmly believe in prioritizing the education of our children, allocating necessary funds to address the infrastructure needs of our rapidly growing district, and implementing spending policies aimed at alleviating inflationary pressures on consumers.
These are the critical steps needed to foster a prosperous and sustainable future for our community.
Peter Choharis (Democrat): We should not raise taxes on those making as little as $400,000. The Sixth District includes the suburbs and exurbs of Washington, D.C., which are very expensive—especially housing costs. With inflation still high, people in the Sixth District are already struggling to pay bills. Raising their taxes does not make sense politically or as a matter of public policy.
The complexity of tax reform won’t allow me to go into my plan here, but here are some observations:
The tax code is most fundamentally a moral document. But the current Code is too complex and opaque. Ask yourself if we were starting from scratch to draft our tax code, who would think the current approach makes sense or is morally sound?
The U.S. government leaves trillions of dollars (over ten years) uncollected in “tax expenditures,” meaning revenue losses due to the tax code. https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/tax-policy/tax-expenditures. While Congress regularly fights over the budget from an expense perspective, the revenue side only gets attention every few years. What other organization disregards potential revenue when forming a budget?
A case pending before the Supreme Court (Moore v. United States) could throw the tax code in disarray and blow up the budget deficit.
George Gluck (Democrat): Restoring and enhancing our democracy! This campaign is unique in that regard.
Ashwani Jain (Democrat): I agree with my party’s (i.e. Democrats) focus on canceling student debt. This will not only eliminate the student debt crisis, but it will also reduce wealth gaps, boost economic growth, increase consumer spending, make it easier for students to pay other bills (like their rent and mortgage) and improve our overall labor force. I strongly disagree with my party’s unconditional military aid to the government of Israel after witnessing their disregard to protecting civilian lives.
Lesley Lopez (Democrat): My positions on affordable childcare are not out of alignment with the party, but I think I feel much more urgency on the issue than most. That’s because I’m a mother of two young boys and pay $3300 a month for childcare. Individually and collectively, these costs have a huge economic impact on working families, so much so that both the private sector and labor actively are supporting policy changes around childcare. Only 7% of members of Congress are parents with kids under 18; imagine what our laws would look like if we elected more working moms with this kind of lived experience? If we want working families to thrive, we need to fix this and soon.
Tekesha Martinez (Democrat): I diverge from President Biden with respect to immigration policy. His administration’s continuation of former President Trump’s Title 42 until last year represents a failure to uphold America’s commitment to those facing persecution, risking the health of migrating families and leading to heightened violence at our southern border. While I commend efforts to reach a bipartisan solution to address issues tied to immigration, efforts to restrict claims for parole and asylum for instance would not address the root causes as to why asylum seekers are coming to our country. In fact, tightening asylum standards could potentially increase the number of migrants coming to the US illegally rather than through current legal pathways.
I also disagree with the adoption of fearmongering rhetoric across the political spectrum tied to the arrival of immigrants fleeing persecution to our southern border; there have been examples of violence against communities of color inspired by this harmful rhetoric. If elected to Congress, I would instead focus on increasing asylum officers, funding more immigration judges, and increasing cooperation with our Latin American counterparts to address the root causes of migration at their roots.
April McClain Delaney (Democrat): I am very supportive of a vibrant private sector and believe our small businesses need regulatory relief in order to compete successfully against big companies, particularly when so many big companies have monopoly power. Unlike many in my party I favor broadly looking at our federal regulatory framework and ensuring that there are no duplicative regulations that hurt small businesses and entrepreneurs and that we are providing targeted regulatory relief to lower costs to small businesses so that they can grow, thrive and create jobs and strengthen communities. Economic opportunity is too concentrated in America and one way of unleashing more broad based opportunity is to create thriving small business and growth company ecosystems in every community in Maryland’s 6th – from Gaithersburg to Cumberland! I hear from small business owners and entrepreneurs that they need funding and reduced regulatory burdens – I want to help my party be an advocate for them!
Laurie-Anne Sayles (Democrat): None, I’m a lifelong Democrat and proudly stand by our party’s values of fairness, diversity, equity, inclusion, protecting the environment, justice, and access to opportunity for all. These principles are not only Democratic values but are fundamentally American. As a former Gaithersburg City Councilmember, I was impartial, led by example, and represented everyone’s interests regardless of party affiliation. My discussions with residents inspired my comprehensive S.M.A.R.T.E.R. 6th District policy agenda. As your representative in Congress, I promise to fight for:
- Safer, More Vibrant Communities for All
- Military, Veterans, and First Responders who deserve our support
- Advancing health and sustainability for all, including rural areas of Districtrict
- Revitalizing the economy with quality jobs, infrastructure, and small business support
- Tackling climate change and investing in sustainable infrastructure
- Ensuring a high-quality education from preschool through college and beyond
- Restoring Reproductive rights by codifying Roe v Wade into law
I understand many Americans’ frustration due to the political gridlock that often paralyzes Congress. However, I am determined to remain focused and effectively advocate for my constituents to rebuild their trust and confidence in ensuring the government works for us.
Joe Vogel (Democrat): During this legislative session in Annapolis I’ve found myself at odds with the Democratic caucus regarding a bill that would legalize iGaming. This bill would allow users to play slot machines and casino games on their smartphone. Members of my party tried to make the case that legalizing casino games on smartphones would generate significant revenue to help address a budget shortfall. The evidence I found to be unsubstantiated. There is no guarantee that it would create jobs here in Maryland, and it stands to harm casino workers. I stood with my Republican colleagues in the House in opposition to this bill, and joined labor unions to advocate against iGaming. Ultimately, I’ve demonstrated time and time again my commitment to labor unions, even if it means deviating from my political party.
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These candidates did not respond.
Stephen McDow (D)
Mohammed Mozumder (D)
Adrian Petrus (D)
Destiny Drake West (D)
Kiambo “Bo” White (D)
Altimont Wilks (D)
Dan Cox (R)
Todd Puglisi (R)
Tom Royals (R)
Moshe Landman (Green)
Next: why each candidate would do the best in the general election.