One against two

So who’s the real conservative in the District One Congressional race? Andy Harris lets fly with a reminder:

State Senator Andy Harris today launched his second television ad of the campaign. The ad factually contrasts Andy’s conservative record with the liberal records of his two tax-and-spend opponents.

“Being a fiscal conservative means opposing both higher taxes and wasteful government spending,” said Andy Harris. “Republicans in Maryland want conservative representation and I am the only conservative in this race.”

The ad shows Gilchrest and Pipkin’s records as two tax-and-spend peas in a giant liberal pod. E.J. Pipkin voted for Governor O’Malley’s budget (HB 50, 2007). Gilchrest voted for over 20 billion dollars in new taxes in one month alone.

The script of the ad is below:

Announcer:  E.J. Pipkin is called a “Hero to Democrats” and even supported Governor O’Malley’s Budget costing taxpayers billions of dollars.     

That’s Liberal.

So is Wayne Gilchrest. Gilchrest raised taxes 20 billion dollars in just one month.

That’s Liberal.

Pipkin and Gilchrest are two tax-and-spend peas in a giant liberal pod. Too Liberal for us. Fortunately conservatives have Andy Harris. Andy Harris for Congress.

Andy: I’m Andy Harris and I approved this message.

Well, I approve the message too. But there’s a question that some have and that is what Andy plans on accomplishing if elected? It’s one thing to campaign negatively against your two closest primary opponents, but some of us want to know what you plan on achieving in Washington. Do you plan on being in the district on a regular basis listening to your constituents and the grassroots or will we only see you in even-numbered years?

Then again, fellow MBA blogger Mike Netherland has his own questions for E.J. Pipkin:

I need to know what exactly makes you think that your candidacy will achieve the main goal of throwing the bum out? The way I see it your candidacy virtually guarantees Gilchrest another term. Please convince me that I am wrong.

Remember the poll that Senator Pipkin trumpeted last week? All it noted was that he was second and Andy Harris was third, but Wayne Gilchrest was still on top. If those results were to hold on February 12, it’s just a Phyrric victory for conservatives of the First District who only succeeded in showing they were a majority of the voters but keep the same moderate Congressman.

Tomorrow I’ll take a look at how much E.J. Pipkin and I see eye-to-eye on the issues.

Crossposted on Red Maryland.

Author: Michael

It's me from my laptop computer.

2 thoughts on “One against two”

  1. Michael,
    Thanks for the plug! I am flattered that you read my blog. So far I have not heard from the Pipkin campaign on this. As far as your question: “But there’s a question that some have and that is what Andy plans on accomplishing if elected?” If all Harris accomplishes in Congress is voting with the Republicans, he’ll have done more to represent his constituents more than Wayne Gilchrest has ever done.

    I expect him articulate the conservative position on a range of issues and in so doing, will have more influence than Wayne Gilchrest could ever hope to have over his colleagues in the GOP delegation. The ONLY reason the GOP would court Gilchrest is make sure he doesn’t vote with the Democrats. He is the House equivalent of Sen. Jeffords over whom the parties fought and bribed to switch or stay.

    It must be the reason for Newt Gringrich and John Boehner to come a’stumping for him. There must have been a back room deal made, a quid pro quo, for Gilchrest’s vote on this or that.

  2. Will he be in the District on a regular basis? I assume he will have to be. He will listen to his consitutents and explain to them why he voted the way he did, why Gilchrest would have squandered his vote (and their voice). He will listen to their needs and where those needs and wants conflict with conservative values, I would expect him to lead them in the right direction.

    A leader must know where to draw the line between constituent service and pandering to special interests. A conservative leader should be able to articulate these values and assure his voters that the best course of action is the conservative one. He will remind his constituents that by voting against tax increases he is serving his constituents. That by voting to allow oil exploration in the ANWR, will lead to stable fuel prices and less dependence of Middle Eastern oil, for all Americans including those in MD-1.

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