Dr. John La Ferla, a 63 year old gynecologist, never imagined he would be running for Congress this year. While a lifelong Democrat, and in recent years an active leader in local party campaigns, La Ferla, when he did take time to predict his future for 2012, assumed he would be helping his friend Frank Kratovil face off again with Andy Harris for the 1st District Congressional seat.
Things didn’t turn out that way. Kratovil decided to accept a state judgeship in Queen Anne’s County rather than run again, surprising many of the democratic faithful. Dr. La Ferla learned of the news while on his way to a family vacation in the Grand Canyon, and sometime during that two week hike he decided to mount a campaign himself.
A native of Massachusetts, and graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Albany Medical College, La Ferla took many years to arrive in Chestertown to start a private practice. For much of his professional career, he was on the academic side of medicine, teaching at medical schools and working in HMO systems in the Midwest. It was during this time that his interest turned to public health policy, and he returned to school to attend the University of Michigan’s School of Public Health.
It was only later in life that La Ferla decided to move to Chestertown to pursue a private practice and enjoy his love of sailing on the Chesapeake Bay.
While the late Senator of Minnesota, Paul Wellstone, is among his political heroes, La Ferla doesn’t believe in political labeling. “A lot of people think of the 1st District as a conservative one, but I don’t see that. I see a lot of red and blue here, making the Eastern Shore more purple that anything else and I’m part of that mix”
When discussing his motivations for running, La Ferla returns to his career in medicine as an ongoing theme in politics. “All my life, I’ve cared about my patients and their well being. Over time, this included the communities where they live, and now this commitment extends the country as a whole.”
Indeed, La Ferla’s primary focus remains related to health care. A early supporter of the now famous “Obamacare” Health Care Reform Act, he still thinks much needs to be done. “The truth is when I am working in health centers in Chestertown, Denton or Goldsborugh, I still see people that are hurting. They still can’t afford needed health care. While we’ve made progress, there is still so much that needs to be done.”
Another contrast to incumbent Harris is La Ferla’s philosophy about the country’s management of its growing budget deficit. “You need to remember that we’ve had deficits much higher in relationship to the country’s GDP in the past and have brought them into control. You saw that after World War II. While we need to reduce our debt, Washington needs to keep the country operating and creating jobs.”
As for the charge made by Republicans that Democrats are creating class warfare; La Ferla strongly disagrees, but also notes that if it did exist in the United States, those in the 99%, “…are losing the battle. When you have 1% of the country absorbing almost all the wealth created in the last 30 years, there is something there that needs to be fixed.”
Before La Ferla can take on Andy Harris though, he must win the democratic nomination against challengers Wendy Rosen of Cockeysville and Kim Letke of Joppa. “I feel good about my primary election chances and therefore I’m focusing on beating Andy Harris in November.”
Betty Gilman says
I voted for you in the primary election, but never heard if you won. Will you be on the ballot in Nov. against Andy Harris?
Cynthiia Phillips says
He Does not support the ObamaCare act. The Lilly Ledbedder act. Or the Equal Pay for Women act.
Are you a Republican running as a Democrat?