Last week John Queen of Chestertown wrote a letter to the editor of the Spy in support of Dave Harden, a Democratic candidate who hopes to replace Andy “Handgun” Harris in the U.S. House of Representatives. The letter suggested Democrats should support Harden over Heather Mizeur because she may be “unelectable” in the conservative-leaning First District.
Queen wrote, “Heather Mizeur simply cannot win a general election in our moderate-to-conservative district. . . What is relevant is that she represented Takoma Park for more than a decade as an elected official and has the far-left voting record to show for it. “
Queen goes on to say, “Andy Harris will have millions of dollars to define her as a far-left Takoma Park transplant whose mindset is fundamentally different than that of the typical First District resident.”
I was saddened to see the letter. Mr. Queen is right that should Heather Mizeur win the Democratic nomination, Dr. Harris will brutally attack her as a socialist, or worse. But what really upset me about the letter is the prospect of two good candidates slugging it out in a primary, thereby increasing the chances that Harris will embarrass us in Washington for two more years.
Thus, the First District has a dilemma. If you agree that we need someone other than an anti-government, election-results-denying right-winger representing us, you want a unified Democratic party. And the only way for the party to unify is to make a difficult choice between two good candidates.
The district must select the better candidate. Who is that? Is it the one who might be less susceptible to Republican Harris’ attacks? Or is it the candidate whose experience and expertise will best serve the First District in Congress?
I have a preference between the two, but this column is not about endorsing one of them. Eastern Shore Democrats–the activists who are the heart of the party—must make that decision. And that decision should be based on which candidate shares our vision of what government should be and how it should serve.
Any democrat facing Dr. Harris faces a tough fight, but I reject the claim that a progressive candidate cannot beat Harris. Want proof? Review the elections of Senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff in Georgia in 2020. Or just ask Stacy Abrams for her opinion. She would tell you voter enthusiasm is everything.
Democratic voters will be less enthusiastic about a Democratic nominee chosen based on who might be less susceptible to attacks from Dr. Harris. If that is the case, Dr. Harris will have chosen his own opponent. If that opponent proves to be Mr. Harden, Harris will attack him as viciously as he would have attacked Ms. Mizeur. I can imagine Harris ads telling us that Dave Harden lived abroad for more than two decades.
Thus, First District Democrats face a difficult choice. Would we be better served by an experienced expert in domestic policy with a demonstrated commitment to improving healthcare, education, housing, racial and social justice, and income equality or a foreign policy expert expert who was raised on the Eastern Shore and whose family’s Eastern Shore roots go back nine generations?
I hope that Ms. Mizeur and Mr. Harden will increase their engagement with Eastern Shore voters and that a nominee will be chosen who enjoys the full support of all who want Dr. Harris out of Washington. Either candidate would be huge improvement over Harris.
I want a new representative in Congress. That means that I do not want to see mudslinging between Ms. Mizeur and Mr. Harden. Any nastiness that either of them might possess should be saved for the general election.
Democrats tearing down other democrats is not the way to win elections.
J.E. Dean is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant writing on politics, government, birds, and other subjects.
Deirdre LaMotte says
With the newly redrawn map, which I just read about in The Spy, it does not matter. Harris will win. He will rejoin
his reactionary Members who are unabashed in their racism, misogyny, bigotry and theocratic goals.
Unfortunately, we share this real world with people who exist in some fantastical, delusional universe. And
money in politics is the cause.
John Dean says
Deirdre: Thanks for reading the piece.
I believe that whoever wins the Democratic nomination will have an uphill fight against Dr. Harris, but it is very important to field a good candidate and continue to build the appeal of moderate/progressive politics in the area.
I believe Harris can be beaten. A “miracle” happened in Texas. Maybe one will happen here if people work to make it happen.
Clark Bjorke says
I don’t want and won’t vote (in the primary) for a candidate that resorts to mudslinging. That would put me in the Mizeur camp for sure.
John Dean says
Thanks for reading the piece. I appreciate it.
Bill Arrowood says
In a general election, it’s a simple game of numbers, the ratio in the 1st district is close to 2:1, (2020: 250K vs 143K), so for a democratic candidate to win they must get nearly half of their votes from independents or republicans. While I concur that either of these are worthy candidates in a district where the race is competitive from numbers stance, but that’s not the case, (certainly not if the map stays as it is)
For perspective, let’s look back at the 2018 candidate Jesse Colvin, a moderate, Duke educated veteran with a Masters in International affairs, and he still couldn’t break 40%, his 38% was the highwater mark for dems in the last decade, (except the year that Harris beat bluedog Frank Kratovil who lost with 42% of the vote after a single term).
In Georgia the shift was made by largely increasing the number of registered democrats, in order to turn the District blue, for that to happen here there would need to be a massive push for voter registration, (largely targeting younger voters and getting people excited about a charismatic candidate, something the 1st District has not seen in a long time), but even then, that’s almost 100,000 votes to make up, in a very polarized community, and any candidate would still have to appeal to those willing to cross over.
Honestly, the best option is to find a decent human being who is a moderate republican, someone who isn’t a party sycophant, who votes their conscience and not party lines, and work to unseat Harris in a primary.
It worked here before.
(I hear Larry Hogan may be looking for work next year)
DEIRDRE LAMOTTE says
I agree! When Colvin could not unseat Harris I realized how ridiculously tough any Democrat would have in the 1st.
Heather is doing an amazing out reach, really covering this district. But given the partisan divide that is
our reality now, a moderate Republican like Hogan would be ideal in a Primary against Harris. But, are there any left?
John Dean says
Thank you for your substantive comment–a valuable addition to the conversation.
As you might guess, I agree with you.
ann miller says
“Honestly, the best option is to find a decent human being who is a moderate republican, someone who isn’t a party sycophant, who votes their conscience and not party lines, and work to unseat Harris in a primary.
It worked here before.”
To Mr. Arrowoods quote above, there are a few of us Rebublicans who don’t care for Harris, and do cross party lines and judge people we are voting for based on qualifications and intent. But please recognize that party sycophants have found homes in both the Republican & Democratic parties. And it’s not hard to find a “decent” human being who happens to be a Republican, much as isn’t not hard to find a “decent” human who is a Democrat, not if you actually want to find one…unfortunately I don’t think many folks in either party look very hard. It would require a respectful conversation, no screaming or shouting, no accusations and agreeing to disagree. Not to many folks out there today who can say “you know what, you’ve got a point there”, but plenty who want to accuse/scream & yell and just go off on you because you have a different opinion. I’ve been called both a Liberal by Rebublicans and a Trump loving A-hole by Democrats – for the exact same opinion.
Civility is gone, as we often see in these Spy replies. I look forward to being attacked for my opinions in the future, be it here or in person!
I’d be happy to see the backside of Harris the day after election day. I’m going to see who is on the ballot and judge them independently.
DEIRDRE LAMOTTE says
I must respectfully disagree. Mann and Norman Ornstein, both former Republicans, have written It’s Even Worse Than It Seems: How the American Constitutional System Collided With the New Politics of Extremism.
From their conservative perspective, they analyze the dangerous rising tide of reactionary radicalism that
began in the 1980’s with billionaire money buying up politicians, funneling mega dollars to the Federalist Society and beginning a full frontal assault on democratic norms. Man and Ornstein describe the GOP’s take over by “insurgent outliers” like the Tea Party and White Nationalist; every one contemptuous of our cultural norms.
And now we have a conservative media in a “soft alliance” with Putin and Trump asking Putin to get the goods on our President’s son…because “Putin doesn’t like America”. Let that sink in. And you wonder why people are
appalled by the GOP? The Democrats aren’t homeschooling their kids to believe the earth is 5000 years old and Jesus played with dinosaurs and they certainly are not storming the Capital to over throw an election.
I love the “victim” complex of so many in the GOP. Are people calling me a jerk for something repugnant I said or advocate? I am not a jerk, I’m a victim of cancel culture or woke mob. Proclaim oneself a victim and not only does one become the hero of the story, but can claim moral absolution for one’s suspect choices.
Former Republican who will no longer vote GOP.
ann miller says
Indeed, there is a lot of victimhood going around these days-