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Rep. Chris Van Hollen goes on the attack in first debate of Senate campaign Rep. Chris Van Hollen goes on the attack in first debate of Senate campaign
(about 1 hour later)
The two Democrats battling for a rare open Senate seat in Maryland hit each other hard Friday in the first debate of the primary season, with Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) describing Rep. Donna Edwards as dishonest and ineffective, and Edwards calling him an establishment figure who is out of touch with everyday voters.The two Democrats battling for a rare open Senate seat in Maryland hit each other hard Friday in the first debate of the primary season, with Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) describing Rep. Donna Edwards as dishonest and ineffective, and Edwards calling him an establishment figure who is out of touch with everyday voters.
Thus far in the race, Edwards more often has been the one to go negative, painting Van Hollen as insufficiently progressive. On Friday, in a radio debate hosted by WAMU’s Kojo Nnamdi and WRCTV (Channel 4)’s Tom Sherwood, Van Hollen was the prime aggressor. The hour-long radio debate, hosted by WAMU’s Kojo Nnamdi and WRCTV (Channel 4)’s Tom Sherwood, was the first time the two candidates engaged each other directly in a contest that will likely determine who represents Maryland in the Senate for decades to come.
He said the congresswoman’s criticism of him were essentially lies, told to cover her own weak record. The high stakes were clear in the testy exchanges between the two lawmakers, who share similarly liberal voting records and policy positions. With little to debate in terms of issues, they focused on effectiveness and background.
“Ms. Edwards has not been telling Maryland voters the truth,” Van Hollen said. He described her campaign as “a lot of rhetoric but no results, no record.” Van Hollen, 57, a member of Congress since 2003, said that as the top Democrat on the House Budget Committee he has led the fights Edwards only talks about. Edwards, who came to Congress in 2008, said she is a more consistent voice for working families.
He three times invoked the Washington Post editorial board, which in its endorsement of Van Hollen called Edwards “notorious for inattention to constituent services and teamwork.” He said that Edwards’s constituents call his office because she fails to help them. Thus far in the race, Edwards, 57, more often has been the one to go negative, painting Van Hollen as too quick to compromise with Republicans. In the debate, however, Van Hollen was the prime aggressor. He said the congresswoman’s criticisms were essentially lies, told to cover her own weak record.
Edwards needled Van Hollen back, attacking his past support for free trade agreements, budget negotiations based on a framework that included cuts to Social Security and mandatory minimum sentences. “Ms. Edwards has not been telling Maryland voters the truth,” Van Hollen said. He accused her of “a lot of rhetoric but no results, no record.”
“I really have to question whether he has the capacity to deliver on criminal justice reform,” she said. [Baltimore voters could decide tight Senate contest]
Most polls this year have shown the candidates essentially tied. But a Baltimore Sun-University of Baltimore poll from last week had Edwards six points ahead. The primary is April 26.
Three times during the debate, Van Hollen invoked the Washington Post editorial board, which in its endorsement of Van Hollen called Edwards “notorious for inattention to constituent services and teamwork.” He said that Edwards’s constituents call his office because she fails to help them.
Edwards needled Van Hollen back, attacking his past support for free trade agreements, budget negotiations based on a framework that included cuts to Social Security and proposals that he backed while in the Maryland legislature to strengthen criminal sentences.
“I really have to question whether he has the capacity to deliver on criminal justice reform,” Edwards said. “Marylanders are tired of career politicians willing to trade away our values just to get a deal or get a headline.”
She also made a forceful case that voters should consider her personal history and perspective as a black single mother before deciding who should replace retiring Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski, the longest-serving woman in Congress.She also made a forceful case that voters should consider her personal history and perspective as a black single mother before deciding who should replace retiring Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski, the longest-serving woman in Congress.
“I think race does matter,” Edwards said. Noting that there are only 20 women and 2 African Americans in the Senate, she said, “It is time that we had the ability to speak for ourselves.”“I think race does matter,” Edwards said. Noting that there are only 20 women and 2 African Americans in the Senate, she said, “It is time that we had the ability to speak for ourselves.”
On Capitol Hill, where he has served since 2003 and Edwards since 2008, Van Hollen said Edwards has failed to have an impact in the issues she touts in her campaign. Van Hollen pointed out that Edwards is not co-sponsoring either of two congressional bills that would attack mandatory minimum sentences. He accused her of taking credit for bills that she had failed to even vote on.
“I wish she would join me in cosponsoring the legislation so she would actually get some of this work done,” he said. While she attacks him for being close to Wall Street, he said, “I’m literally leading the fight” to close tax loopholes and better regulate the financial industry. “I wish she would join me in cosponsoring the legislation so she would actually get some of this work done,” he said. While she attacks him for being close to Wall Street, Van Hollen said, “I’m literally leading the fight” to close tax loopholes and better regulate the financial industry.
Edwards pushed back on his characterization, saying she was proud of her record and had worked across the aisle on science, transportation and education legislation. [Donations from ‘Hardball’ guests to Matthews’s campaign draw fire]
“Mr, Van Hollen is completely off base and really does a great disservice to us both and certainly to my record,” she said. Attacking her for missing a recent meeting with Gov. Larry Hogan (R) was “ridiculous,” she said, because Van Hollen had not attended similar events. When Edwards criticized Van Hollen for agreeing to a compromise with the National Rifle Association in a campaign finance bill, the congressman shot back that he was “the only candidate here who has taken on the NRA and won.”
Edwards dismissed the endorsements that Van Hollen pointed to repeatedly as evidence of his superior skills. “It is no surprise to me that the political establishment endorses the political establishment; it is no surprise to me at all,” she said. Edwards pushed back, saying she was proud of her record and had worked across the aisle on science, transportation and education legislation.
As she did in a fundraising email earlier this week, she hammered Maryland State Senate President Mike Miller (D) for saying Van Hollen was “born to the job.” “Mr, Van Hollen is completely off base,” she said. Attacking her for missing a recent meeting with Mikulski and Gov. Larry Hogan (R) was “ridiculous,” she said, because Van Hollen had missed similar events.
Several polls over the past few months have shown the race tied. But a Baltimore Sun-University of Baltimore survey released last week gave Edwards a six-point lead, buoyed by strong support from African American voters. Edwards dismissed the endorsements that Van Hollen held up as evidence of his superior skills. “It is no surprise to me that the political establishment endorses the political establishment,” she said. “It is no surprise to me at all.”
Van Hollen has very deep support in his base of Montgomery County, as does Edwards in her home of Prince George’s County. Both candidates therefore are focusing their firepower on Baltimore, a Democratic stronghold whose voters are up for grabs. As she did in a fundraising email earlier this week, she hammered state Senate President Mike Miller (D) for saying Van Hollen was “born to the job.”
The debate is the first of four set to take place before the April 26 primary. The candidates will also appear together at a forum Friday night hosted by the Prince George’s County Young Democrats and the Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt Democratic Club in Greenbelt, Md. “I have walked in the shoes of the people I hope to represent,” she said, recalling that she was the first in her family to go to college and got through law school while raising an infant son.
Several Republicans are running for their party’s Senate nomination, including Del. Kathy Szeliga (Baltimore County), the minority whip in the House of Delegates. But both Van Hollen and Edwards have higher profiles in the state, and more impressive political resumés. [Edwards: Why aren’t black women described as ‘born to’ the Senate?]
With registered Democrats outnumbering registered Republicans in Maryland by a ratio of more than 2-to-1, whoever wins the Democratic nomination will be the overwhelming favorite to capture the Senate seat. Van Hollen said the support he has won from all across Maryland cannot be dismissed simply as the “establishment.”
“These are people who have worked with both of us, and these are people who can testify to results,” he said.
Several Republicans are running for their party’s nomination for the Senate seat, including Del. Kathy Szeliga (Baltimore County), the minority whip in the House of Delegates. But both Van Hollen and Edwards have higher profiles in the state, and more impressive political resumés.
Whoever wins the Democratic nomination will face the winner of the Republican primary in November. With registered Democrats outnumbering registered Republicans in Maryland by a ratio of more than 2-to-1, the Democratic nominee will be the overwhelming favorite.