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| 2nd debate between Van Hollen and Edwards more wonky; still some clashes | 2nd debate between Van Hollen and Edwards more wonky; still some clashes |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Reps. Donna Edwards and Chris Van Hollen clashed Friday over criminal justice, trade and Social Security in what will be the first televised debate of the Maryland Democratic Senate primary. | Reps. Donna Edwards and Chris Van Hollen clashed Friday over criminal justice, trade and Social Security in what will be the first televised debate of the Maryland Democratic Senate primary. |
| Edwards accused Van Hollen of supporting bills and negotiations in Congress that sell out American workers, senior citizens and the incarcerated. Van Hollen, in turn, said Edwards was distorting his record and had failed to deliver for her constituents. | Edwards accused Van Hollen of supporting bills and negotiations in Congress that sell out American workers, senior citizens and the incarcerated. Van Hollen, in turn, said Edwards was distorting his record and had failed to deliver for her constituents. |
| The two Democrats are locked in a tight battle for the nomination to succeed longtime Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), who is retiring at the end of this year. The race has drawn national attention, because it pits two well-known progressive lawmakers against each other and ensures that one of them will be leaving Congress and returning to private life in 2017. | The two Democrats are locked in a tight battle for the nomination to succeed longtime Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), who is retiring at the end of this year. The race has drawn national attention, because it pits two well-known progressive lawmakers against each other and ensures that one of them will be leaving Congress and returning to private life in 2017. |
| [Why Emily’s List is spending big to defeat a progressive Democrat] | [Why Emily’s List is spending big to defeat a progressive Democrat] |
| If Van Hollen was the primary aggressor in a radio debate last Friday in Washington, Edwards was the candidate more likely to attack in Baltimore. She addressed Van Hollen directly, saying that by supporting budget negotiations in 2011 based on a framework that called for Social Security cuts, he was willing to harm seniors who live off those benefits. (Van Hollen never endorsed the plan itself, and he voted against it on the House floor.) | |
| “They only have Social Security and you wanted to trade it way,” Edwards said, turning from her podium to face her rival. “Mr. Van Hollen wanted to trade it away in an effort to cut a deal.” | “They only have Social Security and you wanted to trade it way,” Edwards said, turning from her podium to face her rival. “Mr. Van Hollen wanted to trade it away in an effort to cut a deal.” |
| Van Hollen, the ranking Democrat on the budget committee, pushed back, saying that Edwards was among the lawmakers from their party who trusted him to negotiate with Republicans on their behalf. | Van Hollen, the ranking Democrat on the budget committee, pushed back, saying that Edwards was among the lawmakers from their party who trusted him to negotiate with Republicans on their behalf. |
| “I’ve been in the trenches leading the fight,” he said. “Congresswoman Edwards . . . has not been part of the fight until this election.” | “I’ve been in the trenches leading the fight,” he said. “Congresswoman Edwards . . . has not been part of the fight until this election.” |
| When Edwards attacked Van Hollen for supporting legislation in 2005 that proposed new mandatory minimum sentences, Van Hollen noted that the bill was meant to address a criminal gang crisis and never became law. (It passed the House, but stalled in the Senate.) | When Edwards attacked Van Hollen for supporting legislation in 2005 that proposed new mandatory minimum sentences, Van Hollen noted that the bill was meant to address a criminal gang crisis and never became law. (It passed the House, but stalled in the Senate.) |
| “This is another example of gross distortion,” he said, noting that he co-sponsored legislation last year to dramatically cut mandatory minimums. Accusing him of contributing to mass incarceration, he said, is “upside down.” | “This is another example of gross distortion,” he said, noting that he co-sponsored legislation last year to dramatically cut mandatory minimums. Accusing him of contributing to mass incarceration, he said, is “upside down.” |
| On trade, Edwards noted that Van Hollen voted for nine of the past 11 international trade deals and was not part of a group working to improve the Trans Pacific Partnership, which both lawmakers oppose. “I think you cannot on the one hand vote for these trade deals and on the other hand say you’re for the American workers,” she said. | On trade, Edwards noted that Van Hollen voted for nine of the past 11 international trade deals and was not part of a group working to improve the Trans Pacific Partnership, which both lawmakers oppose. “I think you cannot on the one hand vote for these trade deals and on the other hand say you’re for the American workers,” she said. |
| Van Hollen responded that he evaluates each deal on its own. He pointed to his endorsement from the United Auto Workers as evidence that he had found a proper balance. | Van Hollen responded that he evaluates each deal on its own. He pointed to his endorsement from the United Auto Workers as evidence that he had found a proper balance. |
| Only at the very end of the debate did Van Hollen raise an attack he has brought up often in recent days: that Edwards does a poor job responding to constituents. “Ms. Edwards likes to say she walks in other people’s shoes, but too often when people walk in the door of her congressional office, she hasn’t been there,” he said. | Only at the very end of the debate did Van Hollen raise an attack he has brought up often in recent days: that Edwards does a poor job responding to constituents. “Ms. Edwards likes to say she walks in other people’s shoes, but too often when people walk in the door of her congressional office, she hasn’t been there,” he said. |
| Edwards pointed to jobs fairs, college fairs and housing education seminars her office holds, as well as her early move in Congress to provide free suppers at schools in Maryland. A pointed charge from Van Hollen that she had ignored discrimination against NASA workers, she said, ignored a year of work her office had done on the difficult issue. | Edwards pointed to jobs fairs, college fairs and housing education seminars her office holds, as well as her early move in Congress to provide free suppers at schools in Maryland. A pointed charge from Van Hollen that she had ignored discrimination against NASA workers, she said, ignored a year of work her office had done on the difficult issue. |
| Despite those scuffles, the debate was tamer and wonkier than either last Friday’s noontime face-off or a forum that evening, both of which turned heated. | Despite those scuffles, the debate was tamer and wonkier than either last Friday’s noontime face-off or a forum that evening, both of which turned heated. |
| Edwards praised Van Hollen for his work to limit inversions that allow companies to avoid U.S. taxes with shell corporations overseas. They both said they opposed the use of ground troops in Syria and praised President Obama’s opening of relations with Cuba. | Edwards praised Van Hollen for his work to limit inversions that allow companies to avoid U.S. taxes with shell corporations overseas. They both said they opposed the use of ground troops in Syria and praised President Obama’s opening of relations with Cuba. |
| Van Hollen touted his work to secure the release of Cuban prisoner Alan Gross, a constituent, calling it “the icebreaker that allowed us to proceed with the change in relations.” Edwards noted that before she came to Congress, she worked at a non-profit that helped facilitate U.S.-Cuban cultural exchanges and push for an end to the embargo. | Van Hollen touted his work to secure the release of Cuban prisoner Alan Gross, a constituent, calling it “the icebreaker that allowed us to proceed with the change in relations.” Edwards noted that before she came to Congress, she worked at a non-profit that helped facilitate U.S.-Cuban cultural exchanges and push for an end to the embargo. |
| Both candidates spoke in favor of the administration’s nuclear deal with Iran, although Van Hollen took a veiled shot at Edwards for opposing some earlier sanctions against the country. | Both candidates spoke in favor of the administration’s nuclear deal with Iran, although Van Hollen took a veiled shot at Edwards for opposing some earlier sanctions against the country. |
| The two differed slightly on the issue of whether Apple should be required to unlock a phone used by one of the shooters in San Bernardino, Calif. Edwards said she sided with the company, which has said that doing so would weaken security for all Apple users. Van Hollen said he believed their should be a way to unlock this particular phone without causing such problems. | The two differed slightly on the issue of whether Apple should be required to unlock a phone used by one of the shooters in San Bernardino, Calif. Edwards said she sided with the company, which has said that doing so would weaken security for all Apple users. Van Hollen said he believed their should be a way to unlock this particular phone without causing such problems. |
| The audience of about 150 college students and locals was mostly subdued as well, although Van Hollen won murmurs of approval from the senior citizens in the crowd when he called for allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices. Edwards, in turn, was met with laughs of recognition when she said she “as soon as I finished paying my student loans, I started paying for my son’s college.” | The audience of about 150 college students and locals was mostly subdued as well, although Van Hollen won murmurs of approval from the senior citizens in the crowd when he called for allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices. Edwards, in turn, was met with laughs of recognition when she said she “as soon as I finished paying my student loans, I started paying for my son’s college.” |
| The University of Baltimore debate, moderated by two writers from The Baltimore Sun, will not air on WJZ-TV CBS Baltimore television until Monday night. | The University of Baltimore debate, moderated by two writers from The Baltimore Sun, will not air on WJZ-TV CBS Baltimore television until Monday night. |