(10/2014) Not long ago the Frederick news Post wrote an editorial. It made the case that candidates who are trying to attract independent voters in the coming election are somehow on a fool's errand. The premise of the editorial was that these independent voters didn't leave the Democratic or Republican parties because they had become too extreme, but left their parties because they were not extreme enough in their practices! I simply don't believe that.

What I have learned since becoming a candidate for State Senate is that most of us, no matter what our political affiliation, are feeling very disconnected from the political system and our elected leaders. We know that the government in Washington is dysfunctional and broken, and when it does work, it works in favor of the rich and powerful and against the middle class, which is being crushed. They are rightfully afraid of the future, and where it leaves them, their kids, and grand kids.

When I decided to run for State Senate I put together an agenda that I believed would appeal to Republicans, Democrats, and Independents alike, without blowing a hole in the State budget:

(1) Educational Excellence: Fully fund voluntary Pre-K for all Maryland students, and follow Tennessee's example giving the first two years of State college, community college, or trade school to Maryland residents for free. Fund these programs out of lottery and casino money.

(2) Job Creation: Establish a public/private Alternative Energy Center that would allow entrepreneurs to manufacture their products on the old Eastalco site in our South County.

(3) Cut Government Costs: We could save a ton of money and enjoy a substantial tax cut after conducting a serious independent audit of all State agencies from top to bottom. I know that from my experience as counsel to a former Maryland governor.

(4) Intelligent Growth: We should stop badly planned developments like Monrovia that threaten our magnificent lifestyle and our agricultural heritage.

I have done my best to reach across the aisle to my Republican and Independent friends in my campaign, and recently conducted a wonderful non partisan family picnic in Middletown to celebrate the life and career of a truly great Frederick native-Republican U.S. Senator Charles "Mac" Mathias.

We had a gathering of prominent Republicans and Democrats who shared their covered dishes, sang karaoke together, and shared memories and speeches about a Republican statesman who led and united Marylanders for over 26 years in the Congress at a time when Democrats outnumbered Republicans by over 3 to 1 in registration. Mac Mathias, Henry "Scoop" Jackson, and David Brinkley would be the models that I would follow if I am honored with the Senate seat.

My opponent, Michael Hough is a Tea Party radical who ran a scurrilous and dishonest campaign in the Republican primary against a distinguished State Senator and friend, David Brinkley. Hough learned everything he knows about dishonest campaigning from Alex Mooney who did nothing for his district except keep people divided and promote himself. If Hough goes to Annapolis it will be an Alex Mooney replay, and we will have four years of whining and empty resolutions. He will achieve nothing for our district-he won't have the votes to block legislation or to pass legislation. All he will do is isolate our District from the rest of the State, and resources that would ordinarily come to our district will end up in some other jurisdiction.

I am counting on a fair number of rights minded Republicans and Independents to join Democrats in sending me to Annapolis to reunite our District around our shared and common values and beliefs. There is so much at stake here. Please help me.