How would governor candidates help Maryland's western, eastern regions?
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What do those running to be Maryland's next governor think about the rural areas of the state, including Western Maryland and the Eastern Shore?
What about working with members of the opposing party? Or what to do with the extra money the state has seen in recent budgets?
The primary is July 19, but early voting runs from July 7 through July 14.
The USA TODAY Network in Maryland, which includes Delmarva Now/The Daily Times in Salisbury and The Herald-Mail in Hagerstown, sent questionnaires to the Republicans and Democrats seeking the state's top job.
Included were basic biographical questions, as well as opportunities to list websites and social media accounts so voters can learn beyond just answers to the questions we asked. Responses were limited to 500 characters — the equivalent of more than two tweets.
The questionnaire was sent in mid-May, and follow-ups were made with those who hadn't responded by mid-June. Those who didn't answer by June 30 are listed below as "Did not respond."
Republicans
Dan Cox
Running mate: Gordana Schifanelli
From: Frederick County
Robin Ficker
Running mate: LeRoy F. Yegge Jr.
From: Boyds, Montgomery County
Occupation: Real estate broker, farmer
Age as of July 19: "30+"
Campaign website: www.cutmdsalestax2cents.com
Twitter: @robin_ficker
Facebook: facebook.com/RobinFicker
Instagram: Robin.Ficker
Kelly Schulz
Running mate: Jeff Woolford
From: New Market, Frederick County
Occupation: Candidate for governor
Age as of July 19: 53
Campaign website: www.kellyschulzforgovernor.com
Twitter: @KellyMSchulz
Facebook: www.facebook.com/KellyMSchulz
Instagram: @KellyMSchulz
Joe Werner
Running mate: Minh Thanh Luong
From: Baltimore County
Democrats
Jon Baron
Running mate: Natalie Williams
From: Bethesda, Montgomery County
Occupation: Attorney and former nonprofit executive
Age as of July 19: 59
Campaign website: jonbaron.com
Twitter: @JonBaronforMD
Facebook: facebook.com/JonBaronforMD
Instagram: instagram.com/jonbaronformd/
Peter Franchot
Running mate: Monique Anderson-Walker
From: Takoma Park, Montgomery County
Occupation: Comptroller, state of Maryland
Age as of July 19: 74
Campaign website: www.franchot.com
Twitter: @PeterFranchot
Facebook: www.facebook.com/peterfranchot
Instagram: @PeterFranchot
Douglas F. Gansler
Running mate: Candace Hollingsworth
From: Montgomery County
Occupation: Attorney
Age as of July 19: 59
Campaign website: douggansler.com
Twitter: @douggansler
Facebook: facebook.com/douggansler
Instagram: @douggansler
Ralph W. Jaffe
Running mate: Mark Greben
From: Baltimore County
Occupation: Teacher
Age as of July 19: 80
Campaign website: fedupwithcrookedpolitics.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Rjaffe4
Ashwani Jain
Running mate: LaTrece Hawkins Lytes
From: Montgomery County
Occupation: Program director of the National Kidney Foundation
Age as of July 19: 32
Campaign website: www.jainforgovernor.com
Twitter: @JainForGov
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JainForGov
Instagram: @jainforgov
John King
Running mate: Michelle Daugherty Siri
From: Silver Spring, Montgomery County
Occupation: President and CEO of the Education Trust; former secretary of education for President Obama
Age as of July 19: 47
Campaign website: johnkingforgovernor.com
Twitter: @JohnBKing
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JohnKingforGovernor
Instagram: @JohnKingforGovernor
TikTok: @JohnKingforGovernor
Wes Moore
Running mate: Aruna Miller
From: Baltimore City
Occupation: Candidate for governor, former CEO, combat veteran, and small business owner
Age as of July 19: 43
Campaign website: wesmoore.com
Twitter: @iamwesmoore
Facebook: www.facebook.com/iamwesmoore
Instagram: @iamwesmoore
Tom Perez
Running mate: Shannon Sneed
From: Montgomery County
Jerome M. Segal
Running mate: Justinian M. Dispenza
From: Silver Spring, Montgomery County
Occupation: Director of The International Peace Consultancy
Age as of July 19: 78
Campaign website: segalforgovernor.org
Working across the aisle to benefit Western Maryland, Eastern Shore
Gov. Hogan gave Maryland’s rural areas support that had been lacking in previous administrations. How do you plan to work across the aisle to address the competing and varied interests of the state?
Cox
Did not respond
Ficker
Robin has placed 25 ballot measures which received 2,537,403 votes to approve Term Limits, Property Tax Revenue Increase Limits, etc. Our Term Limits proposal got 70% of the vote in Maryland’s largest, most liberal county. On property taxes, Peter Sepp, President of the National Taxpayers Union said, “Your victory is a national record to pass a taxpayer protection measure at the local level against such difficult odds.”
Schulz
I’m running for governor to expand opportunities for all Marylanders — no area of our state will be forgotten. I have a proven record of working with all individuals to deliver meaningful results, from cutting taxes and growing our economy, to holding violent criminals accountable. While Secretary of Commerce, Maryland was named the most improved state for business in America. We led nationally recognized job training and apprenticeship programs by partnering with local leaders and businesses.
Werner
Did not respond
Baron
My work has always been bipartisan. I’ve been an appointee of Democratic & Republican Presidents. I’ve worked across the aisle to get major reforms enacted into law – focused on expanding proven-effective programs – that produced big gains in education, earnings & healthcare. My philanthropic team also funded a number of projects with a significant rural focus – such as the expansion of youth drug abuse prevention programs in Iowa, Minnesota & Colorado shown to reduce drug abuse as much as 30%.
Franchot
As a member of the Board of Public Works, I regularly work across the aisle to do what is in the best interest of the voters, and I will continue to do so as Governor. Despite our current political climate, I am proud of the bipartisan relationship Governor Hogan and I have been able to model for the state. As the local candidate, I understand the geographical range of our state, and thus the need for tailored solutions, and will be held accountable to the voters to deliver tangible results.
Gansler
I spent 22 years prosecuting violent crime and am the only pro-business, pro-law enforcement, moderate Democrat in the field. Throughout my life, I have been an avid devotee of the rural counties of Maryland and focused my attention on the Shore and Western Maryland during my tenure as your Attorney General. I worked across the aisle and across the state to protect our environment, clean up the Bay, and make our schools safe. I am running to be the governor for the entire state.
Jaffe
I will employ a bipartisan philosophy that will consist of more than just talk. The talk will be converted into a sense of cooperation and ACTION between Republicans and Democrats in all areas of the state.
Jain
By campaigning on the most comprehensive and fully paid-for policy agenda (made by constituents from every county — not consultants) that includes the “Maryland Now Plan” — which will eliminate your state income tax; make public transit free; create the nation’s first guaranteed jobs program; legalize marijuana while expunging records; and get money out of politics.
King
I will continue the Hogan administration’s commitment to rural economic development, like earlier this year when it dedicated $50 million to his Rural Economic Development Fund. I will deepen Maryland’s commitment to rural economic development by launching a state bank (to help small businesses access capital) and investing in Main Street improvement initiatives, reliable broadband, and public transportation including MARC expansion West.
Moore
Maryland’s rural communities are vital to the growth of our state and I am committed to ensuring they are not left behind. My plans prioritize rural Marylanders, from addressing coastal flooding threatening the Eastern Shore to the lack of access to broadband, to ensuring every community has access to affordable health care, and creating new economic opportunities. Rural communities will always have a seat and voice at the table in the Moore-Miller administration.
Perez
Did not respond.
Segal
My campaign and my governacy if I elected will be about the fundamentals of our social and economic life. I represent a perspective that cuts across standard political divisions. For instance, our platform is about providing for all, a simple-living option, that is, a real option, if one is prepared to live frugally, to cut back on work-time that is not deeply fulfilling, to 4 and then 3 days a week, allowing people to pursue their passions and to enjoy friends and family the other 4 days.
Bringing home the bacon to Maryland's conservative areas
How do you plan to work with the General Assembly to ensure state dollars in the western and eastern parts of the state?
Cox
Did not respond
Ficker
Robin’s Jobs Strikeforce will visit the large companies that are planning multi Billion $ expansions or moving their corporate headquarters to bring high paying jobs to Maryland. Recently, Amazon, Apple, Boeing, Facebook, Google, Hyundai, Intel, Microsoft, Nucor Steel, Parsons, Raytheon, Samsung, Taiwan Semiconductor, Tesla, Texas Instruments, and Toyota have shunned the sleepy Ms. Schulz and the MD Department of Commerce. We shall reverse her passive, wallpaper approach to JOBS!
Schulz
Marylanders want safe streets and world-class schools. Without safety nothing else matters. We’ll invest to hire hundreds of more police officers and ensure they receive the training and support to perform their jobs effectively. I’ve introduced a Parental Bill of Rights to empower parents. We’ll continue to record fund education, but with more accountability and transparency. Parents deserve to know what their kids are learning and taxpayers deserve to know how their money is being spent.
Werner
Did not respond
Baron
As governor, I’ll serve all 6 million residents of Maryland equally, and ensure state dollars are allocated equitably to western, eastern, and other parts of the state. To allocate state funding, the Baron-Williams administration will use a nonpartisan, expert review process that considers two main criteria — (1) the merit of the project in question and (2) the needs of the community, including geographic and income-based factors — to ensure state resources appropriately serve all communities.
Franchot
I have built a track record of working with the legislature to ensure that all Marylanders can share in the prosperity of the state. When I served in the legislature, I chaired a subcommittee of Appropriations, which gives me valuable insight into its process. I can ensure our tax dollars go back into the communities by investing in infrastructure projects that create good-paying jobs, and improve everything from our transportation systems to internet access statewide.
Gansler
I deeply recognize the dire need to protect our watermen, farmers, working families and small businesses in the rural parts of our state. We need to stand up the best schools and make sure that we back our first responders and keep every Marylander safe. We need to recognize that state dollars must be invested in rural Maryland. This is why I was the local favorite at the Western Maryland Democratic Summit Straw Poll. In doing so, I will work with elected officials regardless of party.
Jaffe
Again, I will employ a bipartisan philosophy that will consist of more than just talk. The talk will be converted into a sense of cooperation and ACTION between Republicans and Democrats in all areas of the state. This will allow for the implementation of policies and programs which will benefit the citizens of Maryland rather than benefit the interests of the career politicians whom the people voted for such as looking out for the needs of the eastern and western parts of the state.
Jain
I am not waiting until the election to prioritize and include residents from EVERY county in the process. Unlike other candidates, I’m fully accessible because 100% of our events are free. And I’m the only Governor candidate meeting voters at their homes — in a different county every day of the week. And I’m fully accountable because 100% of our campaign is run by residents from every age, background and county. We are the first statewide campaign in the U.S. that is entirely crowdsourced.
King
I campaign in every county, and as Governor I will regularly travel to every county. The advocacy organization I founded, Strong Future Maryland, has continuously advocated before the MGA on issues vital to eastern and western Maryland. I have local leaders from across the state who are ready to work with me on day one. My top issues affect people all over Maryland — from climate change’s impact on the Eastern Shore to quality education, to rural health care shortages in Western Maryland.
Moore
When I say that we need to leave no one behind, that means no one. We have to address transportation disparities in Hagerstown and give them greater access to the D.C. corridor, and it means that we have to create jobs in the Eastern Shore, in places like Easton and Cambridge and Pocomoke City. As governor, I am committed to bringing everyone to the table to address the needs of all Marylanders and ensure one’s outcomes or opportunities are not determined by their ZIP Code.
Perez
Did not respond.
Segal
Geographical divisions are not the most fundamental divisions. I am primarily concerned with rich and poor, this of course, can translate into geographical disparities, but my primary focus is to lift the income and quality of life of those in the bottom half, and certainly not those in the top 10%. This applies just to where state dollars go, but to where they come from. For instance, I favor progressive property taxation, with 0% tax on modest homes and higher tax rates on McMansions.
Managing the Free State's budget surplus
The past couple of years have ended with an increasing budget surplus for Maryland. Now that the legislature has the ability to add to the budget, how do you plan work with them to keep that momentum going?
Cox
Did not respond
Ficker
Robin is the only Gubernatorial candidate cutting taxes. If we cut Maryland’s 6 cent sales tax by 1/3 or 2 cents, we will give the average household a fiscal stimulus of $780 every year. That’s $780 you can spend on necessities. Maryland would be the first state to ever cut its sales tax while Delaware has 0 sales tax. We would thus gain a reputation of being business friendly. Our sales tax cut would act to lure large employers with well-paying JOBS!
Schulz
Marylanders want a system of checks and balances; they don’t want one party rule in Annapolis. I’ll be that check on that legislature and stand in the way of their tax hikes and reckless spending proposals. Instead, I’ll be fiscally conservative and fight for tax cuts so that we can reduce burdens on hardworking Marylanders. We’ll repeal the Inflation Tax to put an end to automatic gas tax increases and we’ll work towards eliminating taxes on the retirement income of all Marylanders.
Werner
Did not respond
Baron
I’m not seeking a major increase in state spending. I’m seeking a major increase in the EFFECTIVENESS of state spending — by focusing funds on solutions that are tested & proven to improve lives. For example, we’ll provide high-quality tutoring to all struggling 1st & 2nd graders in MD — it’s been shown to move them up toward grade level early, before their problems get serious. We’ll do this cost-effectively by recruiting an army of people from the community to become tutors for a modest stipend.
Franchot
We are positioned with the surplus in part because I extended the tax deadline so that our small businesses were supported during the pandemic. I also ensured federal COVID relief had proper oversight. I am uniquely qualified to tackle our pocketbooks. We can use our surplus to grow our economy, by using infrastructure projects to fuel family-supporting jobs, attracting and retaining new graduates by forgiving their student loans if they live and work in Maryland for at least five years.
Gansler
I will keep the momentum going because I will be a Democrat working with Democrats. We have a historic surplus in the midst of historic inflation, so we will not raise taxes. We must fully fund our schools, use federal money for green infrastructure, and provide immediate relief at the pump. The gas tax disproportionately impacts rural Marylanders, so we must suspend that tax. We must address the police shortage by hiring 1,000 police across the state who are trained in violence de-escalation.
Jaffe
We'll put an end to wasteful spending that takes place with programs that don’t work and government jobs that aren’t necessary. Many government jobs can be filled with volunteers when government workers retire. Results — large cost savings for MD taxpayers. Examples — Abolish Maryland State Racing Commission and Maryland Stadium Authority. Several Kirwan Commission recommendations sound good but, in actuality, are ineffective measures — Replace with Tutor-Mentor TEAM Program
Jain
With my experience working in the public, private and non-profit sectors, including the Obama White House and two federal agencies, I know how we work in large bureaucracies to manage complicated programs and processes. I’ve helped manage the political appointee process in the Obama White House; worked on healthcare at U.S. HHS; housing at U.S. HUD; and helped get the NIH and the FDA billions in revenue when I was then-Vice President Biden’s Director of Outreach for the Cancer Moonshot.
King
I will use Maryland’s record surpluses to fully fund the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future education plan and expand it to make historic investments in Pre-K and universal affordable child care. I will also make record investments in public transportation, like expanding the MARC west and increasing the frequency of MARC service, as well as building 10,000 electric vehicle charging stations to speed up our shift to carbon-free transportation.
Moore
The key to growing our surplus is increasing our tax base and our administration is committed to implementing policies to attract new residents and businesses to Maryland while also working to support those that are already here. That means fully funding and implementing the Blueprint, investing in our workforce and workforce development, ensuring the public’s safety, and building a transportation system that connects our communities to new jobs and opportunities.
Perez
Did not respond.
Segal
I believe taxes are the price we pay for civilization. They represent (at best) a decision by the people to spend collectively for the common good and in support of common values. Health care, shelter, and education, are not just human needs, but human rights. That means that where these needs are not met we have an obligation to help each other. In doing this, however, the burden should fall according to ability to sustain it — which means taxes should largely be paid by the well off.
Editor's note: This story was updated at 10:02 a.m. July 5, 2022, to note that Tom Perez did not respond to the questionnaire.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Maryland governor candidates comparison: Rural areas, cooperation
