Meet The Candidate: Neil Parrott Runs For U.S. House

Jacob Baumgart
Updated ·9 min read

ANNAPOLIS, MD — The presidential race gets the most attention, but Maryland has several Congressional contests as well. The state's eight seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are also up for grabs in this year's election.

It's time to get to know one of the candidates. Meet Neil C. Parrott. He is running in Maryland's 6th Congressional District.

Parrott is running against David Trone. More information about Trone is available here.

Before we meet Parrott, you have to know what district you live in. Follow the instructions below to see if Parrott is on the ballot in your town.

What District Am I In?

Unlike the Senate, each Marylander only has one delegate in the United States House of Representatives. To determine which congressional district you are a part of, enter your ZIP code at this link.

Candidate

Delegate Neil C.Parrott, P.E.

Age (as of Election Day)

50

Town/City of Residence

Hagerstown

Office Sought

U.S. House

If you are a congressional candidate, please indicate for which district (District 1, District 3, etc.)

District 6

Party Affiliation

Republican

Family

My wife’s name is April Parrott and we have 3 children.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

I am very proud of my Dad who served in the United States Air Force and now works at NSA. He is well past retirement age, but continues to serve our great nation.

Education

B.S. Univ. of Maryland, M.B.A., Mount St. Mary’s University
P.E. Professional Engineer
PTOE – Professional Transportation Operations Engineer

Occupation

• Transportation Engineer
• Worked for the Maryland State Highway Administration for almost 13 years.
• Served as the Deputy Director of Public Works for Engineering (City Engineer) with the City of Frederick
• Transportation Engineer and Small Business Owner of Traffic Solutions, Inc.
• 27 years in civil engineering work.

Campaign website

www.neilparrott.org

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Currently serving in my 3rd Term a Maryland State Delegate for Legislative District 2A

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

As a husband and father of three children, I work hard to protect our freedoms.
I believe government’s primary responsibility is to protect life, liberty, and property.

I will work to keep our families and our communities safe by supporting Law Enforcement and the Criminal Justice System to ensure justice is served.

Do you support Black Lives Matter and what are your thoughts on the demonstrations held since the death of George Floyd and the shooting of Jacob Blake?

I agree with what Martin Luther King, Jr. said when he stated that , “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” I believe it is time that we as Americans focus on what unites us, not what divides us.

Protestors have the right, even the responsibility, to express their opinions peacefully. When police commit a crime, they need to be tried for that crime in the courts. Protesters also should be fully prosecuted when they break the laws. What is happening in Portland right now is a total abdication by the local government to do the one job they have to do, to protect peoples life, freedoms, and property.

What are your thoughts on the campaign to "defund" the police?

I believe we need to follow the law and work for order in our society. We cannot defund police departments or allow rioters to have free reign. Don’t get me wrong, if a police officer is criminally liable, they already face those charges. In the case of George Floyd, the police officer who ended up killing him will be tried for 2nd degree murder and should be.

We need to help police to do their job and do it well, not make them afraid to even walk out of the Police Headquarters without fearing for their possessions. We need to support them, and we need to support law and order.

The consequence of not supporting the police can be seen in the City of Baltimore after the riots resulting from Freddie Grays death. The Cities Government Officials didn’t support the police and so the police pulled back on the community policing that is so necessary to maintain order. As a result, the City of Baltimore now has its highest homidice rate for two years in a row, with 50 shootings and 15 deaths occurring just a few weeks ago. This criminal activity cannot be allowed to continue, and the police are needed to help bring the crime under control.

What are your thoughts on the state and national response to the coronavirus pandemic? Do you favor such measures as limiting operation of non-essential businesses or restricting indoor/outdoor dining? And do you favor a nationwide mask mandate?

I opposed the shutdown of Maryland businesses. I believe that every business is essential, and the financial hardship of these policies have hurt businesses, individuals, and families.

I do not agree with the prolonged lock down. While I understand the argument behind forcing everything to stay home, I do not think that tactic makes sense for all parts of the state. I believe the Maryland Government should pursue a regionally based approach to handling the pandemic. The sacrifice we must make to our economy to continue the shutdown is, in my opinion, no longer a rational trade off for flattening the curve.

At this point, we are crippling our economy and putting people out of work unnecessarily. Unfortunately, huge numbers of people are now dying from drug overdoses, suicide, lack of medical care, street crimes, and other troubles because of the shutdown and inability to work.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

Safety and Security: Politicians Marc Elrich and David Trone support releasing dangerous criminals into your community.

Neil Parrott believes that the county should work with federal authorities—not against them—when it comes to getting violent criminals off our streets.

Neil Parrott disagrees with County Executive Marc Elrich who tried to shut down our schools after Governor Hogan opened them.

Parrott supports school choice and believes parents should be able to make choices about schools for their children.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

My opponent talks like a moderate, but his voting record is as extreme as Ilhan Omar's, Nancy Pelosi's and AOC's. Unfortunately, he votes in a highly partisan way even when the vote goes against his own stated convictions.

For example, David Trone, who claims that fighting opioids is his major focus, voted against an amendment that would have helped keep fentanyl and opioids out of our country. Instead of voting with 15 Democrats and all the Republicans to support the measure, he voted Nancy Pelosi’s way, against his own stated principles, and in a way that provided no enforcement to keep the drugs out.

You deserve an honest, common-sense Congressman who will do what he promises.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

Washington, D.C., is a mess. District 6 needs a representative who lives in the district and who will work to improve our community and our country.

I care about our nation and want to ensure that our children and grandchildren will have the same opportunities and freedoms that we enjoyed. Rather than turn a blind eye to violence and chaos happening around the country, I will fight for safety and security in our communities.

Instead of playing political games, I’ll work for you to bring common-sense, practical solutions to D.C., while looking out for our district.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I am so thankful for the many people who have invested in my life, for my supportive family, and for God, who has brought me to this point. Now serving my third term as a member of the House of Delegates, I listen to people and have been privileged to regularly help constituents. I was born in Bethesda, grew up in Maryland, became an Eagle Scout, a professional engineer, an MBA, and a small-business owner. As a result, I have learned to work effectively with people of both parties. I care about people and work for practical, common-sense solutions.

If you win this position, what accomplishment would make your term in office as a success?

Welfare reform. Government incentives should help more people go to work or volunteer their time. People have higher self-esteem and a sense of purpose when they are working. In addition, welfare laws need to change to encourage the nuclear family rather than financially rewarding people only when they are not married.

Why should voters trust you?

As a state delegate serving my third term in Washington County, I have a proven record of fighting for the community. I have a 97% pro-business rating with the Maryland Free Enterprise Foundation for my work on pro-business legislation.

You can be sure I will fight for the district and for what is best for our families, our community, and our state. I have always worked to put common-sense solutions first, not partisan politics.

What are your views on fiscal policy, government spending and the use of taxpayer dollars in the office you are seeking?

I believe we need to work to balance the budget. The federal deficit and national debt is out of control and needs to be confronted. Increasing our national debt is irresponsible to future generations, and is leaving them with trillions of dollars of debt that our children and grandchildren will not be able to repay.

Our country will thrive when we promote hard work and individual responsibility. In Congress, I will work to promote business-friendly legislation to help America be productive and sustain local businesses.

Is there any reason you would not serve your full term of office, other than those of health or family?

While I cannot predict the future, I do not see a reason why I would not finish the two-year term beyond what was stated. I have been faithfully serving as a Maryland State Delegate for 10 years and would be committed to serving my constituents in Congress.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Use a little bit of common sense. My Dad.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

If elected, I will serve each and every person across the District. I care about people and will work to improve the lives of Marylanders in the next two years.

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This article originally appeared on the Annapolis Patch