Maryland
Mizeur vows to ‘bring dignity and leadership’ back to 1st Congressional District
Former state delegate to face Andy Harris in November
QUEENSTOWN, Md. ā Former Maryland state delegate and gubernatorial candidate Heather Mizeur won the Democratic primary in the state’s 1st Congressional District on Tuesday.
With 310 of 312 precincts in the district reporting as of Wednesday, Mizeur had garnered nearly 69 percent of the primary vote in the district, defeating former U.S. Agency for International Development official David Harden.
At an election night gathering at the Ten Eyck Brewing Company in Queenstown on the Eastern Shore, Mizeur gathered with supporters to celebrate her victory.
āYou have chosen me to be your nominee to bring dignity and leadership back to the 1st District,ā Mizeur said. āYou said that you trust me to represent you to be your voice and your vote in Congress and this is an immense honor, and I canāt tell you how much it means to me.ā
Cheers erupted among her supporters as Mizeur went on to describe a campaign atmosphere heavily aligned with the attitudes espoused by those gathered.
āThereās an old saying among activists when things are tough: āDonāt mourn. Organize,āā Mizeur told her supporters while standing next to her wife. āAnd thatās what weāre doing here ā all of us ā with a spirit of energy, optimism and even joy. Weāre organizing a movement for change ā a movement that says the way things are isnāt good enough, one that insists that we can do better ā better than a congressman who disgraces himself at every turn, who doesnāt show up for his district, who puts loyalty to a political cult ahead of loyalty to his own country.ā
After succeeding in her bid for the Democratic nomination, Mizeur now faces incumbent Republican Congressman Andy Harris in a reliably Republican district. Mizeur would be the first openly lesbian member of Congress from Maryland if she were to win.
Mizeur has criticized Harris over revelations of his involvement in the events of Jan. 6.
āAnd now, now that we know, thanks to the Jan. 6 Committee, just how deeply Andy Harris was involved in the plot against our democracy,ā Mizeur reiterated on Tuesday night. āHe is a traitor. He violated his oath of office, his oath to defend the Constitution of this country. I believe he is unfit to serve.ā
Despite the potential challenges posed to her campaign by the districtās political demographics, Mizeur told the Washington Blade that, going forward, the campaign will maintain a similar election strategy aimed at converging support from voters across the ideological spectrum.
āWe have been in all 11 counties of this district, working the vote, running a unity coalition campaign to get Republicans and Democrats and Independents to join together to get rid of a congressman who has failed us,ā Mizeur said. āAnd that work just continues.ā
Encouraged by her primary victory, Mizeur expressed confidence that she would be able to succeed over Harris, who has represented the district since 2011.
āWeāve got this,ā Mizeur said. āMark my words, friends: I am the woman whoās going to defeat Andy Harris in November.ā
Maryland
Trone discusses transgender niece
Blade interviewed Md. congressman, Angela Alsobrooks last week
Editor’s note: The Washington Blade last week interviewed both U.S. Rep. David Trone (D-Md.) and Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks. The full interviews with both Democratic candidates for retiring U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.)’s seat will be on the Blade’s website later this week.
Maryland Congressman David Trone last week discussed his transgender niece during an interview with the Washington Blade about his U.S. Senate campaign.
Trone, who is running to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), on May 1 told the Blade during a telephone interview that his niece transitioned when she was in her early 20s. Trone also noted she attended Furman University, a small, liberal arts university in Greenville, S.C.
“I was concerned about how she would be able to transition there,” said Trone.
Trone, who founded Total Wine & More, attended Furman University as an undergrad and is on the school’s board of trustees. Trone told the Blade he donated $10 million to the university to “build out their mental health capacity, which I felt was a way that she could have the best mental health care possible when she worked her way through (her) transition.”
Trone’s niece graduated from the university after she spent five years there.
“She had a great relationship with Furman,” said Trone.
Trone and Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks are the leading Democrats running to succeed Cardin. The winner of the May 14 Democratic primary will face former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan in November.
Maryland
What Anne Arundel County school board candidates think about book bans
State lawmakers passed Freedom to Read Act in April
BY ROYALE BONDS | Parentsā efforts to restrict content available to students in school libraries has become a contentious issue in Maryland. Conservative parent groups, such as Moms for Liberty, have been working to get books they believe are inappropriate removed from libraries in Carroll and Howard counties, sparkingĀ protests, new policies, and even aĀ state law.
The Freedom to Read Act, passed in April, sets standards that books cannot be removed from public and school libraries due to an authorās background. Library staff that uphold the standard are protected under this act. The law, however, does not prohibit removing books deemed āsexually explicit,ā the stated reason local Moms for Liberty chapters challenged school library books.
The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner website.
Maryland
Christian Siriano to serve as grand marshal of Annapolis Pride Parade
Fashion designer is an Annapolis native
BY JOHN-JOHN WILLIAMS IV | Heās conquered fashion week. His designs have slayed the red carpet during award season. And now Christian Siriano is coming home.
The Annapolis native will serve as grand marshal and keynote speaker June 1 for the annual Annapolis Pride Parade and Festival,Ā which is a major coup as the event enters its fourth year.
The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.