Jan 28, 2008 10:09 am US/Eastern
First District Race Gets Heated
CHESTERTOWN, Md. (AP) ―
The two leading Republican contenders for Maryland's 1st Congressional District took time out from their attacks on incumbent Rep. Wayne T. Gilchrest to savage each other during a heated debate at an Eastern Shore college.
State senators Andy Harris and E.J. Pipkin agreed that Gilchrest has been too liberal during his nine terms in office to represent his district, which includes the Eastern Shore and parts of Harford, Baltimore and Anne Arundel counties.
But at a packed candidates' forum at Washington College Sunday, the two well-financed Republicans traded charges of distorted campaign ads, dirty politicking, and harshest of all, liberalism.
The GOP primary is on Feb. 12.
Pipkin opened his remarks by ripping apart a glossy political brochure that he said mischaracterizes his voting record on new taxes.
"I voted for every tax cut presented by Gov. Robert Ehrlich," said Pipkin, shredding the brochure as his supporters cheered.
"I've spent my entire adult life working on checkbook issues. What we have seen is half-truths, half-discussion and outright lies."
Harris took similarly pointed jabs at Pipkin. Another candidate, Robert J. Banks, was moved to chastise both Pipkin and Harris for what he called the "God-awful" commercials accusing each other of being liberals.
"Come on, you ought to be ashamed of yourselves, how you've gone about this campaign," said Banks, a former Orphans' Court judge and staff member for former Rep. Helen Delich Bentley. "There's never been a race like this. It's the nastiest I've ever seen."
One of the forum's organizers, former Kent County Commissioner Larry B. Beck, agreed.
"It's getting way too personal," Beck said. "I've never seen anything this bad. Every day you get another negative ad in the mail."
Gilchrest, facing perhaps the toughest challenge in his career, defended his moderate record on the war while his two major opponents bickered over which was the biggest liberal. Gilchrest was one of two Republicans to vote with House Democrats on a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq. But last week, he was endorsed by President Bush and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.
Candidate Joseph A. Arminio, a defense analyst from Anne Arundel County,promoted his book, The Decline and Fall of the American Way, throughout the debate. Arminio said his campaign is allied with presidential candidate Ron Paul.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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