George Wenschhof
It is
widely known voter registration highly favors Democratic candidates in The City
of Frederick, so it is hardly surprising Republican alderman candidates Phil
Dacey, Katie Nash and David Schmidt are trying to cozy up to Democratic voters
by projecting a moderate voice.
Yet, when
you look at their background, they are all proud conservative Republicans, a
political philosophy that does not play well with progressive Democratic voters
in the city.
Their
political mantra has been to call for nonpartisan elections, because they don’t
believe in party labels at the local level.
However,
it is widely known and documented by numerous studies, nonpartisan
elections actually result in a lower voter turnout at the polls. Not a change, The City of Frederick, which
averages less than 25% turnout, needs to implement.
The reason
for masking their political affiliation by these candidates is Democrats have
17,300 registered voters compared to 10,750 Republicans in the city. Their combined cry for nonpartisan elections
is also driven by their knowledge there are 8,160 unaffiliated registered
voters in the city, who they hope to entice to vote for them.
During my interviews with the Democratic candidates for alderman and mayor, not one indicated to me support for a change to nonpartisan elections in the city.
Former alderman Alan Imhoff, the only Republican candidate with extensive municipal experience, opposes nonpartisan elections and favors moving the city election to coincide with the presidential election cycle.
During my interviews with the Democratic candidates for alderman and mayor, not one indicated to me support for a change to nonpartisan elections in the city.
Former alderman Alan Imhoff, the only Republican candidate with extensive municipal experience, opposes nonpartisan elections and favors moving the city election to coincide with the presidential election cycle.
It is also not
surprising, there are no Republicans calling for a change to nonpartisan
elections in the county, where they hold a voter registration advantage.
The road
to victory by a Republican alderman candidate is tough, unlike the mayoral
race, where Democrats have been beating themselves in every election, but one,
since former four term mayor Ron Young was defeated in 1989.
Dacey,
Nash and Schmidt are young and inexperienced in municipal government, but all
have been involved supporting conservative Republicans in their party.
Phil Dacey
shared with me “I became a Republican because I believed they were the party
with better ideas and was influenced by former Congressman Newt Gingrich’s 1994
“Contract with America” that promoted welfare reform and a balance budget.” When, he noticed I was writing this down, he
said “oops!”
Further
earning his conservative spurs was the support by him and his family of former
state senator Alex Mooney and his experience working as chief of staff to
Maryland state senator Nancy Jacobs.
Katie
Nash, in addition to serving on the local Republican central committee, also served
as chief of staff to another state senator E.J. Pipkin.
Both
Pipkin and Jacobs were former Republican senate minority leaders and known as
far right conservatives in the state.
Dave Schmidt,
has made no secret of his attempted love affair with Democrats, attending their
local events and telling everyone party affiliation doesn’t matter in the city.
When I
interviewed Dave, he shared with me his interest in politics started early when
he knocked on doors for former sixth district Republican congressman Roscoe
Bartlett. He also served as president of student government and started the
first Republican Club at Frederick Community College (FCC). At FCC, he hosted
the first alderman debate in 2005 which was moderated by Blaine Young, who is
now president of the Frederick Board of County Commissioners.
All three
have downplayed their Republican Party affiliation with the hopes to win
Democratic votes and with them, a seat on the board of alderman.
Interestingly,
while all three have extolled the importance of nonpartisan elections in the
city, not one changed their political affiliation to Unaffiliated.
Registered
voters in The City of Frederick will elect their mayor and a five member board
of alderman on November 5.
Stay
tuned.
---
Donate today to Frederick Politics by clicking on a Donation Button in the right hand margin of page - Thank You!
1 comment:
Because of the focus on the city,
no one has asked any candidates
their opinion of non-partisan
elections on the county level, I
would whole-heartedly support non-
partisan elections in both our
county and city. Local services are
not an issue that is defined by
national philosophy. Additionally,
partisan elections here on the
local level uses everyone's tax
dollars to allow private
organizations (D & R) to pick their
own private nominees. If they're
going to spend everyone's money,
everyone should have a chance to
participate. Both in the city and
in the county.
Thank you for the opportunity to respond.
~ Dave Schmidt
Candidate for Alderman, City of Frederick
Post a Comment