At a recent candidates forum for the 6th District congressional race in Maryland, an hourlong civil discussion about the issues ended with finger pointing and sharp words.
Republican Neil Parrott got up and walked away after accusing Democrat April McClain Delaney of interrupting his ending statement.
“It was a little spicy,” McClain Delaney said. “I was surprised, I must tell you. I tried to keep it civil.”
“This is just someone who's lost control,” Parrot said.
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McClain Delaney said she wanted to point out what she called Parrott's extremist record when he was a state delegate.
“I really think that his public record is out there and I feel that it’s pretty interesting he is trying to run away from it and hide from it because it's wildly unpopular,” she said.
“Every single one of her attacks on me is a lie,” Parrott said.
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McClain Delaney has been focusing on Parrott's record and stance on abortion.
“He has cosponsored a personhood bill with no exceptions for rape, incest or life of the mother,” she said.
“When you talk about abortion, she’s claiming that I don't support any exceptions for rape, incest or life of the mother, I support all of those and I’ve said that many, many times,” Parrott said.
At a news conference in Frederick, Parrott said he was proud to be endorsed by fellow Republican and Frederick County Sheriff Charles Jenkins, who is facing federal charges alleging he was involved in a scheme to illegally acquire machine guns.
“I'm not gonna discuss it, thank you,” Jenkins said.
A Maryland Democratic Party spokesperson released a statement, writing, “It is ironic that Parrott chose to hold a press conference on law and order and the person he chose to highlight that issue is currently under indictment.”
Parrott and Jenkins brought up the fact that McClain Delaney doesn't live in the 6th District, which includes western Maryland, Frederick and part of Montgomery County. He lives in Hagerstown, and she lives in Potomac.
Legally, she doesn't have to live in the district to run or hold the office.
“For me, the most important part is to understand Washington, understand the district and be an effective advocate that shows up everyday,” she said.
Democrat David Trone currently holds the seat but didn't run for reelection. Recent poling shows a very tight race – Democrats trying to hold on while the GOP hopes to flip the seat red.
“You've got no incumbent, and incumbency brings with it its advantages,” St. Mary's College of Maryland political science professor Todd Eberly said. “You don’t have an incumbent with deep pockets, which is what Trone had. And you still got a pretty sizeable chunk of western Maryland and Frederick in that district, which is the more Republican part of the state.”
Voters will have the chance to hear from the candidates again at a chamber of commerce forum in Hagerstown.
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