The Israel-Hamas conflict, campaign finance reform, gun law reform, and expanding access to health care dominated a Monday evening debate between Democratic candidates running for the 2nd Congressional District to succeeding U.S. Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger.
The Baltimore County Progressive Democrats Club sponsored a candidate forum at the Towson branch of the Baltimore County Public Library. Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr., Del. Harry Bhandari, health care professional Jessica Sjoberg, city arts teacher Sia Kyriakakos, and insurance agent Clint Spellman attended. All are running in the May 14 primary to represent the district, which is made up of Baltimore County, Carroll County and part of Baltimore City. Sharron Reed-Burns, a Middle River human services specialist, was absent.
Each candidate committed to supporting a cease-fire in Gaza, and said the U.S. had a role to play in negotiating a peaceful resolution to the conflict following Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris’ recent call for a halt to hostilities. U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat, called last month for the U.S. to send humanitarian aid to Gaza, calling the situation there “pure hell.”
“It is my hope that both sides can accept that agreement so that we can have a cessation of hostilities,” Olszewski said. “We have an opportunity to have hostages released and then we can get back to having those conversations about the establishment of a much-needed two-state solution, where both Palestinians and people in Israel can live side by side peacefully.”
Kyriakakos, Spellman, Sjoberg and Bhandari agreed, with Bhandari saying it was “personal” for him growing up in Nepal and witnessing firsthand the Nepalese civil war.
Each candidate also said they would support gun law reform, and would work if elected to ban sales of assault rifles, citing the guns’ role in mass shootings.
“There are too many shootings, a mass of them, around Baltimore and around other states,” Sjoberg said. “It’s very sad that a lot of families have to say goodbye to those loved ones, and they’re innocent, for just being where they’re at.”
Sjoberg, Spellman, Kyriakakos and Bhandari said they would back Washington U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal’s Medicare For All bill; Olszewski said he would “support any effort to expand care” that was “passable and workable in Congress.”
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Kyriakakos spoke about advocating for her immigrant parents who had recent health scares and faced cost and language barriers: “It just shows who we are as a society to take care of our young, and old, and poor, and make sure they’re healthy. … How else can they be successful in their lives if those needs are not met?”
Bhandari said his position on the Maryland House’s Health and Government Committee and co-sponsoring of the recent Access to Care Act were proof of his “subject matter” expertise. “That’s my record in the General Assembly,” he said.
Each person said they supported campaign finance reform; Spellman and Sjoberg criticized “dark money” groups that fund candidates but don’t reveal their donors.
Olszewski pointed to his record of establishing Baltimore County’s first fair election fund, which offers public financing to county executive and county council candidates.
“It’s the kind of approach that I’ll take as a member of Congress, expanding transparency and accountability in both what money is being invested in candidates but also and how that money is being spent,” he said.
Said Sjoberg: “These corporations are just under the table giving these politicians money and not using that money for thegreater good.”