Politics & Government

Carroll County Voter Guide: Senate Candidates

Find what you need to know about the candidates and where to find additional information in our handy guide.

The U.S. Senate consists of 100 members, two from each state. The following candidates have thrown their hat in the ring, vying for Maryland's votes in Tuesday's election.

The candidate information in this post was taken from vote411.org. For more detailed candidate information and positions, click here


Democratic Candidates

Raymond Levi Blagmon
Campaign Website: blagmon.com

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QUALIFICATIONS: "I am a Navy veteran currently serving in the United States Navy Reserves. I am CPA with an MBA in Finance from the University of Chicago. In my duties as a naval reservist I have traveled the world and seen first had what effects the American economy has had on other countries. I also know that many still hold America in high esteem."

PRIORITIES: Jobs, Immigration Reform, Foreign Policy

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Ben Cardin
Campaign Website: www.bencardin.com

QUALIFICATIONS: U.S. Senator 2007-present; Member of U.S. House of Representatives, 1986-2007; Speaker, Maryland House of Delegates, 1979-1986; I have been a leading voice in Congress on health care, retirement security, the environment and fiscal issues.

PRIORITIES: My highest priority is more jobs for Maryland and protecting the jobs we have. Our economy is improving slowly, but there are too many Marylanders still struggling. We can get more Americans working again by investing in America. I also will protect health care reform, invest in small business, protect Social Security/Medicare, reduce our dependence on foreign oil & work for clean water for all.


J. P. Cusick
Campaign Website: www.VoteJP.webs.com

QUALIFICATIONS: I am the best candidate for the U.S. Senate because I am the only one that will aggressively reform the Child Support and Custody laws, while others ignore the huge damages going on through those misguided laws.    These hard reforms will take a lot of effort and I am the only candidate with the conviction and determination to get the reform done right.

PRIORITIES: My top priority is to reform the Child Support and Custody laws, so to stop turning parents into criminals and stop turning parenting into a crime. This has become such a huge problem nationwide that reforming the Child Support and Custody laws needs to be our biggest of priorities, or else our great prosperity will stand like a fool over top of our violated social structure.

 

Chris Garner
Campaign Website: www.garnerforsenate.com

QUALIFICATIONS: I have over 35 years of successful professional experience such as running businesses, energy management, pollution control, and multidisciplanry problem solving. I am not a career politician but an engineer/scientist able to understand the nuances and interplay of economics, healthcare, jobs and foreign policy and the relationship of issues with regards to solving national problems.

PRIORITIES: 1. Reindustrialization of the United States. 2. Healthcare reform based on reducing the cost of healtcare, and thereby making it more avaible. 3. End NAFTA. 4. Manage or end immigration 

 

Ralph Jaffe

QUALIFICATIONS: I am a political science teacher, not a politician, and I’m leading a movement to end corruption in Maryland politics and replace it with ethics. I was a candidate in the 2010 Democratic primary for governor and received almost 20,000 votes on a budget by design of $450. In this campaign for U.S. Senate, I plan to spend less money ($350) and receive more votes.

PRIORITIES: Balance the budget and institute volunteerism for many of the
current federal positions occupied by elitist bureaucrats.

 

C. Anthony Muse
Campaign Website: www.muse-for-maryland.com

QUALIFICATIONS: I have been an active public servant in my state and community for over 35 years. I started as a Youth Program Coordinator in Baltimore, and have since spent ten years in the Maryland Legislature as Senator (2006 to present), and Delegate (1995- 1999). I attended Morgan State University, B.A. (history), 1981; Wesley Seminary, M.Div., 1984; Howard University, Doctor of Community Development, 1991.

PRIORITIES: My foremost legislative priority is to focus on building up America’s main street. We have overspent American tax dollars outside our borders and on Wall Street. The focus must now be on stabilizing our own economy through job creation, saving family homes, and building up our own infrastructure in our cities and counties; and adequate supports for our seniors, veterans, and our children.


Blaine Taylor
Campaign Website: none

QUALIFICATIONS: The ability to think critically, make decisions based on the available information, and basic common sense. Beyond that, US Army Combat Infantryman's Badge for service under enemy fire in the former South Vietnam, 1966-67, elected Student Government Senator at then TSC, 1970-72; press secretary for four winning campaigns at local, state, and national levels, 1974-92; and Congress, 1991- 92.

PRIORITIES: Beyond the above, restore Federal Constituional government and the rule of law, not men and women. Only Congress should declare our wars, not transient occupants of the White House. Enact a Federal Jobs Bill (s) that will achiveve full employment without war, unheard of since 1941.

 

Ed Tinus

QUALIFICATIONS: I have vended under many administrations,cities,and townships.In so doing one gets to know the inner workings of government.While serving the public through my job duties the approval of work orders were issued through individuals or a small special interest group.With these groups or individuals public transparency of the orders are not available. Tax dollar waist runs high in our country.

PRIORITIES: One bill, one subject matter. With a limitation on the amount of verbiage. In a language that is clear, concise and understandable.

 

Lih Young Campaign
Website: vote-md.org/intro.aspx?id=mdyounglih

QUALIFICATIONS: Economist, producer/host speaker of numerous TV programs on social issues.
PRIORITIES: Solve interrelated socio-political-election-media-budget issues- local and global.

 

Republican Candidates

Joseph Alexander
Campaign Website: www.alexanderusa.org

QUALIFICATIONS: I am a attorney and have an understanding of the law. I worked as a intern in Washington, D.C. and I wrote the first draft of the DC charter school bill. I understand the economy I worked toward a MBA in finance.

PRIORITIES: Health care reform, real reform that would make major changes to the system not what we got with phony reform, tax reform, housing reform, a real plan to help homeowners and get more money into the economy.

 

Daniel John Bongino
Campaign Website: www.bongino.com

QUALIFICATIONS: As a former secret service agent, I was one of the lead security representatives for Presidential visits. I designed training programs for the Service on investigative tactics and led the investigation breaking the largest fraud ring in Maryland's history. I own three small businesses and have graduate degrees in Psychology and Business. Most importantly, I’m a husband and father to two girls.

PRIORITIES: Quality job production must be at the forefront of any legislative agenda. Real tax reform, domestic energy production, regulatory reform, a balanced budget amendment and the re-fortification of a robust, prosperous economy will be my guiding principles.

 

Robert "BRO" Broadus
Campaign Website: www.votebro.com

QUALIFICATIONS: I believe in the rights to life, liberty, and property protected by our Constitution and Bill of Rights. I believe that only someone who will support and defend the Constitution is qualified to serve as a Senator. I have five years of military experience, and know what it means to send our sons and daughters to war. I have run for office twice, and am always working to improve the lives of others.

PRIORITIES: 1) Ensure that Healthcare be voluntary, which means repeal of the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (Obamacare.) 2) Repeal the 16th Amendment and end the personal income tax 3) Protect marriage as a union between a man and a woman, and ensure that the federal government does not impose the homosexual agenda or the destruction of religious liberty upon the military or upon the states.

 

William Thomas Capps Jr.
Campaign Website: williamcappsforsenate.com

QUALIFICATIONS: Not listed.

PRIORITIES: Education, immigration, economics and trade, energy, social values (taken from campaign website).

 

Richard J. Douglas
Campaign Website: douglasforsenate2012.com

QUALIFICATIONS: I am the only challenger on either side with Senate experience. I am the only Iraq veteran, and one of just two armed forces veterans in the race. I have high-level international policy and management experience in government. I have unique business and volunteer experience and long Maryland residence. I offer Marylanders a genuine, compelling and badly- needed alternative in 2012.

PRIORITIES: 1. To make American economic recovery the very highest national security priority. 2. To remove harmful government obstacles to job creation. 3. To defend our borders and national interests. 4. To safeguard the prerogatives of states and localities. 5. To ensure that the Senate performs its duties correctly and on time. 6. To restore integrity and a sense of duty to the Senate.

 

Rick Hoover
Campaign Website: www.rickhoover.org

QUALIFICATIONS: I am a trained and experienced pastor by trade, but I have worked in the construction industry for years. I am a fiscal conservative who believes we need to get the budget balanced and keep it balanced, with or without an amendment. We shouldn't need an amendment to tell us to do the right thing. I know how to make decisions and stick with them.

PRIORITIES: Balance the budget, fix the tax code, get the lobbyists out of Washington, fix the legal mess that we have made of our courts and legal system.

 

David Jones
Campaign Website: www.davidjonesforsenate.com

QUALIFICATIONS: Well I don't have an enviable candidate resume. I'm a single dad. I'm a carpenter in Charles Village and I'm filling out this questionare at work. I'm a graduate of Calvert Hall High School and attended Towson University for business until it was too costly. The only qualification/experience I have is that of an ordinary citizen and this government needs more people like us guiding its decisions.

PRIORITIES: Economic action: take advantage of the leverage and opportunity we have to get people back to work. Immigration: do what makes sense for those that come here and for ourselves. Energy: their are ways to have stability in our energy supplies that won't hurt the environement and are more affordable then investing in unproven green technology. Education: we don't have to lag behind the world.

 

John B. Kimble
Campaign Website: www.kimbleforsenate.com

QUALIFICATIONS: Member, National Rifle Association; member, American Civil Liberties Union; Leadership Council member, Southern Poverty Law Center; member, Defenders of Wildlife; member, American Association for Justice; member, Union of Concerned Scientists. I have challenged our government for redress of numerous civil rights violations of our citizens. I was the 4th District Congress nominee-from 1996-2002.

PRIORITIES: We must revitalize America's economy and remove ethanol from fuel so that food costs and energy costs are lowered which will help the economy. We should lower property taxes on elderly and disabled people. Pass laws that will require equality in hate crime legislation to protect all people and equal pay for women in the workplace. Lowering the number of Visas for workers so Americans get the jobs.

 

Brian Vaeth
Campaign Website: www.vaeth4senator.com

QUALIFICATIONS: I have been serving in the public sector as a firefighter for Baltimore City. I was seriously injured in the Line of Duty and because of the City's incompetence, I was left with no disability benefit at all. Our ineffective government is incompetent...I know, I worked for them.

PRIORITIES: To institute a Firefighter's Bill of Rights for members of our public safety sectors. To fix the medicaid and medicare system and to adjust the amount of entitlements that are handed out to corporations.

 

Corrogan R. Vaughn
Campaign Website: vaughn4maryland.com

QUALIFICATIONS:(taken from campaign website) Worked at US Airways, earned pilot's license. Currently, Corrogan Vaughn serves as a Deacon and Lay Leader at Sharon Baptist Church. He also serves as an Executive Board Member for the Hampton Ministers Conference and Music Guild.

PRIORITIES: 1) Government spending is out of control - we need fiscal responsibility and a balanced budget.  2) National security has become politicized - we need a stronger national defense. 3) Government has put in place too many regulations and restrictions on businesses. 4) We need to be energy independent and use our domestic energy resources. 5) We need government to read and reinforce the Constitution, especially when it comes to immigration. 6) We need to repeal/replace Obamacare. 7) We need to put children and families first when it comes to education. 8) We need stronger families and conservative values in America. 


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