U.S. Senator

DUTIES: U.S. Senators make laws along with the members of the U.S. House of Representatives, ratify treaties, and conduct investigations on issues of national importance. The Senate confirms presidential appointments, including Supreme Court justices.

TERM: Six years. No term limit.

SALARY: $174,000.

HOW ELECTED: Elected statewide. In 2024, Maryland voters will elect one of our two Senators. About one-third of the 100 members of the Senate are elected every two years.

WEBSITE: www.senate.gov

QUESTIONS

QUALIFICATIONS: How does your experience prepare you for the duties of United States Senator?

PROTECTING DEMOCRACY: What actions should the United States government take to protect voting rights and ensure the security of elections?

ENVIRONMENT: How would you address problems such as climate change and pollution?

IMMIGRATION: What changes would you propose in immigration policy?

FIREARMS: Please provide your position on national gun safety legislation.

CANDIDATES

Vote for 1

Angela Alsobrooks (DEM)

Campaign Facebook: facebook.com/teamalsobrooks

Campaign Email: [email protected]

Campaign Website: angelaalsobrooks.com

Campaign Instagram: @alsobrooksformd

QUALIFICATIONS: I am proud to have spent my life in public service, first as an Assistant State’s Attorney focused on domestic violence cases, then as State’s Attorney, where under my tenure violent crime dropped by 50%, and most recently as Prince George’s County Executive. I know Marylanders deserve a Senator who both fights for them and shares their concerns. I am running for Senate to be a voice for families like the ones I grew up with and whom I have worked for throughout my life.

PROTECTING DEMOCRACY: I will fight to eliminate the filibuster and pass critical legislation like the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and Freedom to Vote Act. I'm proud to be endorsed by Congressman John Sarbanes and End Citizens United // Let America Vote, two leading voices for protecting voting rights, strengthening election laws and taking money out of politics.

ENVIRONMENT: Urgent action is needed to address the climate crisis. I will be a vocal advocate for the Green New Deal, as well as for expanding tax credits for clean energy and ensuring that all U.S. Government purchases, from buildings to vehicles, align with emission goals. As County Executive, I issued an Executive Order for Prince George's County, setting ambitious targets to reduce the 2005 emission levels by half before 2030 and net zero by 2045. I believe the U.S. should adopt a similar timeline.

IMMIGRATION: I will be a strong advocate for comprehensive immigration reform to mend the broken immigration system, including creating a pathway to citizenship for those already living and working in the United States. I will support initiatives such as the American Dream and Promise Act, aimed at safeguarding the rights and future of DREAMers and TPS recipients. I firmly believe these individuals deserve certainty and security, regardless of who holds the office of the President.

FIREARMS: As a mother, I have been deeply affected by the tragic loss of too many children to gun violence and am frustrated by the lack of action from Washington. I am committed to fighting for essential gun safety legislation to protect children and communities from gun violence. I will work to implement universal background checks and red flag laws, close the gun show loophole, ban military-style weapons like AR-15s, and prohibit devices like bump stocks.

Larry Hogan (REP)

Campaign Website: LarryHogan.com

Campaign Facebook: Facebook.com/GovernorLarryHogan

Campaign Email: [email protected]

Campaign Instagram: instagram.com/govlarryhogan

QUALIFICATIONS: Governor Hogan has a long record of solving hard problems and overcoming broken politics–including working with the state's Democratic legislature to cut taxes, lower health care costs, and make generational investments in universal broadband and workforce development; leading the nation’s governors through the worst global pandemic in more than a century; and, as co-chair of No Labels, partnering with the Problem Solvers Caucus to advance a historic federal infrastructure bill.

PROTECTING DEMOCRACY: Free and fair elections are the foundation of American democracy and the most basic promise that those in power can pledge to citizens. Governor Hogan supports state and local efforts to ensure safe and secure elections by combating election interference and intimidation. He also looks forward to continuing to work with the League of Women Voters and other leading civic-minded organizations on initiatives to end partisan gerrymandering and restore fairness in the electoral system.

ENVIRONMENT: While Washington was failing to address climate change, Maryland was leading under Governor Hogan–enacting cleaner air standards stronger than 48 other states and far stronger than the Paris Agreement. In addition to supporting strong environmental stewardship and sustainability, he believes it is especially critical to bring both state and federal resources to bear in holding upstream polluters accountable and protecting regional Chesapeake Bay cleanup goals.

IMMIGRATION: The humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border underscores the need to fix our broken and badly outdated immigration system. One party alone didn’t cause these problems, and one party alone cannot solve them. Governor Hogan will work with any leader willing to set politics aside and work on real solutions–starting with securing the border and addressing the flow of migrants.

FIREARMS: Governor Hogan believes it is possible to respect the rights of law-abiding gun owners while making it harder for criminals and the mentally ill to obtain firearms. In addition to red flag legislation, the governor has long called for federal action to institute a federal universal background check system. He also strongly supports providing law enforcement with more tools and resources to protect our communities–including increasing penalties for those who commit a crime with a gun.

Mike Scott (Lib)

Campaign Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552963574190

Campaign Email: [email protected]

Campaign Website: mikescott2024.com

Campaign Instagram: instagram.com/mikescottallcaps/

QUALIFICATIONS: I am a long range planner and strategist. I have almost 30 years of combined federal service in the defense, acquisitions, communications, and ethics communities. I've built and managed multi-billion dollar budgets. I have trained and led people. I received a TOP SECRET clearance in 1994. I've forgotten more about federal service than my opponents will ever know. Most important point-I'm not a politician. I will do the work that needs to be done in Senate.

PROTECTING DEMOCRACY: Election Day should be a 2-3 day event. It should be done in person. Early voting should be left to military and absentee voters. We should move away from voting machines that can be hacked. But, the BIG thing: we need term limits and campaign finance reform. That takes away the impetus to cheat in elections. We need money out of politics and there are ways to do it.

ENVIRONMENT: When COVID hit, one of the unintended consequences was the Earth got to BREATHE again. I suggest investment in viable, ATTRACTIVE public transportation. We have too many cars and trucks on the road. The use of Nuclear power (the reactors that re-use, not store waste) would also help. I'd encourage investment in Hemp plastics and construction materials. But, to fix pollution & the environment? PEOPLE have to CARE.

IMMIGRATION: The problem with immigration is America's rampant welfare state, and our fractured domestic and foreign policy. We destabilized the middle east (GWOT & Israel policies), destabilized Latin America (Drug War), now we're messing about in Africa (Sudan, Congo) and Europe (Ukraine). In other words, we have a LOT to fix to fix immigration. I'd like an Ellis Island style immigration system to quickly process immigrants. And, eliminate monetary incentives to come to America and NOT work.

FIREARMS: I'm unreasonably pro 2A. The Constitution was not meant to give citizen's rights. It was designed to limit government's power to deny rights. They banned fully automatic weapons, in part, because Blacks were protecting our neighborhoods with them. Weapons are not only necessary for self defense, they put a check on government power. With all the corruption and graft in government, I can't IMAGINE what they'd do to us if we disarm. And, both parties want us disarmed.

Patrick J. Burke (write-in)

Campaign Email: [email protected]

Campaign Website: burke4senate.net

QUALIFICATIONS: Lifelong Maryland resident. Graduate of the University of Maryland, bachelor’s degree in general biological sciences. ~ 50-year career in the science industry including technical, sales, marketing, and business development work. I have followed politics for my entire adult life and I have an understanding of the challenges facing our nation both from within and from without. I have a desire to return our nation to virtuous world leadership. If elected I promise to serve a single 6-year term.

PROTECTING DEMOCRACY: Require voter ID. IDs are required to board a plane, drive a car, open a bank account, etc. Voting is equally important. In-person voting for the majority of voters with the use of paper-ballots scanned for the initial count and hand-counted for disputed elections. Prevent illegal immigrant voting. The ultimate threat to democracy is a corrupt federal government abusing the rights of citizens and political opponents in order to stay in power. I want to see the federal government reduced in size,

ENVIRONMENT: Pollution control is a key principle of my Catholic faith. The U.S. has been doing well. Enforce existing pollution laws and develop anti-pollution technology. For Global Climate Change (GCC) data, ignored by most media, shows CO2 is not the threat claimed by computer modeling. GCC is natural and will continue regardless of human efforts. The main drivers of GCC are beyond human control: the sun, the wind, the seas, etc. The solution: plan and create technologies to deal with the inevitable.

IMMIGRATION: Immigration should be generous but controlled. It benefits our nation. The first need is to stop the uncontrolled illegal immigration which is a threat to the economy and election integrity and a source of increase human trafficking. Reinstate Trump’s policies, e.g., build the border wall to assist BP agents stop illegal crossings. After securing the border I would work to understand our existing policies to determine what level of immigration is best for the U.S. and under what conditions.

FIREARMS: I am in favor of the right of law-abiding citizens to own a gun for hunting, sport, and self-protection. I am in favor of some gun controls, such as background checks to prevent purchases by persons with criminal records or serious mental illness. I would also work to institute extra penalties for crimes in which a gun was used. I would also consider limiting the availability of high-capacity military guns to law enforcement alone.