Letter to the Editor: Reflections on the district 20 candidates' forum (August, 2006)
The District 20 State Senate race has been abuzz in Takoma Park, which is where I live. As an undecided voter, I attended the candidates’ forum after a friend said that this would be an opportunity to make an informed decision about the candidates. I walked away from the forum with the opinion that Ida Ruben not only won the debate, but will also get my vote. Senator Ruben convinced me that she not only genuinely cares about the people in District 20, she demonstrated that she knows how to help the people in her district. I was not convinced that Jamie Raskin would do a better job than Ida Ruben or that he would continue to build upon Senator Ruben’s accomplishments. I admire his determination—his ideas were certainly ambitious, yet, I found his vision unrealistic, and, at times, naive for someone running for State Senate. I was impressed by the number of causes he would champion if elected to office, but disappointed at the fuzzy language he of fered for how he would implement all that he proposed. Further, I felt that he was playing on a lot of national issues to distinguish himself when I wanted to hear more about his vision for the District, specifically. On the issues, however, it seems as though there is not a great deal of difference between the two candidates. What set Ruben apart from Raskin was how adeptly she demonstrated her grasp of the issues important to the residents of District 20 and the ways that she would address them. There was substance to her vision, not fluff. Senator Ruben convinced me that her knowledge and experience is directly related to the many benefits we have reaped as residents of District 20 and that her vision will keep District 20 going in the right direction.
—Jeremy Scriven
Takoma Park, MD