"Andy Harris Endorsed By The Washington Times"

Andy Harris receives the first newspaper endorsement of any candidate in race


Annapolis - Today, Senator Andy Harris proudly received the endorsement from the Washington Times. This is the first newspaper endorsement of the campaign season. In the endorsement, The Washington Times described Andy Harris as a "conservative leader" and the "antithesis of Mr. Gilchrest."


The endorsement said, "Mr. Harris is clearly the strongest conservative leader in the Feb. 12 Republican primary. The Washington Times is pleased to endorse Andy Harris."


"The Washington Times is recognizing what people throughout the district are learning as they examine the records of the candidates; I am the only conservative in this race" said Andy Harris. "I am proud to receive their endorsement."


"Mr. Harris, who also is an anesthesiologist, is the antithesis of Mr. Gilchrest. Mr. Harris did yeoman work in helping lead a filibuster against anti-gun legislation, and he has consistently fought for lower taxes and state spending. He is pro-life, and has led the fight against in-state tuition and driver's licenses for illegal aliens" read the endorsement.


The endorsement also examined the records of Andy's opponents in the primary. In the Washington Times, Gilchrest is described as "among the most liberal members of the House Republican Caucus." The endorsement goes on to point out numerous issues where Gilchrest no longer represents the values of conservatives such as: support for amnesty for illegal immigrants, his "disconcerting tendency to line up with Democrats on tax and spending issues," support for "taxpayer-subsidized abortions," pushing for environmental restrictions on property rights, and outspoken advocacy for pulling the troops out of Iraq.


On Pipkin, the Washington Times points out his support for O'Malley's budget, "generally pro-choice" stance, vote to extend rights to homosexual couples previously reserved for heterosexual married couples, and vote for giving free needles to drug addicts. The paper goes on to say Pipkin's "11th-hour decision to jump into the race is baffling."


"The endorsement further reiterates what our campaign has been saying; Gilchrest and Pipkin are two tax-and-spend peas in a giant liberal pod," said Chris Meekins, Campaign Manager for Andy Harris for Congress.


The Washington Times joins a long list of endorsements Andy Harris has received that includes former Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, seven of the eight state senators who represent parts of the district, and numerous other state and local officials.


###


Andy Harris for Congress
www.washingtontimes.com

December 12, 2007

Maryland's 1st Congressional District race has become the most closely watched Republican primary in the United States. For the past few months, there have been two serious candidates making their case to voters in the 1st District, a heavily Republican area covering the Eastern Shore and parts of Anne Arundel, Harford and Baltimore counties: One, incumbent Wayne Gilchrest, a member of Congress since 1991, is among the most liberal members of the House Republican Caucus, a lawmaker who lines up with Nancy Pelosi and against Gen. David Petraeus and President Bush on Iraq. His main opponent in the Feb. 12 primary, who we endorse today, is state Sen. Andy Harris, a member of the General Assembly since 1999 and a conservative leader in Annapolis.

For years, Maryland conservatives have quietly seethed while Mr. Gilchrest backed taxpayer-subsidized abortions and environmentalist-pushed restrictions on property rights. Mr. Gilchrest also cosponsored legislation to give amnesty to illegal aliens and has become an outspoken advocate of pulling troops out of Iraq. Mr. Gilchrest has a disconcerting tendency to line up with Democrats on tax and spending issues.

Mr. Harris, who also is an anesthesiologist, is the antithesis of Mr. Gilchrest. Mr. Harris did yeoman work in helping lead a filibuster against anti-gun legislation, and he has consistently fought for lower taxes and state spending. He is pro-life, and has led the fight against in-state tuition and driver's licenses for illegal aliens.

Two weeks ago, state Sen. E. J. Pipkin, Queen Anne's Republican, sent shock waves through the district by announcing that he, too, will challenge Mr. Gilchrest. Although we admire the work of Mr. Pipkin, a retired investment banker, in leading the fight against Gov. Martin O'Malley's tax-and-spend agenda, his 11th-hour decision to jump into the race is baffling.

There are strong political and philosophical reasons to favor Mr. Harris over Mr. Pipkin. Mr. Harris voted against the governor's big-spend budget earlier this year; Mr. Pipkin voted in favor. Mr. Harris is pro-life; Mr. Pipkin is generally pro-choice. As former Delegate Herb McMillan wrote Monday on our Op-Ed page, Mr. Harris opposes clean needles for drug addicts, while Mr. Pipkin has voted in favor. The two senators also disagreed on the Medical Decision Making Act, which established a state registry for homosexual "life partners" and was viewed as a first step toward legalizing homosexual "marriage." Mr. Pipkin voted in favor; Mr. Harris against.

All three major candidates for the Republican nomination in the 1st Congressional District are honorable, patriotic Americans. But Mr. Harris is clearly the strongest conservative leader in the Feb. 12 Republican primary. The Washington Times is pleased to endorse Andy Harris.