Harris, Tilghman Present Differing Visions

WYE MILLS — It was a forum, not a debate, so the conversation stayed mostly civil in the Cadby Theatre at Chesapeake College on Sunday, Oct. 19. But Andy Harris, incumbent representative for Maryland’s 1st District in the U.S. House, and his challenger Bill Tilghman, set out distinctly different visions on policy.

The two candidates answered questions from the Leagues of Women Voters of Kent, Queen Anne’s and the Mid-Shore, which hosted the event. They also responded to questions from the audience.

On how to deal with the threat posed by Islamic State militants, Harris and Tilghman took markedly different tones.

“The bottom line is we are losing the war on terror,” Harris said. The problem with the Islamic State, he said, started when President Obama did not leave a residual force behind in Iraq, a decision that Harris said went against advice from his generals. The Iraqi army then collapsed in the face of Islamic State attack.

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