Southern Maryland Democrats gather for Rep. Hoyer's picnic
It was a great day for a picnic on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay. Southern Maryland Democrats gathered Saturday for Congressman Steny Hoyer’s annual picnic at Terry Lierman’s Farm south of Lexington Park. Lierman is Hoyer’s former chief of staff and former head of the Maryland Democratic Party.
Democratic candidate for governor, Anthony Brown was a no show at the party. He wife Karmen acted as a stand in. She said Brown was at an event in Western Maryland and unable to attend.
Hoyer introduced Mrs. Brown as the next First Lady of Maryland. He said in touting the current lieutenant governor, “We need to talk to everyone about the quality of Anthony Brown.” Earlier he said, “The Lieutenant Governor is one of the most qualified candidates (Maryland has had) for governor,” noting his two Harvard degrees.
Hoyer, in his introduction to the lieutenant governor’s wife said her late first husband was a police officer who lost his life in the line of duty. Having lived for 13 years in Hughesville, she said, “I consider myself a Southern Maryland girl.”
“He has the character and he has the values. He embodies the values we hold dear in the state of Maryland,” Karmen Brown said of her husband.
Hoyer emphasized the need of everyone at the party to assist in the get-out-to-vote effort and urged everyone to take advantage of early voting for themselves and encouraging others to do so as well.
Hoyer said many state legislatures are trying to make it more difficult to vote. He said that’s because there are more Democrats than Republicans and the effort is to disenfranchise some Democrats, such as senior citizens. “When they do this they are doing it to prevent us from voting,” he insisted.
Also speaking at the picnic was Sen. Brian Frosh, Democratic candidate for state attorney general. Looking out over the Bay he told the audience that he had introduced legislation to prevent oil drilling in the Chesapeake. “We need to continue to fight to protect and improve it,” he added.
Frosh praised Hoyer, calling him “vitally important to the nation,” and a “great statesman.” He also praised his legislative colleagues Del. John Bohanan and Sen. Roy Dyson, both of whom attended the picnic.
The formal presentation interrupted an informal picnic of barbeque sandwiches and ice cream for attendees who could choose to sit under a tent or outside under the bright blue skies and mid-70s temperatures.
A number of Democratic candidates from Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s attended the event along with many members of the Democratic Central Committees of the three counties and other citizens.