Del. Brian Crosby (D) and Republican challenger Deb Rey seemingly didn’t pull any punches during a candidate forum on Oct. 3.
Rey, who previously held the position for one term before being defeated by Crosby four years ago, blamed Crosby for being silent while state and local officials “stomped on our rights” during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She also said Crosby supported teaching 5-year-olds gender ideology. “He’s not a moderate Democrat,” she said in her opening remarks.
“Four years ago, the No. 1 issue was having no voice in Annapolis,” Crosby said during the forum at Lexington Park library. He cited several examples of where he helped get funding for St. Mary’s County, including the Smart Building at the higher education center in California, a health hub in Lexington Park, Route 5 widening in Leonardtown and Great Mills, Historic St. Mary’s City, a new firehouse and a second Farming for Hunger location.
Crosby said he’s the first freshman delegate to be named vice chair of the House Economic Matters Committee. He added that Del. C.T. Wilson (D-Charles) is the chair, which means Southern Maryland “has a very strong voice.”
The candidates were asked if teachers should be allowed to carry guns in schools as a security measure.
“I can’t think of a more ludicrous idea,” Crosby said, adding that more school resource officers should be funded.
Citing the killings in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, Rey said an armed teacher could have prevented such.
Hundreds of armed police officers quickly flooded the school grounds after initial calls of a shooter on the campus, but did not directly engage with the shooter until more than an hour later, according to news reports. Nineteen children and two adults were killed.
Crosby and Rey were asked about their stance on women’s reproductive rights.
“I trust women and doctors,” Crosby said. “In the home of religious freedom, I don’t think we should be imposing our religious beliefs on other people.”
“I’m all for women’s reproductive rights,” Rey said. “But when it comes to abortion, it’s murder and it’s wrong. I can’t believe my government wants me to be complicit with it.”
She said Crosby voted for a $3.5 million bill to help more women get abortions.
Crosby later said that when Rey was in office, she voted against every budget, noting Maryland had a Republican governor.
“I didn’t vote for the budget because they use our money to pay for abortions,” Rey said.
The candidates were asked what they would do to support a more sustainable future.
Rey said she’s all for green energy, but said Crosby “wants us to drive electric cars.” Rey said it costs $60,000 for such a vehicle, and added that repairs are costly.
Crosby said he wants to “get ahead of the energy market” and also wants to partner with Calvert County to expand the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant “and use waste like they do in Europe.”
Rey said Crosby “insinuated that the county was racist” when he advocated for House Bill 655, which would result in the county commissioners being elected by district instead of at large. “I was against it. I couldn’t believe he authored it,” Rey said. As it is now, “everyone gets five votes for county commissioner.”
“Nobody’s calling anybody a racist,” Crosby said in response.
Rey was asked if she supports dog fighting in Maryland. “No. The bill was about the dog-fighting tool,” she said. “I voted for the Senate bill an hour later.”
“I can admit to my bad votes,” she said, adding that Crosby voted for a “65 million [dollar] tax credit for illegal aliens” and “gender indoctrination of 5-year-olds.” She asked, “Can you admit to your bad votes, Brian?”
Rey said that while door knocking, some told her that their children were told in school to refer to them not as mom and dad but as “adult.”
Crosby denied that children were being indoctrinated, and said he voted against a digital advertising tax.
“I’m going to have a seat at the table since we’re likely to have an all-Democratic government,” he said, noting that Wes Moore (D) is likely to be elected governor over Dan Cox (R). The Democratic Party currently has super majorities in both the state Senate and House and has used that advantage to override a number of Gov. Larry Hogan’s (R) vetoes.
The candidates were asked to explain how they would help fund education.
“I voted for the Blueprint” for Maryland’s Future bill, Crosby said. The legislation will provide $3.8 billion a year for 10 years, according to marylandpublicschools.org.
Rey said 88% of the funding from the bill will go to six heavily populated jurisdictions. “Maybe that’s why Montgomery County just held a fundraiser for him,” she said.
“We shouldn’t turn back the clock ... voting against everything. That’s not how government works,” Crosby said.
The forum was sponsored by St. Mary’s chapters of the League of Women Voters and NAACP, as well as the St. Mary’s County Library and the Center for the Study of Democracy at St. Mary’s College of Maryland.
The candidates will square off again during an Oct. 19 forum at University System of Maryland at Southern Maryland in California from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Twitter: @CalebSoMdNews