The College Democrats hosted a Town Hall Meeting with U.S. Representative Elijah Cummings and Maryland lieutenant governor candidate Admiral Charles Larson on Friday, Oct. 25. Thirty-four students gathered in Mudd Hall to listen to the candidates speak.
Larson, the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, began by stating his personal ties to Johns Hopkins, as his daughter is a Hopkins graduate.
Larson said the main areas he would control if elected lieutenant governor include "Maryland security, kindergarten - 16 education, business creation, economic recovery, budget revision and encouraging higher education."
Larson expressed strong feelings about the preparation that he and Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, the Democratic candidate for governor, had done to enter their political offices.
"We know where we want to go," he said, adding that he and Townsend have produced and circulated a platform blueprint and budget reform plan to show their commitment.
Larson said his opposition, Republican gubernatorial candidate Robert Erlich, has done nothing of the kind.
"We are running for something, he is running against something," he said.
Larson encouraged everyone to vote for the Townsend/Larson ticket. He highly praised Townsend, and said "I feel I'm allying with a person with the right attitude, right issues and right agenda."
Cummings, the congressman for Maryland's 17th district, which encompasses Hopkins, began with words of encouragement for the Hopkins students in attendance.
"Eighty-five percent of everything is just showing up, bring[ing] your body to a certain point at a certain time," he said to the audience. "Thank you for caring."
Cummings compared Townsend and Larson's efforts for governorship to the Republican ticket, to whom he gave an "F" on their stances and consistency.
Cummings concentrated on the question, "Where are we going?"
He stated that every person has an "indispensable destiny" that "can't be squandered due to lack of opportunity."
Cummings said that many children's goals are never fulfilled since they lack a "head start," either because of their parents' income, the neighborhood they live in or the color of their skin.
"It is not where about where you are born, it is not about who your parents are, it is not about where you go to school -- it is about reaching inside you and pulling something out," said Cummings.
After Cummings finished his speech, the floor was open for questions from Hopkins students.
When asked what a student could do to become more involved in the Democratic Party, both speakers recommended becoming informed about issues and spreading the word to others, since every vote makes a difference. They also encouraged students to invite candidates to large gatherings and to volunteer at the polls.
In response to an inquiry about his plans for education, Larson said, "We'll be targeting underscoring schools to give them extra funding and bring them up to an equal playing field with everyone else."
He added that some goals include allowing older schools to rebuild with the aid of bonds and hiring more teachers to bring down class size.
When asked about the state's fiscal plan, Larson said, "We have a 21-page budget plan that cuts unneeded spending to maintain our priorities and give us the ability to move forward in the future when we have the funding."
According to President of the College Democrats David Klein, the club invited Cummings and Larson to speak since "most students have no idea which Congressman represents Hopkins. We want to bring [Cummings] here to change that."
He said voter participation is particularly important in the 2002 Maryland governor race.
"With the close race [for governor], any action [College Democrats] can partake in to sway the votes is essential, especially with the vast amount of votes that Hopkins can influence," said Klein.
Klein and Hope Kelaher, vice-president of the College Democrats, were both very enthusiastic about the event.
"That is why you should vote Democrat," said Kelaher. "We are doing it because it is the right thing to do.
