Michelle Jefferson is set to challenge incumbent state Sen. Larry Haines on what she says is his record of not responding to constituents? demands.
“I am not running against an incumbent ? I am running against incompetence and ineffectiveness,” Jefferson, president of the Central Carroll Republican Club, said before announcing her candidacy Thursday at Legends Cafe in Westminster.
She plans to file to run as a Republican for the District 5 seat.
Jefferson condemned Haines? political maneuvering in the commissioner district map debacle.
First he chose Map Option 1, despite the redistricting committee?s choice of Map Option 2, she said. The main difference between the maps is the placement of South Carroll and Finksburg. Haines supported Option 1 with the intent of getting no bill passed, assuming commissioners could be elected at large despite the voters? referendum calling for five districts, she said.
Haines refuted Jefferson?s statements.
“It was always the role of the redistricting committee to recommend a map and the role of the delegation to pick one,” he said.
Once the people voted for five districts and the state delegation chose Option 1, he “pushed till the last minute to get the map passed.”
On the issue of full-day kindergarten, Jefferson said Haines didn?t work hard enough to forestall the state mandate or increase state funding to implement it.
“We could have qualified for a waiver for all-day kindergarten based on our school system?s excellence,” she said.
For two years, the county commissioners, School Board and state delegation fought against full-day kindergarten, but they relented in order to retain state funding, said Steve Guthrie, assistant superintendent for administration for the Carroll County Board of Education.
Haines said he is proud of his record on education.
“During my tenure, we have built more schools and gotten more state funding,” he said.
