Craig Borne, of Perry Hall, had more reasons than other Republicans to be happy with the governor?s choice of a blind woman to be his running mate.
Like Disabilities Secretary Kristen Cox, Borne went blind after a sighted childhood and like her, he is a candidate for office ? state Senate in district 8, a seat now held by Sen. Katherine Klausmeier.
“There are a lot of blind people in the legislature,” Borne commented ? politically blind, that is.
“I think eyesight is overrated,” Borne said. He went blind 13 years ago at age 21 from juvenile x-linked retinoschisis, a different genetic disease than the Stargardt?s macular dystrophy that began afflicting Cox at age 11.
He took the time to explain to reporters how a blind person functions at a professional level.
“We all have our own challenges,” Borne said. He taught at Parkville Middle School for several years before getting his law degree at the University of Baltimore.
“It takes a different set of skills” to be able to function as a teacher and lawyer for the Maryland transportation department without being able to see.
How could Cox be the potential chief executive of Maryland?
“I don?t think Gov. Ehrlich is going to ask her to drive his car,” Borne said. “We?ve got a lot of people in the administration who can see.”
Borne said new computer technologies enhance what the blind can do, such as software that reads aloud what is on a computer screen.
Asked if he thought it would be difficult for Democrats criticize Cox because of her disability, he said, “they?ll go to any lengths. ? The Democratic Party is not above any attack.”
