Ben Cardin and Kweisi Mfume come from very different backgrounds, but have arrived at very similar political views.
One grew up the son of a judge in a well-off family, was first elected to office 40 years ago, and has had a stable family life. The other grew up on the “mean streets” of West Baltimore, surrounded by poverty with a turbulent personal life.
Yet in wide-ranging interviews with the two Democrats at the top of the pack in the race to succeed Paul Sarbanes in the U.S. Senate, what?s striking is how much they agree on the major issues of the day.
They both opposed the war in Iraq from the start, and want the United States to withdraw quickly. They both favor universal health insurance coverage, and both attack the sway of the big drug companies. Neither much likes the No Child Left Behind law, and deride the little money the federal government has spent on it. On immigration, port security and other issues, their views are similar.
“They both pretty much represent the left of the party,” said Dennis Rasmussen, a lobbyist and former Baltimore County executive. He announced he was running for the Senate seat in January as “the more moderate alternative” to both front-runners. “That was the compelling reason for me getting into the race.”
Rasmussen conceded that his campaign has had little visibility and raised little money “because we really haven?t made the effort.” That will change in the next 90 days, hesaid, and he recently loaned his campaign $250,000.
The poll numbers for Cardin and Mfume “haven?t moved much” despite months of campaigning, he said. “I really think Ben?s peaked,” Rasmussen said.
Rasmussen?s own polling shows he has surprising name recognition statewide (54 percent), with highly favorable ratings, he said.
“Most Marylanders are moderate, and they?re fiscally conservative,” Rasmussen said. “I?ve been a moderate my whole life,” representing Eastern Baltimore County in the state Senate.
In today?s published interview with The Examiner, Cardin points to his votes against growing federal deficits and for balanced budgets over many years. That has meant repeated votes against tax cuts.
The other potential “moderate” Democrat in the race is Josh Rales, a Republican until recently. His top campaign issue is to “get America?s financial house in order,” balancing the budget and eliminating Bush?s tax cuts.
