He says he brings a new approach to governing and the economy.
Washington DC (KM). In a surprise announcement Friday, 6th District Representative John Delaney (D) says he’s running for President. It was rumored for a long time that he would run for Governor of Maryland, taking on incumbent Larry Hogan (R) in 2018.
In a video posted on his website (www.JohnKDelaney.com), Delaney says he will focus on a new approach to governing and the economy. “The biggest problem with {President} Trump is he’s not focused on the future, and he’s not doing the things we need to do structurally to make our economy more competitive, to make our country more entrepreneurial and position people to succeed in that new economy that we all know is coming.”
Delaney was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2012, defeating long time Incumbent Congressman Roscoe Bartlett (R). He was re-elected to a third term in 2016.
“When I ran for Congress, I said back then ‘let’s stand up for workers, instead of big companies and big banks. Let’s invest in our country and its people.’ But Trump and the Republicans want to roll back laws that protect consumers and our economy. That’s a huge mistake,” he says.
In a campaign statement, Delaney says his new approach to governing and the economy will address the nation’s opportunities and challenges, and “builds a future where the middle class can grow and succeed.”
Delaney, 54, founded two publicly traded companies before he reached 40, and is estimated to be worth $90-million.
In his campaign video, Delaney also calls for an end to the extreme partisanship in the country. “The time for fighting among ourselves must end. We need to work for the common good. Haven’t we had enough destructive partisan wars where we put party over country,” he said.
But he points out attacking President Trump isn’t enough for Democrats to win.. “We really have to show the American people there’s a better way. We have think about the future. America’s going to win by recognizing what’s going on across our economy, and in people’s lives, and then focusing what we can do collectively to make things better. That’s the American way,” he says.
Delaney’s consideration of a run for Governor of Maryland a few months ago quickly generated a lot of interest in his Congressional seat. Several candidates have filed to run for that office.
By Kevin McManus