Democrat
Kumar Barve
What office are you running for? General Assembly: House of Delegates
Political party: Democrat
Where you live: Rockville
Date of birth: Sept. 8, 1958
Current occupation and employer:
Maryland House of Delegates – chairman of the Environment & Transportation Committee
Chief financial officer, Environmental Management Services Inc.
Political experience:
Serviced in the House of Delegates since 1991. Chairman of the Montgomery County delegation 1995 to 2002, House Majority Leader 2003 to 2014, chairman of the Environment & Transportation Committee 2003 to present.
Website: https://www.kumarbarve.com
Email: kumarbarve@gmail.com
Facebook: @BarveforMaryland
Twitter: @kumarbarve
Why are you running for this office?
To continue the mission of protecting the Chesapeake Bay, improving air quality and fighting global climate change.
What is the most important issue in this race and what specific plans do you have to address it?
To me the most important issue is the existential threat of global climate change. Accordingly, I led my committee to pass the “Climate Solutions Act of 2022” This law has been hailed by the National League of Conservation Voters as the “most significant action on climate law in country in 2022.”
What is one criticism you have received while in office and what is your response?
Legislative strategy is complicated. Issue activists frequently ask me to make policy declarations or “sign pledges.” I usually refuse to do this. My only response is to explain as much of the strategy as I can without showing my cards to the world.
What experience (work, political or other) has prepared you to hold this office?
Prior to being elected in 1990, I spent many years as a contract negotiator and as an accounting, financial and economic analyst. These skills, provided to me all that I have ever needed in the legislature.
Julie Palakovich Carr
What office are you running for? General Assembly: House of Delegates
Political party: Democrat
Where you live: Rockville
Date of birth: April 22, 1983
Current occupation and employer:
Currently a state delegate for District 17 and science policy contractor for the American Institute of Biological Sciences. Previously, I was co-founder and CEO of Victory Guide, a political technology start-up, and public policy manager for the American Institute of Biological Sciences.
Political experience:
State delegate (2019-present), Rockville City Council member (two terms: 2013-2019)
Website: https://www.juliepalakovichcarr.com/
Email: julie@juliepalakovichcarr.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/palakovichcarr
Twitter: @palakovichcarr
Instagram: @delpalakovichcarr
Why are you running for this office?
After serving one term in the House of Delegates, I don’t feel that my work is done. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished—including getting 21 of my bills passed—and want to continue this work for the people of Rockville and Gaithersburg. I’m running to expand public transit and make our roads safer for pedestrians and bicyclists, to make it easier for residents to exercise their right to vote, to reform our state’s campaign finance laws, and to reform our tax system to be fairer for working families.
What is the most important issue in this race and what specific plans do you have to address it?
I regularly hear from residents who have a concern or an idea for legislation; I appreciate their outreach and do what I can to assist them. But many people can’t or don’t advocate for themselves: children, families living in poverty despite working multiple jobs, seniors living on just Social Security, and our immigrant neighbors. I genuinely believe that government should work for the people, especially those who need the most help. To that end, I’ve sponsored bills—now laws—to create the Maryland Child Tax Credit, help low-income workers easily get a key anti-poverty tax credit, and create more affordable housing. I’m working on new legislation to make our state tax code fairer for working families and to address the lack of affordable housing in Maryland.
What is one criticism you have received while in office and what is your response?
I’ve worked really hard while I’ve been in office to be available to my constituents, to be respectful, and to get along with others. (I also read everything and try to become a subject matter expert on each bill I sponsor.) I attribute these qualities to why I’ve been elected by the voters three times and why my colleagues in Annapolis have elected me to several leadership positions. No one is perfect, and I don’t pretend to be. Probably my biggest flaw as a politician is that I’m an introvert who feels uncomfortable going to public events and giving speeches. But I do my best to meet the needs of my constituents.
What experience (work, political or other) has prepared you to hold this office?
I’m currently serving my first term in the House of Delegates. In the past four years, 21 bills I sponsored passed the General Assembly, which makes me the eighth most productive delegate this term. I serve in leadership roles in the Transit Caucus, Latino Caucus, and Montgomery County delegation. Previously, I served for five years on the Rockville City Council. Professionally, I’m a scientist by training, worked for a decade on science policy, and am the only biologist with a graduate degree in the legislature. I’ve been a successful Delegate and am eager to continue the work on behalf of the residents of District 17.
Joe Vogel
What office are you running for? General Assembly: House of Delegates
Political party: Democrat
Where you live: Rockville
Date of birth: Jan. 4, 1997
Current occupation and employer:aFounder, Learn It Together; manager; Accountable Tech; director of Advance, Sen. Cory Booker
Political experience:
None
Website: https://www.joevogel.org
Email: joe@joevogel.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/joevogelmaryland
Twitter: https://twitter.com/joevogel_
Instagram: www.instagram.com/joevogelmaryland
Why are you running for this office?
When I was young, this community welcomed my immigrant family with open arms and invested in me. But for too many, the opportunities I’ve been afforded are out of reach. It’s why I’ve worked to advance progressive policies and started a non-profit to help students who were falling behind. I’m running to keep taking on injustice, inequality, and a stalling economy — and make sure everyone has the same opportunities I have been blessed with.
What is the most important issue in this race and what specific plans do you have to address it?
We need to take bold action to address the climate crisis, and I am proud to have the endorsement of the Sierra Club and the Maryland League of Conservation Voters, a reflection of my strong commitment to climate action and environmental protection.
Maryland can and must be the first state in the country to reach net-zero carbon emissions. We must expand our solar power utilization and wind power production while expediting widespread electrification. We need to create a more reliable, accessible, and affordable public transit network and prioritize MARC expansion, while expanding bike-paths and deploying EV charging stations.
What is one major issue that has been handled poorly and what would you have done differently?
The Supreme Court is seeking to undermine the fundamental right to privacy, and abortion rights, access to contraception, and the right to marriage are on the line. We need to elect legislators who understand what’s at stake — and who are ready to fight back — not take a step back. The Maryland General Assembly had the opportunity to lead the country on reproductive rights by codifying abortion rights in the state Constitution — the House of Delegates passed this measure, but the bill died in the Senate. I believe codifying abortion rights must be a top priority in the next legislative session.
What experience (work, political or other) has prepared you to hold this office?
I organized with Strong Schools Maryland to override Gov. Hogan’s veto of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, a historic $3.8 billion investment in our public schools. I organized with NARAL to fight the nominations of Donald Trump’s radical Supreme Court nominees, and to stand up for reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, and immigrant rights. I helped launch an organization to demand transparency and accountability from social media giants. I grew up in this community, and now I’m running for Delegate to fight for its residents in Annapolis.
Cheryl Kagan (Information not submitted)
Republican
Helene Meister (Information not submitted)
Donald “DP” Patti
What office are you running for? General Assembly: House of Delegates
Political party: Republican
Where you live: Gaithersburg
Date of birth: Oct. 4, 1970
Current occupation and employer:
I am a small business owner based in Olde Towne Gaithersburg where I run Cedar Point Consulting, a business that provides consulting, coaching and training to organizations large and small. During my 30-year career, I have served some of our country’s most prestigious businesses — JPMorgan Chase, Daimler-Benz, Amazon, GE, AT&T, Verizon, Lockheed-Martin, Leidos and HP among them.
I have also helped over a dozen different government agencies to improve success and deliver on their key initiatives, both federal and local. This includes serving HHS, NIH, NCI, SSA, DHS, Commerce, Labor, SBA, NASA, CMS, EXIM Bank, the state of Florida and Los Angeles County. Through this work, I’ve learned how to help both business and government flourish.
Political experience:
This is my first effort to seek elected office.
Website: https://votedp.com
Email: info@votedp.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DPforDelegate/
Why are you running for this office?
For many of us, the last few years have been filled with challenges of all kinds: The pandemic, illness, isolation, loss of beloved friends, job loss, loss of business, eviction and high crime among them.
Yet, instead of tackling these enormous problems, our elected leaders have sought to divide us. While our house burns to the ground, our politicians bicker over who should grab the bucket and who should hold the hose. Unfortunately, when they finally make decisions, many are simply not good.
To me, the answer to our problems is obvious, though not easy. We need pragmatic people, not ideologues. We need problem-solvers, not finger-pointers. We need voices of reason and I intend to be one.
What is the most important issue in this race and what specific plans do you have to address it?
During the last year, crime has spiked in our community. There have been five homicides in our neighborhood in a little over a year, while vehicle and home break-ins have become commonplace. Throughout Montgomery County, homicides are up 88%, carjackings have doubled and shootings are up 75% in 2021.
We need to respond to this by:
1. Enabling our officers to perform their jobs once again, by setting the threshold for stopping suspects at “reasonable suspicion” throughout the state.
2. Showing our police officers that we respect the difficult decisions they have to make when they risk their lives on our behalf.
3. Addressing the root causes of crime: Our failing educational system, persistent pockets of poverty that span generations, and a lack of higher-paying blue collar jobs that make it easier to choose gainful employment over a career in crime.
What is one major issue that has been handled poorly and what would you have done differently?
Unfortunately, reopening our schools during COVID was handled very poorly, not only impacting students in Montgomery county, but all across Maryland. Here in our county, more than half of third graders can’t read at grade level while the entire state is at only 35% (Bethesda Beat, August 24, 2020).
Instead of keeping our schools closed for an entire year, I would have:
1. Developed a COVID management plan that emphasizes in-person learning whenever possible. Our kids deserve it, and our county’s private schools proved that it could be done.
2. Train teachers to deliver remote learning effectively. This was a big challenge for me as a teacher, and I had the luxury of having taught online in the past. Once our teachers learn how to do this via formal training, they’ll be much more successful.
3. Consider the whole-educational experience for remote learning: attendance tracking, counseling, discipline, parent engagement and childcare. Our educational system does more than just teach.
What experience (work, political or other) has prepared you to hold this office?
During my 30-year career, I’ve served some of our country’s most prestigious businesses — JPMorgan Chase, Daimler-Benz, Amazon, GE, AT&T, Verizon, Lockheed-Martin, Leidos and HP among them.
I have also helped over a dozen different government agencies to improve success and deliver on their key initiatives, both federal and local. This includes serving HHS, NIH, NCI, SSA, DHS, Commerce, Labor, SBA, NASA, CMS, EXIM Bank and the state of Florida. Through this work, I’ve learned how to help both business and government flourish.
On the volunteer front, I’ve served as Grand Knight for the Knights of Columbus three times, earning triple-star council and “Knight of the Year” awards along the way; I’ve coached my daughter’s track and field team for eight years; I’ve played viola for the NIH Community Orchestra and Medical Musical Group; and I founded the Columbus League, a 501(c)3 organization helping the children of Montgomery County develop a healthy body, mind and soul via athletic competition.
