Garrett County Democrats Come Together to Meet Candidates and Gear Up for This Year’s Elections

The Garrett County Democratic Central Committee announces that they will host their annual Roosevelt/Kennedy Democratic Dinner on Thursday, March 28, at 5:00 PM. at the Performing Arts Center at Garrett College. The event will be a little different from previous years in two respects.  First, it will be held earlier than usual to connect local Democrats in person with their Democratic candidates for federal office before the May 14th Primary Election, which is held earlier this year.  Secondly, this year’s dinner will be immediately followed by a Candidates Forum in the PAC Auditorium, which is sponsored by the Mountain Maryland Young Democrats and is open to the general public.  While tickets are required for the dinner, no tickets are required for the Forum

As Judy Carbone, Chair of the Garrett County Democratic Central Committee, said, “This annual dinner is a chance for us to come together, share a meal, and reaffirm our commitment to ideals and strategies that will move Garrett County and our country forward.”

Darryl Glotfelty, Co-Vice-Chair of the Garrett County Democratic Central Committee, agreed.  He added, “With a large Democratic ballot for both U.S. Senator and Congressional Representative from MD-06, this Primary Election on May 14th is an important one for us.  To ensure the best people represent Garrett County and our party in the November General Election, it is critical that we learn as much as possible about each candidate.  The Roosevelt Kennedy Dinner is the best way to meet candidates face-to-face, ask them questions that matter to you, and start making your decision on who you will vote for in the primary.”

The Platinum Sponsor for this year’s dinner is Congressman David Trone (MD-6), a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate.  Congressman Trone worked in a bi-partisan manner to lead the fight for priorities that impact residents in his district, like raising the minimum wage and passing the Inflation Reduction Act, the most significant climate legislation in U.S. history.  He has been instrumental in passing the Child Tax Credit in the American Rescue Plan providing historic relief to working families; funded over $2 million for rural broadband expansion in Western Maryland; and securing nearly $800 million to repair Maryland’s roads and bridges.  He has also championed the fight against addiction and the mental health crisis, forming the Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force, a 140-member group that passed 26 bills into law to help turn the tide on the over 100,000 American lives lost to overdose last year alone.  Congressman Trone is also the leader of the new Second Chance Task Force to promote policies that will improve reentry outcomes for returning citizens – working to implement the First Step Act, clear eligible criminal records, and ‘ban the box’ on job applications.  More information about Congressman Trone’s campaign can be found at www.davidtrone.com.

Other sponsors for this year’s Roosevelt Kennedy Dinner are MD-06 Democratic Candidate, April McClain Delaney, who is the dinner’s Gold Sponsor and shares information about her candidacy at www.april4congress.com.  Silver sponsors include Dr. Geoffrey Grammer (www.geoffreygrammer.com) and the Mayor of Hagerstown Tekesha Martinez (www.tekeshamartinez.com).

The list of candidates that will be attending the dinner is still growing, but so far are all MD-06 Candidates.  Attending will be (in the order of their registration) Laurie-Ann Sayles, Ashwani Jain, Joe Vogl, Geoffrey Grammer, April Delaney, George Gluck, Joel Rubin, and Tekesha Martinez.

The Roosevelt/Kennedy Democratic Dinner is open to all.  Tickets to the dinner start at $60 and are available online at secure.actblue.com/donate/2024rkdinner.   Tickets must be purchased in advance and will not be available at the door.   Local residents who cannot afford the ticket price may request a complimentary ticket on the website, which will be assigned in the order received.  The deadline for ticket sales is March 15.

Sponsorship and program booklet ad opportunities are also available to candidates, local businesses, and other organizations.  Details on these offers can be found at secure.actblue.com/donate/2024rksponsor.

Proceeds from the event will support the ongoing efforts to promote Democratic values, help elect Democratic candidates and improve the lives of all Garrett County residents. Garrett County Democrats are committed to fighting for affordable healthcare, quality education, economic fairness and opportunity, environmental protection, and social justice.

“While national politics often feel disheartening, the work we do locally gives me hope,” said Carbone. “When we come together at events like this, we are reminded of all the kind, hardworking, civic-minded people in our community. Garrett County Democrats share a vision of a government that serves all people, and we will keep working to make that vision a reality.”

The Garrett County Democratic Central Committee, in partnership with the Garrett County Democratic Club, promotes Democratic values, helps elect Democratic candidates in Garrett County, and encourages local civic participation.  The organizations envision an inclusive society with opportunity and justice for all.  For additional information, please email the Garrett County Democratic Central Committee at gcdemcc@gmail.com or go to www.gcdems.com.