Donna Edwards for Congress

I had my one and only conversation with Al Wynn around eighteen years ago when he was still a state senator and I was a college student interviewing Maryland senators over the phone for my senior thesis. I tried to find a way to inquire gently about the race of the senator--this was back when the internet and I were young and before one could just look at photos online. Wynn's response was easily the most memorable of any senator: "Can't you tell? I can tell that you're white!"

I was charmed by his directness. I also thought the way Wynn won election to Congress in 1992 was a nice parable. Wynn lost the primary in Prince George's to another black candidate who focused primarily on Prince George's. He also lost Montgomery to a white candidate who campaigned mainly in Montgomery. However, Wynn won the primary because he campaigned aggressively in both counties. He came in second in both and first throughout the district.

Unfortunately, sixteen years after that promising start, it is time for a change in the Fourth District. Wynn has spent too much energy playing political kingmaker in Prince George's and voted too often against the public interests of his constituents. My friend and colleague, Tom Schaller laid out the case against Wynn in the Baltimore Sun:

To put it bluntly, Mr. Wynn, an eight-term congressman, is an embarrassment to his Prince George's County-based district, the state and the Democratic Party. And his past - his machine-style bossism, dirty politics and political bullying - is catching up with him.

In 2006, he sent out a flier implying he had won endorsements from some unions that hadn't endorsed him.

That same year, two of his supporters physically harassed one of Ms. Edwards' campaign volunteers.

This cycle, he filmed a political ad fashioned to look like a news reporter had caught him randomly on the street for an interview, when in fact the ad was staged by his campaign.

And then last week, Mr. Wynn, who is a lawyer, filed a completely bogus Federal Election Commission complaint that charges Ms. Edwards with violating election law. As The Sun has reported, the complaint is so slapdash that it doesn't even bother to cite specific election law provisions.

All of these electoral shenanigans are designed to mask Mr. Wynn's real problem: his voting record, which reflects contempt for voters in his district and the opinions of many Marylanders.

He voted in October 2002 for President Bush's Iraq war resolution. In 2004, Mr. Wynn voted for Vice President Dick Cheney's energy proposal, even though every other member of Maryland's House delegation, including both Republicans, voted nay.

He has accepted more than $200,000 in campaign contributions from banks and lending institutions, and, not surprisingly, voted in 2005 for a Bush administration-backed bankruptcy "reform" bill with punitive provisions for working-class borrowers.

Fortunately, the Fourth District has a strong alternative to the incumbent in Donna Edwards. Donna has campaigned aggressively throughout the Fourth. If she's shows even half as much energy once elected, she will be a force to be reckoned with in the House. In particular, I have confidence that Donna will fight for consumers and mortgage holders rather than credit-card companies and mortgage lenders.

Donna Edwards will be a strong advocate for the people of Prince George's and Montgomery in Washington. Vote to send her to Congress this Tuesday in the Democratic Primary.