Duchy Trachtenberg's Endorsement of Ben Kramer for District 4

By County Council Member Duchy Trachtenberg.

I am very pleased to announce my support for Ben Kramer for County Council from District 4 in the special election April 21.


Ben Kramer is running for the seat held for so many years by Marilyn Praisner, and then Don Praisner, and as their daughter Alison Praisner-Klumpp said in a letter to supporters, “Ben Kramer is the best candidate to fulfill Don and Marilyn Praisner’s vision and their legacy of leadership, independence and integrity.”

I support Ben because I know his record, his vision and his character, and how he will bring those qualities to bear on the urgent work ahead of us on the County Council. As a state Delegate, Ben Kramer has sponsored legislation to protect the health and safety rights of seniors; pushed to expand the use of hate crime protections to include women, seniors and people with disabilities, and been a guardian of programs that protect the most vulnerable in our community.

Ben has literally grown up in Montgomery County politics, and he has a deep-seated understanding of the way government works, and how to use the legislative process to bring about urgent, enduring change. When Ben tells you he’s going to do something, he doesn’t waver from that commitment. Ben will always tell you where he stands, even if he doesn’t agree with you. That’s the kind of independence and integrity we need on the County Council, and the qualities that set Ben apart among the candidates in this election.

During these times of economic uncertainty, and competing pressure on our county government over taxes and budget priorities, Ben Kramer will be a critical voice for fiscal responsibility, tax fairness and prevention of government waste, fraud and abuse. I know what Ben Kramer has done as Delegate, and I can’t wait to see him get to work as the Councilmember from District 4.

Editor's Note: Duchy Trachtenberg is a former President of Maryland NOW, a founding co-chair of the Women’s Leadership Network of the Maryland Democratic Party and has served as a Women’s Issues Advisor for Howard Dean’s Presidential Campaign. On the County Council, she has served as Chair of the Management and Fiscal Policy Committee since she took office in 2006.