Hopkins Challenges Berliner to Candidate Forums

Council District 1 candidate Ilaya Hopkins is challenging incumbent Roger Berliner to a series of candidate forums. Hopkins wants to do local forums in Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Friendship Heights, Garrett Park and Potomac as well as a broadcast forum and an online forum. Following is Hopkins's press release.

NEWS RELEASE

Media Contact: Chris Gill, campaign manager
Phone: (301) 461-1100
Email: chris_gill@ilayahopkins.com

Ilaya Hopkins Challenges Opponent to District 1 Candidate Forum Series

BETHESDA, MD – March 24, 2010 – Ilaya Hopkins, candidate for the District 1 seat on the Montgomery County Council, today challenged her opponent, Roger Berliner, to a series of candidate forums in communities throughout District 1.

"I believe strongly that voters deserve a choice and these candidate forums would provide the opportunity for a dialogue in which voters can hear different perspectives and learn more about the issues our communities in District 1 are facing,” Hopkins said.

Hopkins is challenging opponent Roger Berliner to a series of seven candidate forums to be held in each of the District 1 communities – Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Friendship Heights, Garrett Park, Potomac – as well as one online and one broadcast venue.

“Montgomery County is facing serious challenges and voters need to know where their elected representatives stand on the issues, what solutions they bring to the table and where they differ,” said Hopkins. “I look forward to working with my opponent to ensure that District 1 voters are afforded an opportunity learn more about their candidates through this series of community dialogues.”

About Ilaya

Hopkins serves on the County Executive’s Base Realignment and Closure(BRAC) Implementation Committee, the Western Montgomery County Citizens Advisory Board where she co-chairs the Quality of Life committee, and is a board member of Bethesda Green, a public-private partnership to promote a healthy economy and sustainable living practices. She chaired the Coalition of Military Medical Center Neighbors, which represents 10,000 people who live, work, attend school and do business in thevicinity of the Medical Center Metro, home to the new Walter Reed National Medical Military Center in Bethesda. She is the immediate past president of the East Bethesda Citizens Association, a neighborhood group of 1,200 houses adjacent to the Bethesda Central Business District between East West Highway and Jones Bridge Road. She is in the current core class of Leadership Montgomery, active in the Rosemary Hills Primary and North Chevy Chase Elementary Schools PTAs and is a member of Montgomery Women. She lives in Bethesda with her husband and two sons.

To learn more about Ilaya, her position on the issues and campaign activities visit www.ilayahopkins.com. You can follow Ilaya on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ilayahopkins and Facebook at www.facebook.com/ilayahopkins.

The Democratic primary is Tuesday, Sep. 14th, 2010 and the general election is Tuesday, Nov. 2nd

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