Del. McDonough To Run For Ruppersberger House Seat

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Outspoken state Del. Pat McDonough announced Friday he intends to run for the congressional seat held by former Baltimore County executive Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger.

"Dutch has aligned himself with [President Barack] Obama and Obama is part of the problem and so is Dutch," said McDonough, a four-term Republican from Middle River. "And I also believe he's lost contact with people of the 2nd district and no longer represents their values."

Ruppersberger's district includes all or part of Aberdeen, Essex, Dundalk, Timonium, Owings Mills, Parkville, Baltimore City and Jessup. It includes both Aberdeen Proving Ground and the National Security Agency at Fort Meade.

Ruppersberger spent four years as the ranking member on the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He's remained popular at home. He ran unopposed for his first term as County Executive in 1994 and hasn't lost an election since, with Republican opponents including former Rep. Helen Delich Bentley, then-state Sen. Nancy Jacobs and Jimmy Mathis. (Disclosure:Mathis now hosts a show on WBAL NewsRadio 1090.)

In 2014, he won with 61.3 percent of the vote.

But McDonough, 72, senses a shift in the political winds. Fellow Republican Gov. Larry Hogan won the congressional district by 28,000 votes, he said.

"I believe the most important thing though... is that the environment is ready for change," he said. "The voters want change, they want new people in Washington."

McDonough, who hosts a radio show on a local station, has often drawn controversy for statements made about unauthorized immigrants, drugs and Baltimore City, among other things. He championed the petition and ultimately unsuccessful referendum to repeal the Maryland Dream Act. As his district includes parts of Baltimore, he would have to woo city voters and, if elected, work with city leaders whose comments they've condemned.

"[The comments] haven't upset Baltimore City leaders. They've upset The Baltimore Sun," he said. "I've talked about things that are true and I'll stick by my guns on all those issues and I think a lot of the leaders in Baltimore City are part of the problem."

He said he would frame his stance on unauthorized immigrants and what he sees as their links to crime in a way meant to attract minority voters.

"When illegal immigrants come into Baltimore City, they're taking jobs away from black youth," he said.