Dougherty Divided on Presidential Candidates
Wednesday, March 5th, 2008Party politics aren’t exactly crystal clear these days to the Democratic nominee in Maryland’s 6th Congressional District.
Though Jennifer Dougherty voted for Sen. Hillary Clinton last month in Maryland’s Democratic primary, she said she’s not sure which presidential nominee would help her more at the polls in November.
She’s glad she only had to make the decision once.
“I wasn’t asked to endorse anybody, and I’m happy about that,” said the former mayor of Frederick. “I’ve already cast my vote in the primary, I’m not a superdelegate — I don’t get to make another choice.”
Speaking at her campaign’s office above her restaurant, Jennifer’s, in Old Town Frederick, Dougherty said she’s mulled the merits of running alongside either Clinton, D-N.Y., or Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.
She agreed she could stand to benefit from portions of the Democratic electorate both candidates are associated with. Obama has had strong support from young voters, while Clinton brings female voters.
Dougherty said she originally supported Clinton for the senator’s well-fleshed-out plans. But now, she thinks Obama’s strong speeches and apparent desire to stay above the fray will lead him to the nomination.
“I think the nod goes to the new-school guy right now,” she said. “Obama is inspirational — he makes people want to get involved in a positive way.”
In her first campaign since losing a bitterly fought primary for her mayoral seat in 2005, she said she’s learned a lesson about rough campaigns.
“Obama, which is why he’s so impressive, he stays out of that — the nasty side of politics — and I’m gonna try to stay out of that, too,” Dougherty said. “I don’t want to relive painful experiences.”
-By Capital News Service’s Ben Meyerson