Senate hopeful tries to stand out

Crowded GOP field leaves Wargotz working to separate himself

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

When Queen Anne's County Commissioner Eric S. Wargotz refers to his opponent, he's not talking about one of the five other Republicans in the race for U.S. Senate, but four-term Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski.

Before a likeminded group of Charles County Republicans on Monday, Wargotz blasted the four-term Democrat for consistently supporting Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.), even when it's not in her constituents' best interests.

"Don't you think it's time we get our second Senate vote back?" he asked members of the Charles County Republican Club.

Wargotz outlined four campaign pillars that he hopes will resonate with voters statewide.

Fixing the federal health care reform measure tops his list. Wargotz, a longtime physician and medical director, said the bill that was signed into law earlier this year still can be halted if lawmakers refuse to fund it.

That would force all parties back to the table to consider true reform that would lower costs, improve care, remove antitrust protection for insurance companies, allow interstate competition and portability of health coverage, and include tort reform, he said.

"We're not going to change it overnight," said Wargotz, who currently serves as an independent consultant and contractor in the medical field.

Economic security and job creation are his second campaign theme.

Calling himself a "free market guy," Wargotz said the federal government should keep out of the private sector and should not provide bailouts to large industries and corporations.

However, lawmakers can develop policies that encourage job creation in industries like clean energy or manufacturing, he said. Wargotz also supports overhauling the tax code to implement either a flat tax or the so-called "FairTax," which would abolish all federal income, inheritance, capital gains and payroll taxes and replace them with a national retail sales tax.

A tougher immigration policy and improved national security comprise another bullet point of his campaign.

"There's no reason why the United States should be the poster child of the world for open borders," Wargotz said of his anti-illegal immigration stance.

The fourth component of his campaign is a better approach to cleaning the Chesapeake Bay, which he said has been plagued by years of mismanagement and lack of enforcing existing laws.

Although Wargotz is a former Democrat — he changed his affiliation in 2002 — he describes himself as a social and fiscal conservative who identifies with Constitutionalists, Libertarians and the tea party movement.

In response to questions asked by attendees on Monday, Wargotz said he is against abortion rights and opposes same-sex marriage.

If elected, he has pledged to serve no more than 12 years in office and promised to put people's concerns over special interests.

"As a physician, one thing I've done for 26 years is listen to people," Wargotz said.

In recent months, he has traveled the state talking to GOP activists and attending party functions to garner support for his campaign, which he said has been successful raising money.

He reported having more than $118,000 on hand as of April 30. By comparison, Mikulski reported more than $2.7 million in campaign cash at the same time.

But Wargotz said Mikulski should be worried about the anti-incumbent sentiment and a recent Rasmussen Reports poll that shows declining support for her. He recently released a radio spot that does not directly name Mikulski, but condemns the status quo on Capitol Hill.

"Big taxing and even bigger-spending liberal policies in Washington are bankrupting our children's future," Wargotz says in the 60-second ad, which is running on local stations across the state.

The other Republicans who have filed to run for U.S. Senate are Stephens Dempsey of Frederick County, Daniel W. McAndrew and Jim Rutledge, both of Harford County, Corrogan R. Vaughn of Baltimore County and Eddie Vendetti of Montgomery County.

abrody@somdnews.com