Young Dems Run for Office in Baltimore County
The first thing you notice about Brian Bailey is the warm smile and easy laugh. At age 21, he’s an unlikely candidate for the Baltimore County Democratic Central Committee. Most people don’t even know what the Central Committee is, but Brian Bailey is all about the nuts and bolts of the party. “We need to increase our grassroots and candidate development as well as take seriously our role at fundraising, supporting our Democratic elected officials, and working with our local Democratic clubs.”
And Bailey may just have the kind of excitement the local party needs to get energized. After all, Bailey already has the most important quality a politician can possess-a genuine interest in the people he meets. He’s not a glad-handler, but he remembers faces and goes out of his way to make others feel comfortable. And when he speaks about the Democratic party, he speaks with passion. “I am a Democrat because Democrats fight for, and not just talk about, the American dream,” says Bailey.
“The Democratic Party is the party of diversity and inclusion, of innovation and inspiration, and of energy and optimism,” Bailey continues. “I am a Democrat because I believe in community, opportunity, and responsibility. I am a Democrat because we welcome those who are downtrodden, neglected, and cast aside. I am a Democrat because we welcome you no matter what your skin color or ethnicity happens to be. Everyone is welcomed by the Democratic Party with open arms, whether you pray at a church or a mosque or a temple or a synagogue or at your kitchen table. We welcome you whether you are young or old, male or female. I am a Democrat because we don’t care where you are today, but where you want to be tomorrow.”
Bailey brings this kind of civic passion to all his endeavors, including the campaign of State Senator Paula Hollinger, who is currently running for Congress. The national issues that are most important to him, in order, are healthcare, education and Iraq. But Bailey has a keen eye for local issues as well. “I care about community development, especially in our older communities. We need to take reinvesting in these communities seriously.”
And of course, his passion for the party doesn’t cloud his perspective-he knows Democrats still have a lot of work to do. “We need to create a cohesive identity and stop inter-party fighting.”
His advice to young democrats? “Get involved. Volunteer, get to know your elected officials, find someone you want to work for, someone you believe in.”
Stephen Knable
Known for his fiercely competitive nature, 25 year-old law student, Stephen Knable seeks to replace Bobby Zirkin for State Delegate in the 11th District. While Knable can’t name anything he’d do differently than Bobby Zirkin, he says that politics is in his blood. And Knable has an impressive resume.
Having worked for both Senator Paul Sarbanes, and Congressman Ben Cardin, he says he’s ready to hit the ground running if elected. The most important political issue to Knable is education. He says, “The education of our youth and their advancement and preparedness for life are the real measure of the strength of a society.”
Knable seems to be opposed to recent Democratic efforts to make Wal-Mart take more responsibility for their employees. Knable says, “With such clout in the workforce, Wal-Mart has the ability to set employment practices. Their health insurance practices are not in the best interest of Maryland. However, I believe the government should not tell private business that it must spend X amount on health care.”
Instead, he thinks the burden is on the government “to provide incentives to companies to provide the best possible health coverage for their employees.”
In Baltimore County, Knable can be found at Lifebridge, his favorite gym, or at the Hunt Valley Town Center. Those are his favorite hang out spots.
And he has something to say about the politics of young people: “I think what irritates young voters is the perception that the issues politicians care about are not young people issues. I believe this makes younger people apathetic. They just do not see how Medicaid, Social Security, or tax policy really affects them on a day to day basis.”
He wants people to know “that I care about the district, about the neighborhoods I have grown up in, and I’ll try to make the community a better place for everyone to live. I do not view this as a stepping stone to future office. I want to be delegate to best serve my neighbors and the people I have grown up with.”
