6th District candidate forum erupts in anger

Democrat April McClain Delaney looks chagrined as Republican Neil Parrott makes closing remarks during their 6th District congressional forum Sunday. Moments later, the two would be on their feet, arguing and jabbing at each other. Photo by Josh Kurtz.

For 57 minutes Sunday, the first candidate forum in Maryland's most competitive U.S. House district was fairly staid and civil, with Democrat April McClain Delaney and Republican Neil C. Parrott sticking to their well-rehearsed talking points and mild partisan attack lines.

But the final three minutes of the forum, at Hood College in Frederick, erupted in fury and chaos, with the candidates angrily talking over each other and jabbing their fingers menacingly in the other's direction. Parrott, a former state lawmaker, briefly stormed off the stage as a Hood political science professor sought to restore order, then returned in time to accept Delaney's offer of a handshake.

The fracas began during Parrott's two-minute closing statement. He complained to Delaney, an attorney and former U.S. Commerce Department official, that while she had been talking about civility and finding common ground for most of the forum, "what about the lies you put in your campaign ad about my record?" When Delaney attempted to respond to the criticism, Parrott began wagging his finger at his opponent and shouting, "This is my turn — my two minutes!" as two dozen of his supporters, wearing green campaign T-shirts, hooted and hollered their approval.

Delaney, sitting just two feet away, pointed angrily in Parrott's direction, her face reddening in anger, and appeared to attempt to say something to Parrott privately — or at least without speaking into her microphone, while Parrott continued his diatribe. He charged that Delaney had "no record to run on," and went on to repeat his earlier assertion that the fact that she does not live in the district should be a disqualifier as District 6 voters consider whom to support.

Delaney's supporters, seeking to counter the noise from Parrott's partisans, began chanting, "APRIL! APRIL! APRIL!" Delaney gestured to her supporters to quiet down.

When Parrott finished his closing remarks, he left the stage, as the political science professor, Sara Malec, who at the beginning of the forum asked the candidates to "please be civil and respectful of your opponent," tried to bring a local League of Women Voters official to the stage to end the event and urge people to vote. Parrott and Delaney spoke heatedly to each other, off microphone, rising and gesturing angrily as the forum's hosts closed the proceedings.

"It's OK, we are going to be civil," Delaney said quietly, when Parrott exited the stage. Parrott returned a moment later, pausing for several seconds before taking Delaney's hand as she offered handshake.

The crowd of about 75 people — mostly students and local political activists — seemed both energized and stunned by what they saw.

Parrott was apparently referring to some of Delaney's campaign ads and mailers, which spotlight Parrott's votes in Annapolis on domestic violence legislation and other measures protecting women. Parrott was also smarting over a remark Delaney made in the closing minute of the first half of the forum. When answering a question about how she planned to make an impact during her first term in Congress, she pivoted and took extra time to say that Parrott espouses "extreme policies" and was considered the least effective legislator in Annapolis during his tenure — a remark that elicited boos from Parrott's supporters.

The two are vying to replace three-term U.S. Rep. David Trone (D), who gave up the seat to run unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate. The 6th District takes in some of northern Montgomery County and then runs from Frederick County all the way west to Garrett County in the farthest western reaches of the state.

It is far and away the most competitive U.S. House district in the state, with deeply conservative pockets and more traditional Democratic territory. The most recent public poll showed the two candidates within the margin of error, though Parrott, who has been the GOP nominee for three straight election cycles, had a narrow edge. Most independent political handicappers believe the seat is likely to remain in Democratic hands this election, but it's competitive enough that both parties are beginning to pour extra resources into the race.

Delaney more than a few times tried to cast herself as a Democrat in Trone's mold — an active, moderate and conscientious member of Congress who reaches out to every corner of the district (Delaney's husband, former three-term Rep. John Delaney, who was in the audience at Sunday's forum, is Trone's predecessor).

But Parrott noted that while he lived in Hagerstown — "the center of the district" — Delaney, a Potomac resident, "has to drive 20 minutes from her home to the edge of the district in Gaithersburg."

"You have someone who lives in the district, who knows the district, who is invested in the district," Parrott said, referring to himself.

Delaney countered that she lived just outside the district boundaries until the latest round of redistricting in late 2021.

"I was close to the district and then the district line moved," she said. "I didn't."

Delaney continued: "I think it's important that you understand the district and understand Washington ... I think it's important that you respond and show up everywhere."

In the early part of the forum — organizers from the college and the League of Women Voters were careful not to call it a debate — the two candidates differed on a range of issues, including immigration, the economy, gun safety, artificial intelligence, health care policy and foreign affairs, though far less acrimoniously than they did during the forum's final minutes.

Delaney faulted former President Donald Trump and the House GOP for scotching a bipartisan compromise on immigration reform that had been hammered out in the Senate and said she favored investing more in border security. But Parrott ridiculed the suggestion that it was a bipartisan measure — even though a conservative senator from Oklahoma was one of the architects — and said, "We can't talk about the illegal aliens coming into our country until we stop the flow of illegal aliens coming into our country." He also vowed to work to block federal funding for "sanctuary counties" that protect undocumented immigrants.

Both candidates also touted their professional backgrounds and temperaments, and both said they would prioritize infrastructure improvements for the large and diverse district if elected.

Parrott described himself as a professional engineer who enjoyed solving problems, while Delaney at least half a dozen times called herself "a commonsense, common ground candidate." She also discussed her work in the Biden administration and as a director and board member with Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that seeks to examine how media and technology impact children's health and well-being.

"I am different from Mr. Parrott in that I will not use inflammatory language," she said in her own closing remarks, delivered moments before Parrott's.

The candidates are due to square off at least one more time, at a forum sponsored by the Washington County Chamber of Commerce. It's scheduled to take place on Oct. 16 at 7 a.m.