(6/2018) After I launched my Senate campaign, a Thurmont neighbor asked me the question that defines my campaign: "Will you will be for us when you get in there? So many of them forget us when they get in there." My positive answer comes from my years of service to family, friends, neighbors, town and church, experiences that will keep me true to
my campaign pledges. The first pledge is that I will be there to listen as well as to do. I want to know what people from District 4 want, need and wish for.
A gift of campaigning is meeting people throughout the District – from Emmitsburg to New Market, Walkersville to Middletown. I met a mother in Lake Linganore who teared up when talking about the number of funerals her teenage children have attended when their friends died from opioids. A father in New Market demanded to know whether I am seeing opioid use as a
crisis. A mother raising a young developmentally challenged son shared her hope for fully-funded schools to ensure that all children not only learn, but thrive. A middle school teacher shared her ideas for keeping our children safe from gun violence at school, which included a protocol for recognizing and treating students struggling with mental health issues.
I’ve listened as young and seasoned farmers discussed the historically low price per pound of milk in 2018 and the challenging future of the dairy industry in our region. I’ve also heard a young resident worry about whether she’ll have to leave her home in the southern part of Frederick County because of the unmanaged growth that is beginning to surround it. A
woman of color told me that she was experiencing emboldened harassment by her neighbors and that she was perceiving a lack of support and concern in the law enforcement officers called upon to assist her. Senior citizens have been reminding me that we need to "take care of the elderly."
My platform is focused on helping all residents to thrive, conserving our natural resources and rural landscapes, protecting our young people from the effects of substance abuse illness, and ensuring the civil rights of all residents. My many conversations have reinforced my commitment to these priorities. At the same time, I’ve been encouraged by how easy it
is to have respectful discussions with people who disagree with me. For example, one voter wanted to talk about the ban on "conversion therapy," and another wanted to discuss voter disenfranchisement. Our disagreements didn’t lead to attacks and provocative arguments. Instead, we discussed creative solutions.
This District is full of engaged and caring people who are making a difference in our communities. In Thurmont, people gather to honor the founders of the local food bank. In Brunswick, people come armed with brooms to clean up downtown. Members of a tiny church in the mountains of Sabillasville hold a spaghetti dinner fundraiser, not to pay the bills of the
church, but to "help their neighbors in need." People in Frederick come out on a Wednesday night to listen to a recovering addict share his story and experiences.
Advocacy and grassroots organizations like the Frederick County Teachers Association, MSEA, Frederick County Progressives, Progressive Maryland, Our Revolution, and Moms Demand Action, all whom have endorsed my candidacy, are taking this election very seriously. But they are not alone. Residents and voters throughout the District are eager to share their
opinions and know where I stand. They also want to know whether I’ll be there for them once elected. My unequivocal answer is YES.
Please visit my campaign webpage, www.sabrinamassett.com
