Gubernatorial Candidate Forums on Tap

Yes, it’s holiday season, but it’s also gubernatorial forum season. There are at least three on tap in the days ahead.

On Monday evening, the Maryland Democratic Party is gathering its candidates for governor at a forum in Waldorf that will focus on economic issues. There is limited capacity seating to see the candidates in person, but the state party will be broadcasting the forum live on Facebook. The forum runs from 7-8:30 p.m. Tracee Wilkins, NBC News4 Prince George’s County bureau chief, will serve as the moderator.

Government House, the governor’s mansion, in Annapolis. Photo by Danielle E. Gaines.

Meanwhile, the Maryland State Bar Association is hosting individual, hour-long conversations with Democratic, Republican and Libertarian candidates for governor over a period of five days, Dec. 6-10 — which just happens to coincide with the special General Assembly session that’s scheduled to take place in Annapolis on congressional redistricting.

Former state Sen. Robert A. Zirkin (D-Baltimore County), who served as chair of the Judicial Proceedings Committee, will question the candidates in one-on-one sessions, which are being held at the Inscape Theater at the Stevenson University Greenspring Valley Campus in Baltimore County. The interviews can be seen in person or on multiple online platforms.

Here is the schedule:

Dec. 6

10 a.m. – Rushern Baker (D)

12 noon – Jon Baron (D)

2 p.m. – Peter Franchot (D)

Dec. 7

12 noon – Michael Rosenbaum (D)

Dec. 8

10 a.m. – Kelly Schulz (R)

12 noon – Ashwani Jain (D)

2 p.m. – David Lashar (L)

Dec. 9

10 a.m. – Doug Gansler (D)

12 noon – Wes Moore (D)

2 p.m. – Tom Perez (D)

Dec. 10

8 a.m. (to be aired at 10 a.m.) – Dan Cox (R)

12 noon – John King (D)

2 p.m. – Robin Ficker (R)

Also on Dec. 10, the Committee for Montgomery annual legislative breakfast will feature a forum with Republican and Democratic candidates for governor. The breakfast, traditionally one of the biggest political schmoozefests of the year in Maryland, is advertised as the curtain-raiser for Montgomery County’s big legislative push in the upcoming General Assembly session and features speeches from county leaders as well as a legislative program.

The format of the candidate forum — and the full candidate lineup — has yet to be announced. The event takes place at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center.

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