In a Baltimore Sun article analyzing the Maryland District 12 race for state delegate, Political Science Assistant Professor Laura Hussey provided insight on the early campaigning in the race. Ten Democrats and three Republicans are competing for three open seats.

“Candidates got a huge jump on this race,” said Hussey. “I think there was just a huge rush to get in on it once we knew that there would be three open seats in the race.” She added what’s happening in District 12 is similar to what is taking place across the country: “Campaigns are lasting longer and starting earlier. Everyone is trying to get a jump. We’ve been talking about the 2016 [presidential] election for a good, long time now, and we’re not even halfway there,” Hussey said.

Hussey was also interviewed for an article in The Herald-Mail in which she commented on NRA ratings and how they can impact local elections, such as the Maryland state delegate race in Subdistrict 1C. She said the NRA ratings could be a major factor, especially since there isn’t much information about the candidates available to voters.

“This is also a primary. So there is not a R (Republican) candidate running against a D (Democratic) candidate. So, the candidates might be close to one another in terms of their positions,” Hussey said.

You can read, “Observations of District 12 race by UMBC professor,” in The Baltimore Sun here. To read, “NRA ratings play role in GOP primary race in Washington County,” in The Herald-Mail, click here.