He is smart, knowledgeable and patient - even with those who do not agree with him. I have known him since his days in the Maryland General Assembly serving as a state senator from Montgomery County. Jamie Raskin, a Democrat who represents Maryland’s 8th congressional district. This is just one of the thousands of reasons I have never run for public office.īut I know good people when I see them. I know this because my wife helpfully points it out - with some frequency. I, for example, lean slightly toward the jerk side. Think of good person versus complete jerk as a continuum. In attempting to be evenhanded, my colleagues and I are loathe to highlight decency - at least not directly. How will a potential officeholder deal with a crisis? Is he or she willing to compromise? Can they work well with others? Are they open minded or willing to be educated? Such attributes aren’t readily apparent, yet they seem more valuable than ever in these volatile, highly partisan and democracy-imperiling times.

How much does any voter spend pondering the qualifications of any candidate? Alas, awareness of party affiliation or even policy platforms doesn’t quite cut it. Capitol ( without shaman gear, of course) or texting back and forth with county council members, can’t easily tell the difference. I ask this because the 2022 primary elections are fast approaching, and I worry that average people, those who are not stuck in late-night government budget briefings or hanging out in the corridors of the U.S.

Jamie raskin unthinkable