Rep. Andy Harris talks priorities ahead of next term in office
MARYLAND – Maryland’s race for its 1st Congressional District is officially over. Tuesday night, Democratic challenger Heather Mizeur conceded to incumbent Republican Representative Andy Harris.
Rep. Harris says Republicans showed out for him in a big way during the early voting period. He believes Americans are fed up with the direction the country is going in, and Republicans showed up at the polls to express that through their votes.
“I’ve taken care of people in the district, and they responded by agreeing to send me back to Washington for one more term,” said Rep. Harris. “The elections are over. In America, you have to accept that elections are over. We move on together, and have to solve problems together. If they want to work with me, I’m willing to work with them. We’re not going to agree about some issues. But, again, we have to work together to solve America’s problems.”
The Congressman tells 47 ABC his top priorities are already lined up for the next term. They include securing more H2B visas for seasonal agricultural workers, says Rep. Harris.
“We can do some good things for our farmers and our poultry industry out here in the district. I’m also part of the H2B coalition, a bipartisan coalition, to make sure we have the temporary farm workers we need for a lot of the industries here on the Lower Shore,” said Rep. Harris. “I think there’s the possibility that we might permanently solve this in a few years. That would be great for those industries, especially those on the Lower Shore that depend on it so heavily.”
Another top priority is to tackle spending in Washington; a level that Rep. Harris says is growing faster than Americans can manage.
“I hope that we deal with what I consider out of control spending in Washington. It’s lead to the inflation we’re seeing now. I think we haven’t done a good enough job, even when the Republicans held the House and the Senate. Hopefully, we’ll do a better job now,” said Rep. Harris.
The Congressman adds that that work can’t be done without reaching across the aisle; especially as Congress faces a host of new faces, and a potential change in leadership.
“I’m hoping the new leadership in the House decides they’re going to listen to what the American people have said in this election and respond to it,” said Rep. Harris. “I hope the president does what he’s done when he was in the Senate, which was to actually talk to people across the aisle, make deals for the good of the American people. He hasn’t been willing to do if for the two years up until now. I hope he changes when he realizes he has to deal with a Republican majority in the House.”
