47 ABC sits down with U.S. Senate candidate Rep. Chris Van H

come november 8th – a new state senator will be elected and will serve in office for the next six year. 47 abc’s julian sadur has been following the race – and brings us part one of his two part series on the candidates tonight. pod after 20 years of representing maryland in the united states senate – barbara mikulski is stepping down – in the race to fill her seat – polls have shown democratic congressman chris van hollen – and republican state delegate kathy szeliga as the front runners to replace her. i spoke with both of them – and tonight bring you bits and pieces of my sit down with congressman chris van hollen. i think if you talk to folks on the eastern shore they want to make sure that their kids have a bright future and that they can retire in dignity and that’s what i’ve been fighting for track congressman chris van hollen has made no secret – that filling the shoes of senator barbara mikulksi will be no easy task — he says what helps though is having the long time senator endorse him. i’ve also fought with senator mikulski for issues like equal pay or equal work, making sure we try to improve college affordability so that kids aren’t graduating from places like salisbury university with these hugedebts 005619 that put them behind before they even get a start track something else the congressman is passionate about – a living wage for all americans. van hollen saying he’s for gradually raising the federal minimum wage to 15 dollars per hour. his belief – the more money people have in their pockets – the less taxpayers will have to pay things like medical service and food and nutrition programs. some small business owners have said that raising the minimum wage would hurt their bottom line – and cause them to have to let go of workers. van hollen though believes the opposite will happen — you know henry ford adopted this model many years ago he wanted to make sure he paid his employees, his workers enough money that they could buy the cars that they were manufacturing in his automobile plants and to the extent that people get that living wage they’re going to go out and spend it 004905 and they’re going to buy goods and services from small businesses and other business in the community track speaking of our communities – one thing that’s been hard not to notice – is the amount of gun violence that has continued to make headlines – most notably this year – the shooting at pulse nightclub in orlando – the deadliest mass shooting on american soil. van hollen says the solution to this violence is tougher gun laws – and universal background checks – something already done in maryland. 00493558 i respect the second amendment, no ones coming to take peoples guns 004939i do support reasonable gun safety measures, like making sure if you’re on the terrorist watch list and you’re too dangerous to board an airplane you shouldn’t be able to go down the street and buy a semi-automatic assault weapon 004954 pod now tomorrow night i’ll bring you my interview with republican candidate – state delegate kathy szeliga. both interviews will be available on our website 47 abc dot com. where i have much more information on where the two candidates standon topics such as military and veterans – nasa wallops. i recommend you check out both before you head to the polls. emily – back to you. thanks – that 47 abc’s julian sadur reporting in studio for us tonight. the chance for