He lost in the GOP Primary in June to Steve McKay.
Frederick, Md (KM). During Wednesday afternoon’s “Mid-Maryland Live” on WFMD, Frederick County Councilman Tony Chmelik announced that he’s running for re-election as a write-in candidate. He lost the District 2 Republican Primary In June to local activist Steve McKay.
“I want to challenge the Republican nominee who doesn’t represent the authentic conservative views of the district which includes areas representing Mount Airy, Libertytown, Urbana, New Market and Frederick,” Chmelik said.
Chmelik also says his campaign as an independent will counter accusation made against him. . “It’s not about losing the primary. That wasn’t what I was looking at,” he said. “The fact is that I was misrepresented. I was lied about. my character was maligned. My actual record was skewed.”
He said McKay said Chmelik missed 13 meetings. “The implication was that I had missed 13 Council meetings when in fact he was referring to public hearings that were held concerning the Monrovia Town Center which occurred months, even years, before I considered running for office,” says Chmelik. He says he actually missed two Council meeting, and they were due to family matters.
In his campaign, Chmelik says he will emphasize “responsible growth” where the county continues to use its lands wisely without urban sprawl.
Part of his “responsible growth” includes improvements to Route 75. “Not to a four-lane highway, but to a highway that should be slightly widened, some of the curves straightened out; the sides of the roads widened so you have proper shoulders for safety and things like that,” he said.
Chmelik also challenges McKay and Democrat Lisa Jarosinki to participate with him in a public forum . “I have two scheduled already. if they don’t show up, I have to ask the voters of the county and the district ‘why not? What are they afraid of? And what are they hiding,'” he says.
Being a write-in candidate means that Chmelik must persuade a large number of voters to write his name on the ballot when they vote during early voting and in the November Sixth general election.
By Kevin McManus