Photo by Sam Yu Eric Wargotz, president of the County Commission for Queen Anne's County, is running for U.S. Senate and was campaigning in Frederick Monday. Purchase this photo

Wargotz, an Eastern Shore Republican running for U.S. Senate, thinks those issues should be considered in health care reform legislation.

At a fundraising event in Frederick on Monday night, Wargotz said Congress should carefully consider the current health care system and bring together stakeholders to help find a solution. He thinks the entire system does not need an overhaul, but parts of it do.

"This idea of a $1.2 trillion overhaul is ridiculous," Wargotz said. "You're throwing out the baby with the bathwater and it doesn't make a lot of sense."

If he wins the primary, Wargotz will face incumbent U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski, a Democrat, in the 2010 election.

"I'm offering a clear choice," Wargotz said. "This is a clear choice between myself and an incumbent of 24 years who has not demonstrated the leadership we need in Maryland."

To reduce waits in doctors' offices, Wargotz thinks the U.S. should attract more people to become health care professionals by providing incentives and preventing frivolous lawsuits.

He also wants to eliminate out-of-pocket expenses for people who pay their insurance premiums in full and prevent insurance companies from turning down coverage based on prior medical conditions.

Wargotz was invited to Frederick County by resident Fred Propheter, who hosted the event at a local business.

Propheter thinks a Republican will be able to win in Maryland.

"People are getting pretty fed up with the way things are going in Washington on both sides of the aisle," Propheter said. "It's definitely anti-incumbent."

He criticized the federal government for taking over banks, mortgage companies and the automobile industry.

Wargotz acknowledges it is an uphill battle against Mikulski, but thinks he has crossover potential.

His main issue is health care reform, because he thinks as a doctor he brings a higher level of sophistication to the issue.

At the event, Wargotz called for Congress to marry health care with immigration reform.

"When you're talking about 10 (million) to 20 million of the 50 million so-called uninsured are illegal aliens, and you're not discussing that in relation to how you deal with that problem, they're missing a very important piece," Wargotz said.

He favors an expanded temporary worker program that would require employers to pay for those workers' health care.

Wargotz opposes a mandatory vaccine for swine flu, saying it is too early for that.

He also called for increased tariffs on imported products to help stimulate manufacturing the U.S.

"Until we have people in federal government that we need to spur manufacturing at the lower level, develop new industries, new companies, etc., we're going to continue to be in economic turmoil," he said.

Wargotz is finishing up his visit to Frederick with a breakfast event this morning.