Leading up to the Nov. 8 general election, The Frederick News-Post is doing podcast interviews with candidates for Frederick County executive and council.
Maryland state Sen. Michael Hough, the Republican nominee to be the next Frederick County executive, would look to slow growth in the county government and limit development to certain areas if elected in November.
Hough has represented Frederick and Carroll counties in the state Senate since 2015. Before that, he was a one-term state delegate representing Frederick and Washington counties.
Hough said during a podcast interview with the News-Post on Friday that after 12 years in the Democrat-controlled Maryland General Assembly, he was ready for a change.
“You’re always on the defensive and it’s hard to be pushing and doing positive things,” Hough said. “I look at local government as a place where you can really throw the party labels aside and you can just do good things — get things done for the people.”
His Democratic opponent is County Councilwoman Jessica Fitzwater. Hough and Fitzwater are vying to succeed County Executive Jan Gardner, a Democrat who, after serving two four-year terms, cannot run for a third.
The number-one issue that Hough said he’s heard about from county residents is anxiety about local growth and development.
Frederick County’s population increased by 16% between 2010 and 2020, according to the 2020 U.S. Census. The statewide population increased by 7%.
High-density development, Hough said, should be limited to urban areas in Frederick city and to growth areas identified in The Livable Frederick Master Plan, which is meant to guide development and preservation. The county, he said, should remain mostly rural and suburban.
Hough also said he would freeze property taxes and look to slow the rate of spending in the county government.
Hough’s run for county executive has coincided with state Del. Dan Cox’s bid for governor. Like Hough, Cox is a Frederick County resident and member of the county’s delegation to Annapolis.
But unlike Hough, Cox has sparred with Maryland’s Republican Gov. Larry Hogan and closely aligned himself with former President Donald Trump.
On Friday, Hough did not say whether he supports Cox in his run for governor against the Democratic nominee, Wes Moore.
“I’ve made the conscious decision that I’m not getting involved in state politics,” he said.
In his podcast interview with the News-Post, Hough also offered insight into his thoughts on Trump and allegations of ethics violations against U.S. Rep. Alex Mooney of West Virginia, for whom Hough has worked as chief of staff since 2017.
Follow Jack Hogan on Twitter: @jckhogan
(65) comments
You can have growth that’s hidden but you must have had a brain and planned for it well in advance. Howard County put a 40 year plan in effect in the ‘60’s and the people came out in droves to fight every attempt by Developers to expand it. Drive through HoCo on the main thoroughfares today and you don’t see the ugliness you see in this County as we speak. And Frederick County had 40 more years to plan for it! Not only did they not plan for it, Blaine and Company gave the County away during their reign of terror. Not a peep out of these whiners during that time, they cheered them on. I like living here too.
Like I am going to vote for someone that is a campaign chairman for Mooney and a Trump supporter! And how about Hough's nasty adds about Fitzwater? As far as housing is concerned, it was his buddy, Blaine that did that. Maybe Hough things we are dumb enough to believe his lies.
I wish Hough had real opposition but Fitzwater is a pathetically weak candidate. She's picked up on the Wokey cult and all their demented racial self-hatred -- see this https://www.therealjessicafitzwater.com/
Peter, some people use the word “woke” like it’s supposed to be an insult…but mostly they use it because they can’t spell ”emphatic,” “educated” or “enlightened.” But, when you use “Wokey cult” I just shake my head at how juvenile it comes across, much like many childish comments by the former president did. The derogatory use of
“woke” as you are using it just makes one sound narrow minded.
Joe Seamhead: OK then let's discuss the wokey stuff Jessica Fitzwater said in the County Council meeting in July 2020: "I have white privilege and I'm a racist. Anybody who is a white person in any sort of position of power, um, we have white privilege and we are racists because of the system in this community." Listen to it at 4:11;25: https://frederick.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=10&clip_id=7496 This is noxious nonsense. Our community and its elected representatives have many failings but only someone in thrall to woke critical race theory writes it all off as 'racist.' Racism is a serious evil -- a stupid and nasty stereotyping of people by race. Racism is racial prejudice and the consequential despicable practice of discriminating by race, segregating by race, favoring by race, blocking by race, choosing by race etc. To say, as Councilor Fitzwater does that every 'white person' is racist dilutes to trivia the stigma rightly attached to the term. If every white person is 'racist' as Fitzwater says in her woke-think, then what's so specially wrong with real racial supremacist groups? Does a serious candidate for County Executive slander the vast majority of voters (70 percent or so I guess being 'white') by saying they're all 'racist.'
I grew up in Texas and when I went to school the black students got off the school bus to go to the black school. The rest of us went to the brick school. I hated it, but that was the way it was then. And when I examined my thoughts on race, I had to admit that I was influenced by racism. I still acknowledge that influence. And I am not 'woke" or self hating or anything that far. I just know my past and try to correct for it. As do many others in the USA. Peter makes good points for a debate. For a conversation, I had just as soon skip it. There is more nuance here to pay attention to.
Peter/Samuel, didn’t Peter learned, as stated in the Bible, by recognizing and acknowledging one’s past transgressions, you can make amends and improve one’s life. Wasn’t it his donkey that spoke to him?
woke
/wōk/
verb
past of wake
adjectiveINFORMAL•US
alert to injustice in society, especially racism.
Wouldn’t this be a good thing petersamuel? What is your definition of woke that makes it bad?
Fiedoe, definitions are beside the point. It's the reality of wokeness or wokery that is delusional and destructive. Wokery or wokeness finds injustice in a bunch of abstractions like whiteness, patriarchy, capitalism, masculinity, cultural appropriation, the climate crisis... It is based in sweeping generalizations or memes unmoored from reality. Its advocates are jerks who vilify and try to ruin ('cancel' 'dox' etc) those who won't conform with its pronouncements. Its leaders (Ibram X Kendi, Robin DiAngelo etc) are intellectual lightweights who write pompous nonsense. (Try to make sense of 'White Fragility') It's a bogus protest movement. It claims to want to 'dismantle systems of oppression' but works within those systems and depends on them. Like Trump on Jan 6, 2021 it relies on nasty mobs to bully and silence. They are racists who harm those they claim to champion -- see John McWhorter's Woke Racism https://www.amazon.com/Woke-Racism-Religion-Betrayed-America/dp/0593423062/ The wokies' obsessions are petty or parochial and they are indifferent to the world's real atrocities.
Hough now, Mr. Hough?
Where is our fine hotel now?
I have a Q for both the candidates. And I see that both of them have been checking in on the comments.
The positions of working with permitting and inspections entails being of the upmost ethical conduct. As the positions can be subject to bribery, favoritism, etc.
The director of the county permit and inspection Dept has pending criminal charges against him for an extremely childish act.
This is anything but ethical.
I realize he must first be found guilty in the court of law to be deemed unethical.
Once / if this director is found guilty, what would you say should be done in terms of his employment with the county?
Say he does a plea where he doesn’t admit guilt, but agrees there is enough evidence against him to convict, then what should be done with him?
I am well aware the alleged incident took place when the director was off the county clock.
But, it’s still a criminal charge, and still falls into the ethics category.
Worth noting that this deception is not new territory for Hough. He was the "brains" behind the shameless and ultimately fruitless effort to brand Kathy Afzali as the anti-sprawl antidote to Jan Gardner...who he attempted to falsely paint as supporting sprawl.
Sadly, my former party has so little intellectual positions other than attempting to be cunning to obtain power. Ugly time.
The obvious question to ask him is "what have you done to restrict development and slow growth during your dozen years as an elected representative?
A better choice than Jessica for sure... especially slowing development
Nope!!!
I couldn’t disagree more, Boomer.
Am I the only one ok with Frederick being developed? People need places to live. Local businesses need customers. Frederick is a beautiful place to raise a family. There will always be growing pains when a community grows. I like living in Frederick.
Smiper: 'development' is just another word for new housing. Everyone who wants to improve their home 'supports' development by paying the rents and prices being asked. Their 'support' is via thousands oif one-on-one dealings through the market in housing. That support is very strong as reflected in high real estate prices and high rents. Obviously, much less strong is political support as reflected in political pressure on elected officials to restrict development. I suggest much of the political opposition is not so much against development itself, but against the failure of government to service development -- with adequate roads, schools etc.
There is one good thing we can say about Hough, he has a nice smile! But be careful of what he does as he smiles. Is that being two faced?
It’s called being a politician
And Hough has never had a real job outside of politics. Jessica’s has worked as a teacher for 17 years.
Yes, being a Elementary School Music Teacher certainly qualifies to be County Executive.
Mongoose…career politician and serial liar is not a good background.
Mgoose, reminds me of the soon to be former sheriff, no education, no supervisor experience. Also, reminds me of the most recent former president, no govt experience
“One may smile, and smile, and be a villain. ”
― William Shakespeare, Hamlet
Dick: Hough isn't unusual. Successful politicians are all somewhat two-faced because they need to appeal to contrary groups and work out compromises.
You people will comment on anything.
He has no chance in getting CE. Why even bother commenting
☝️☝️☝️☝️. Does not see the irony of her comment 🤣🤣🤣🤣
On that, I’ll agree, Gabe.
I won’t vote for this MAGArat but I will say his ad about Fitzwater makes her look like a witless dope.
Lies and spin made trump appealing to people.
Just for starters, the article implies that Hough is not aligned with Trump, but Hough was his campaign chair for Frederick County in the 2020 election.
[thumbup] and he doesn't want to get involved in state politics, how convenient.
Hough is such a coward. He led the Trump campaign in Frederick so of course he supports Cox.
Hough is running nasty adds on Fitzwater, as sign of desperation because he knows that what he is saying is a lie and he is desperate. If there is a racist, it is Hough and we all know his other add about Frederick County being Montgomery County north was done by his compatriot, Blaine Young. But anyone that is a MAGA rat will say and do anything to get elected.
Hough, a puppet of ALEC..... What else do you need to know to throw this clown under the bus.... oh yeah, he's a butt noser to Cox and Trump too... Three insurgent seditionists....
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BS talk that he is not remotely sincere about following through with any of it. He’s your typical RRR that wants every blade of grass covered with development and favors or hidden kickbacks for all.
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Raise your hand if you think all the development interests contributing to Hough’s campaign believe the headline of this article.
[thumbup]
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If Hogan had won the nomination, Hough would have signs up with both their names.
It’s not just Cox he doesn’t want to talk about. He doesn’t say anything about Trump now, either, even though he was Trump’s campaign chair in Frederick County in 2020.
Hough is trying to reframe himself as someone he is not. First, he has been super partisan as a state Senator. He was also been all in for Trump and went to PA with Dan Cox to campaign for Trump. He was one of the biggest supporters of Blaine Young and that administration that decided to overdevelop everything. The Young reasonings are what you see happening now and some his approved developments haven't started yet. And, he is a big spender. He voted for the budget this year which was over a 15 percent increase. So folks, he has basically lied about everything!
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FF - spot on...
Fitzwater is trying to reframe herself as being a 3rd Gardner term. She is no Jan Gardner. Unlike Jan Gardner, Fitzwater has no interest promoting the left wing agenda. No different than Trone advertising that he is a Farmer.
Nope!
Hough is the devil personified. I would NEVER vote for him.
Wish I had a $100 every time I heard local politician will control growth & development in the county. There was some progress during the Commissioner Gardner, Gray & Thompson period only to be thrown out the door when the Young administration gained control, which pretty much set the current state of affairs concerning growth & development. Unfortunately, any attempts to undue establish legislative law will likely be met with legal action. We’ve witnessed this in the past as well. Good luck!!
When a devoted RRR says what he said, that’s the leopard trying to say he’s changed his spots. Nope!
“I’ve made the conscious decision that I’m not getting involved in state politics,” he said.
Says it all. Only guts in your own mob.
How can you be a state senator and not be involved in state politics? Yet another reason I don't trust this guy. He is saying all the right things to get elected in Frederick, but I don't have any faith in someone who associates himself with Mooney, Trump, and Cox.
Well said, threecents! Hough was Chief of Staff for Rep. Alex Mooney (R-WV) who is currently under ethic violations investigation. That should speak volumes to the voters! BEWARE!
Does he still works for Mooney? That smarmy carpet-bagging grandstander is all the reason I'd ever need not to vote for Hough.
I switched parties once back in the days of Blaine Young (so that I could vote against him) and started to get all the Republican mailings. Wow. Turns out the Godless Radical Leftwing Homosexual Agenda was about to take our guns.
Nope, not getting my vote.
I don’t believe a single word Hough says. He is trying to camouflage his past.
Stop Development, Freeze Taxes, don’t admit you love Dan Cox and Donald Trump and Alex Mooney. Mike a.k.a. Michael Hough still hopes the majority of Frederick County voters are stupid enough to believe that. Chuck Jenkins does so I guess this will be the showdown between the OLD and the NEW. It’s a tossup in my opinion….sadly. But…it is what it is. Hough is another Republiban without the guts to stand up publicly for what he believes just to get elected. 🤮🤮
“I’ve made the conscious decision that I’m not getting involved in state politics,”
Dear State Senator Hough, You are already involved in state politics. Don’t be a coward.
Yep, we both read that and recoiled.
Property rights, dude!
A republican restricting development? Yeah, right!
He lost me right then and there as far as believing anything else he had to say. If he actually came out and agreed with Hogan regarding Cox, and by extension, Trump, he might get some crossover votes. I don’t trust this guy.
Al Capone saying he’s for gun control.
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