Franchot says Dougherty will beat Bartlett

Franchot believes Dougherty is going to "pull off the biggest political upset in recent Maryland history." : Politicker Photo

FREDERICK - Comptroller Peter Franchot is making a bold prediction: Jennifer Dougherty is going to "pull off the biggest political upset in recent Maryland history" in her bid for Congress against eight-term U.S. Rep. U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-Frederick).

"We're gonna wake up on November 5th and one of the headlines is going to be Jennifer's victory," said Franchot, who joined Dougherty on a walking tour yesterday in Frederick, where the Democratic House candidate served as Mayor.

Franchot said Dougherty "needs to speak out for change" in order to win in November.

"This is not even a party vote this year. This is a vote for a new America," he said. "What we need is a breath of fresh air in Washington."

Dougherty said her job in congress would be to "make it easy to get from the federal policy to the tax payer and person who lives here in the 6th Congressional District."

"Politics is so much about timing," Franchot added. "My own mother didn't think I was gonna win because I was running against a Maryland legend. But I always had a feeling that the public was ready to switch. I think that's what's going on now."

Dougherty has been calling on her opponent to release his tax returns after he failed to properly disclose an estimated $1 million in income from property sales since 2004.

"This could be a serious legal matter involving more than $1 million in real estate sales," said Dougherty in a statement last week. "I hope he will do everything he can to clear this up." Dougherty pressed Bartlett to "face me or the public."

In an interview with PolitickerMD.com, Dougherty declined to make public her own tax returns. "Did Ted Steven's opponents release their tax returns?" she asked rhetorically. "This is his issue. His to explain."

Dougherty is currently running against Bartlett in Maryland 6th Congressional District. Bartlett has held the seat since 1992. In 2006, Bartlett defeated Democrat Andrew Duck with 69 percent of the vote.