Bartlett and McCain

Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-Frederick) will be the only incumbent Republican from Maryland on the congressional ballot this fall.

The eight-term representative from Maryland's Sixth Congressional District, Bartlett will square-off against former Frederick Mayor Jennifer Dougherty (D).

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) will lead the GOP on the presidential ticket.

Over the years, Bartlett has come to know and "admire" McCain, according to Lisa Wright, the congressman's press secretary.

"He was personal friends with a number of candidates running in the Republican primary," Wright said, citing that as a major reason why Bartlett did not endorse a candidate in the primary.

Wright specifically referred to Rep. Duncan Hunter from California, who serves with Bartlett on the House Armed Services Committee, and Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, calling Paul one of Bartlett's "closest friends in Congress."

Outside of Maryland's two Democratic senators, Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin, Wright said Bartlett has "worked more with Sen. McCain than any other senator."

She specifically referred to the work the two men did together earlier this decade investigating the Air Force lease of Boeing aerial refueling tankers.

At the time, Bartlett was the chairman of the House Armed Services Projection Forces Subcommittee, while McCain chaired the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Wright also said Bartlett expressed his appreciation for McCain's stance against torture, particularly after the Abu Ghraib prison scandal broke in 2004.

"He has said that it is not an appropriate American policy," Wright said of McCain.

She said the congressman "looks forward to continuing" to work with McCain.