Ludwig Says Duck can Defeat Bartlett

Andrew J. Duck, the favorite to win the Democratic nomination in Maryland’s 6th Congressional District, can defeat Republican eight-term incumbent Roscoe Bartlett in the general election, according to his campaign manager, Walter Ludwig.

“Roscoe continues to vote wrongly on everything important to the people of the sixth district,” Ludwig said.

Ludwig referred to Bartlett’s repeated votes against the children’s health insurance bill, known as SCHIP.

“On health care, you’ve got a guy who has voted five times against health care for kids.”

The 6th Congressional District is typically one of Maryland’s most conservative districts, but Ludwig said that the “desire for change reflected in the 2006 elections is not complete.”

“Roscoe Bartlett is one of the most beatable incumbents,” he added.

Duck lost the general election to Bartlett by 20 points in 2006. Ludwig, however, referred to internal polling numbers from October, which he said has brought optimism to the campaign.

In the poll, he said that Bartlett was the initial winner in a head-to-head matchup with Duck, but said that when responders were given biographical information about the two candidates, “the race was a statistical tie.”

“Andrew was even ahead by one-point,” Ludwig said.

In 2003, Duck served in Iraq as an Intelligence Liaison Officer to the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. His military service also includes time spent in Bosnia and Kuwait. Duck has been a vocal critic of the war for several years, and he has previously said that he retired from the Army at the conclusion of his tour in Iraq because he was extremely frustrated with how the war was being conducted.

“Andrew brings tremendous credibility to the war debate because of his service in Iraq,” Ludwig said.

Ludwig also said Duck supports an “immediate end to combat operations” in Iraq, but said a small force of troops needed to remain in the country to train Iraqi forces.

When asked about how many troops should remain for training purposes, Ludwig estimated 20,000. He also said that the training mission “has to be completed within a year.”

“There has to be a time when we fully turnover the country to the Iraqis,” Ludwig said.

Ludwig also tied Bartlett to President Bush, saying that the congressman supported “everything” the president wanted in Iraq.

On other issues, Ludwig said that “energy and environmental security” would be a major focus of the campaign.

“A portion of energy must be generated from alternative fuel,” Ludwig said.

He also said the country needed to “move away from fossil fuel.”

In addition, Ludwig said that the “hardest part” of the campaign was “raising money.”

“We have raised money, but we would like to raise more.”

He said the key to Duck’s success would be to “outwork,” Bartlett, and said he was “confident” that the congressman could be defeated.

At the conclusion of the interview, Ludwig reiterated the importance of the war, and said, “It is time to bring our troops home as the heroes that they are.”