Ramirez makes his case in District 47

District 47State Delegate Victor Ramirez, a candidate in the race to fill the vacant District 47 Senate seat, said his experience in the state legislature would aid his candidacy.

“Legislative experience counts for something,” Ramirez said during an interview today with PolitickerMD.com.

Ramirez has served the district in the House of Delegates since 2003. An attorney, Ramirez has served on the Judiciary Committee for the past year; previously serving on the Ways and Means Committee.

The delegate is joined by four other candidates seeking to replace the late Sen. Gwendolyn Britt, who passed away Jan. 12. Britt’s husband, Travis, is among those seeking the position.

If elected to the Senate, Ramirez said he would focus on the “nuts and bolts” issues that concern his constituents, like the improvement of streets and highways.

He said he would seek to “secure funding” for the CFX overpass by this year or by early 2009 at the latest, while also saying that he sought funding for the Colmar Manor Community Center.

In addition, Ramirez said he would attempt to “bring economic viability” to the district.

Highlighting his knowledge of the 47th District, Ramirez said, “I grew up here,” adding that district residents had “voted me in twice.”

The delegate also said he would keep pushing for construction of the Purple line train system.

When asked about his legislative accomplishments, Ramirez spoke of his support for a bill “expanding Medicaid to 100,000 more people.”

On health care, Ramirez said the development of “community clinics” was an affective measure to expand coverage to the uninsured.

Ramirez would not comment when asked about his opponents, saying, “I can’t speak to that.”

“I think everyone has a reason why they run for office,” Ramirez said. “It should always be about service.”

“I ran because I wanted to make a difference,” he added.

The Prince George’s County Democratic Central Committee will meet in Landover on Wednesday night to discuss a replacement for the vacancy.

Ramirez and Britt join former Delegate Rushern Baker and current Delegates Jolene Ivey and Doyle Niemann in the race.