Gary Hoover

FREDERICK -- Republican Roscoe Bartlett defended his record in the U.S. Congress before his opponents could really get their attacks going during a Wednesday evening debate at Frederick Community College.

The virtual town hall for Maryland's 6th Congressional District featured former Frederick Mayor Jennifer Dougherty (D), Libertarian Gary Hoover, and the incumbent Bartlett.

"Jennifer is gonna accuse me of voting for and against a lot of things," said Bartlett only moments after Dougherty took her first shot. "You need to understand that bills in Congress are seldom single issue bills."

For the first time in its history, the Maryland Libertarian Party will run a full slate of congressional candidates this fall. Gary Hoover was nominated in the 6th District last night to fill out the ticket.

"We're happy to have him," Maryland Libertarian Party Chairman Bob Johnston told PolitickerMD.com about Hoover. "He is really blunt and to the point."

On his campaign website, http://www.hoover4congress08.com/, Hoover describes how he was a Democrat for 32 years but left the party because "Democrats no longer hold the same values that I do." He had similar statements about the Republican Party.

Among the issues that he considers important, Hoover described the need to lower the deficit, reform Social Security and Medicare, and explained his desire to see the war in Iraq end.

Last night, the state Libertarian Party nominated Gary Hoover as their House candidate in the  Sixth District, providing them with a full slate in November.

Combined with promises of a vigorous presidential campaign from ex-Rep. Bob Barr, and the LPs could have a presence this year.