In a move that surprised ABSOLUTELY NO ONE, former District 17 Delegate Cheryl Kagan filed to run for the Senate today. Kagan called once again for other candidates in her district to agree to what she calls her "Clean Seventeen" pledge, in which she has vowed to accept no more than half the maximum contribution limit and also to not allow contributors to exploit the infamous LLC loophole. We are not aware of any other candidate in the district meeting Kagan's challenge. Following is her press release.

CHERYL KAGAN OFFICIALLY FILES FOR STATE SENATE

Reiterates her Call for Others to Take her “Clean Seventeen” Pledge

(Annapolis, MD, May 10, 2010) Citing ethics and reform as underlying themes in her campaign, former Delegate Cheryl Kagan (D) today formally filed her candidacy for State Senator from Montgomery County’s District 17.

“Everything we want to accomplish in Annapolis is dependent on our truly being representatives of the voters, not the special interests,” said Kagan, who is operating her campaign under a self-imposed “Clean Seventeen” pledge that limits political donations. Contributions are capped at half the amount legally allowed, and wealthy donors are not allowed to exceed those limits by drawing on multiple corporate accounts—effectively closing the so-called ‘LLC Loophole.’ “Big money shouldn’t drown out the voices of regular people,” Kagan declared.

Kagan repeated a call, first issued last June when she kicked off her campaign, for all candidates in the district to take her “Clean Seventeen” pledge. According to former Delegate Paul Carlson, “What makes this unique is that while many candidates talk about their commitment to ethics and campaign finance reform, Cheryl follows through with her actions.”

Political observers, including the Washington Post and the well-respected blog Maryland Politics Watch, have consistently called Kagan’s effort to unseat a 32-year veteran of the legislature this year’s top political race and the one mostly likely to be won by the challenger. In the first organizational endorsement of the year, Cheryl‘s campaign received the enthusiastic support of NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland PAC last week.

Kagan’s grass roots campaign has attracted the support of hundreds of donors and activists. She has been knocking on doors for almost a year, listening to voters and their concerns.

Kagan represented the 17th District--which encompasses Rockville, Gaithersburg, and Garrett Park --in the House of Delegates for the eight years ending in 2003, when she chose not to run again. In addition to her public service, Cheryl has done legislative, political, and nonprofit work at the federal, state, and local level. As an advocate, she has worked on issues including gun control, reproductive rights, outreach to young leaders, and government reform.

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