Christina J. Grigorian: Living the American Dream (Guest Column)

I have lived the American dream. And now I am running for the United States Senate to represent the people of Maryland.

I am a wife, a mother, and a practicing lawyer. I am a first-generation American whose father came to the United States in 1960, served in the U.S. Army, and then spent years working as a steelworker in a Baltimore City steel mill. My mother grew up in Baltimore City and is a graduate of Elizabeth Seton High School. My parents met at Blob’s Park, the former German beer garden in Jessup.

My childhood was typically middle class. I graduated from a public high school in Baltimore County, but then earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree from The George Washington University. Later, I graduated near the top of my class from the University of Maryland School of Law, where I was recognized at graduation as the student who best represented the highest ideals of the legal profession.

I have practiced as a lawyer for 21 years. I have watched as our Congressional representation stood on the sidelines during important debates about the lives and jobs of Marylanders. But now, I am willing to stand up and say to the people of Maryland: “We can do better.”

While I am passionate about the four central legislative priorities at the heart of my campaign – promoting economic growth, addressing crime and public safety threats, improving Maryland’s transportation structure, and readying our students

and schools for a 21st century education – two recent legislative developments finally compelled me to jump into this election.

The first was Sen. Cardin’s stunning abdication of his responsibility to the people of Maryland by following the lead of Sen. Schumer (D-NY) and refusing to support federal tax reform, despite the fact that, according to Maryland’s Comptroller, it will cut federal taxes for more than 70 percent of Marylanders for a total savings of $2.8 billion in 2018 alone. How can an elected official take direction from a New York politician about what is good for the people of Maryland? Doesn’t the privilege of representing Marylanders mean that your duty runs to your electorate, not to an out-of-state politician? And rather than rewarding Sen. Cardin’s allegiance to party over constituents, Sen. Schumer stripped Sen. Cardin of his title as ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The irony of this would be funny if it weren’t for the fact that my family and all those who call Maryland “home” are the losers in this scenario.

The second issue relates to the U.S. Senate’s lack of action on immigration reform and border security. My father came to this country at the age of 16 with $10 in his pocket and a command of the English language limited to one word: “Hello.” More than any other candidate, I understand the issues related to the promise that those who come to this country hold dear – a belief that if they work hard, they will create a better future for those who come behind them. Now, we have a stalemate on moving forward with necessary border protections because Sen. Cardin and other Democrats are unwilling to work across the aisle to support the most basic, common sense border security and immigration reform measures. Putting party politics above

Marylanders’ interests and failing to take an active role in this issue isn’t representation – it is an abdication of your responsibility to your electorate.

I don’t endeavor to be an identity politics candidate, but I can’t help but note that there is currently no woman representing the people of Maryland in the U.S. Congress, despite the fact that women make up nearly 52% of the Maryland population. How did we get to a point where there is no voice from a mother, a wife, or a sister in our federal legislative body about what is best for Maryland? And how can those of us who are parents of daughters (as I am) look at our girls and accept a situation where there is no woman’s input on policies that will directly affect their future? Maryland’s future depends on representation that is energetic, dynamic and reflective of our state’s population, and I will take every action knowing that Maryland’s girls look to their leaders to be their role models. The future of our daughters depends on us doing the right thing in the 2018 election. And, equally important, our sons (including my own) must also understand that Maryland women, too, have a voice in how they are governed.

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I know the people of Maryland: they work hard during the day, come home to spend their evenings with their families, and then say a short prayer before going to sleep to thank God for the day that was and the continued health of their children. And it is their sense of promise in the day to come that allows every Maryland citizen to get up the next morning and do it all over again.

Those are the Marylanders I know. And I look forward to representing them in the United States Senate.