Dear friend,

As you know, the Democrats lose 90% of the rural counties in America. They lose because the Democrats often run candidates who do not know the people, culture, challenges, and opportunities of these communities. The rural-urban divide is dangerous for America because it fosters grievance and political polarization.

These dynamics are in play in Maryland’s First District.

The incumbent, Republican Andy Harris, is a strong Trump supporter who helped fuel the January 6th attack on the Capitol. Because of those actions and his failure to deliver to his constituents, Andy Harris is uniquely vulnerable in 2022.

My campaign is the alternative.

I have deep roots in Maryland. I am building a coalition of working rural families. I bring a national security background, economic platform, and common sense values that resonate with this constituency. The leader of the DELMARVA Fisheries Association, the head of the Frederick Douglass family, the Renew America Movement, and over 200 National Security officials(listed here, here, and here) have all endorsed my campaign.

Here is a bit more about me.

We are a national security family. My wife works in Diplomatic Security, our son serves as an Air Force First Lieutenant, and our daughter is at the cutting technological edge of missile defense. Our oldest son works as a software engineer at Bloomberg.

I offer a unique blend of senior government and private sector entrepreneurial experience. Currently, I am the Managing Director of the Georgetown Strategy Group, a Washington, D.C. next generation firm that leverages talent, technology, and capital to help solve some of the world's most complex problems. The Georgetown Strategy Group represents leading technology and financial firms in the Middle East and partners with Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Lincoln Laboratory to bring pre-commercial innovations to complex crises.

For two decades I represented America without regard to political parties. In May of 2019, President Trump awarded me the Presidential Award for Distinguished Service, the highest award in the Foreign Service, for “sustained extraordinary accomplishment in the conduct of the foreign policy.” In 2016, President Obama nominated me and the Senate confirmed me to serve as the Assistant Administrator for the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance. In that capacity, I led a bureau focused on global crisis response and political transition with an annual budget of $4.8 billion and a staff of nearly 1,200. I spearheaded all USAID efforts to respond to global crises and stabilization efforts – including responses in Haiti, Iraq, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, the West Bank/Gaza, and Yemen.

My economic development experience with forgotten communities around the world coupled with the need to build public private alliances to drive more inclusive economics has played well in the First District.

My website linked here outlines 21 policy positions. Below is a list of my recently published articles relating to the rural economies, opioid crisis, climate change, COVID, politics, and national security.

I would like to earn your support. Andy Harris is uniquely vulnerable and redistricting will make the map more competitive but I need your help and network to build this campaign in the First District and Maryland more broadly.

Thank you

Dave

RECENT ARTICLES AND TESTIMONY

The American Case to Support Ukraine and Why It Matters

Democrats Lose 90% of Rural Counties in America. Here is why.

Support Ukraine, but don’t send U.S. troops

‘A House Divided’

Critics see infighting among the Dems

Maryland's Rural Future

More Results, less politics: blunting the opioid crisis in Maryland’s rural communities.

Chesapeake Economics Need to Be Realigned to Better Protect the Bay

The big tent: Unifying America

The collapse of 'big steel' should be a warning for climate skeptics

Championing democracy: How America can blunt the rise of authoritarian powers

Building the next 'American century' in the age of COVID-19

Small politics and the rise of 'black swans'

Chaos and contagion: How Trump accelerates democratic dysfunction

How nations fail: Lessons for America

America adrift: Trump has ended the 'post-World War II era'

Climate change leadership would create a new 'American century'

The four horsemen: Macro trends facing an uncertain America

Making foreign aid work for the Heartland

It's a new dawn, it's a new day

Black Lives Matter as a national security imperative

In troubled times, climate change is the 'black elephant'

Biden's Moonshot

Congressional Testimony

STATEMENT BY R. DAVID HARDEN, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE GEORGETOWN STRATEGY GROUP, INC. BEFORE THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE FEBRUARY 6, 2019

STATEMENT BY R. DAVID HARDEN NOMINEE FOR ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR BUREAU FOR DEMOCRACY, CONFLICT, AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT BEFORE THE SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE MARCH 10, 2016