County Executive David Craig will face a challenger in September?s Republican primary. Bel Air greenhouse farmer and engineer Mark Fisher filed this week for the county?s top position.
Fisher, a 50-year-old aircraft engineer at Baltimore-based Middle River Aircraft Systems, filed as a Republican for the executive race Monday afternoon, marking his first attempt for a run at public office and the first challenger to Craig from within his own party. Ann Helton is running for the position as a Democrat.
“With all the construction and development going on, I think an engineer could run it better, more efficiently,” Fisher said.
Fisher said he had been considering a run since November, though he had originally had his eyes on the County Council president?s seat. The county executive does more day-to-day work, he said, and it seemed as though he?d have a better shot at that position.
Fisher offered no specific criticisms of Craig?s performance. According to his preliminary platform, part of his “dream” for the office would be to make the county into a major producer and consumer of ethanol and ethanol-derived energy ? leading the way for the country in terms of freedom from dependence on foreign oil.
He will hold his first campaign meeting this week and said he was going to try to campaign on only $1,000 of his own money and let the rest come in through supporters.
“I?m trying to be creative with the money ? and with the Internet, you can get a lot of bang for your buck,” said Fisher, who is currently developing a Web page for his biography, campaign information and platform.
While not yet backed by any big-name county Republicans, Fisher?s entry could exploit some party members? dissatisfaction with Craig?s performance and connections to Democrats.
Craig could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
