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The lead-up to the 2024 Presidential Election was fraught with tension, name calling and disagreements. That was especially true on social media. Locally, it involved one of the District’s most famous chefs and a Maryland congressman who is also one of Donald Trump’s biggest supporters.
On Monday, 1st District Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) posted on X that prices are up 20% under the Biden-Harris administration, and noted that the vice president told ABC’s “The View” there wasn’t anything she would have done differently during her time in the White House.
In response, chef and humanitarian José Andrés said he was ready to retire and run for Harris’ seat. He added Harris was telling lies and using hateful rhetoric and that Maryland deserves better.
.@RepAndyHarrisMD I will retire and run for your seat…you are a disgrace making so many lies and hateful rhetoric..Maryland deserves better specially in my favorite state in the USA…..Maryland! https://t.co/4n8zvNoUJc
— Chef José Andrés ️ (@chefjoseandres) November 5, 2024
Harris’ response to the threat was pretty dismissive.
“He ought to be a comedian,” Harris told WTOP. “A Montgomery County liberal, socialist, Democrat is not going to win in the 1st Congressional District.”
The 1st District includes Maryland’s entire Eastern Shore, and loops around into the Baltimore area. It’s a seat Harris has held since 2011.
A representative for Andrés said the chef wasn’t available to comment, but he reportedly texted a little bit with Washingtonian Magazine, saying ultimately he wouldn’t run for any House seat. Instead, he said he would consider running for a U.S. Senate seat.
Andres made similar comments in 2018, but he also told Washingtonian if he did run, it would be as an independent, citing both parties’ inability to pass progressive immigration reform.
“People can say whatever they want on social media,” said Harris. “If he wants to … move into the 1st Congressional District from liberal Montgomery County, he can do that. He won’t be well received.”
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