Benoit to Consider Run for Congress

Anne Aruncel County Council member Jamie Benoit announced the formation of an exploratory committee to represent Maryland in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Benoit, a Crownsville resident, will seek the Democratic nomination for Maryland's Fourth Congressional District in 2012.

In a formal announcement, he said he would seek to bring a "new level of seriousness leadership" to Washington.

A former Army officer who runs his own cybersecurity company, Benoit said he was concerned that current members of Congress were not focused enough on tackling the nation's high unemployment rate.

"I’ve never been more concerned about America’s future and the future of my children and yours," he said. "At this very moment, our do-nothing Congress is depriving working-class Americans of jobs and opportunities. The hallmark of this House of Representatives is self-interest and brinksmanship."

Donna Edwards currently represents District 4, which is likely to include more people from Anne Arundel County in the next election due to redistricting.

Benoit has served the County Council since 2006 and won re-election for his District 4 Council seat in November of 2010.

In his statement announcing the Congressional exploratory committee, Benoit touted his military record and a reputation for "hard-won" compromise and "civil tone" while on the council.

Benoit is a former Odenton resident and graduate of Arundel High School. His wife, Kari, owns the wine store in Piney Orchard.

Here is the full text of Benoit's statement:

Anne Arundel County Councilman and former Army officer Jamie Benoit today announced the formation of a 2012 Congressional Exploratory Committee for the Democratic nomination for Maryland’s Fourth Congressional District. In his statement, he pledged to bring a new level of serious leadership to Washington, DC.

“Our national economy is in shambles and unemployment is at its highest in nearly three decades.  All the while, our Congresswoman is posturing for the general public instead of focusing on what matters: putting Americans back to work,” said Mr. Benoit.

“Today, I am announcing the formation of a Congressional Exploratory Committee in order  to determine whether suburban Maryland wants a Congressman for all of us; for our heroes – the servicemen and women returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan who need us now more than ever; for the men and women from GlenArden to Arden on the Severn struggling to make ends meet; and for the families in my community and yours. I’ve never been more concerned about America’s future and the future of my children and yours.  At this very moment, our do-nothing Congress is depriving working-class Americans of jobs and opportunities.  The hallmark of this House of Representatives is self-interest and brinksmanship. If I run, I’ll do my best to stop that. I will wake up every day and hold true to the values of hard-won compromise, of spirited, honest debate, and of a civil tone in our Nation’s Capital that speaks to the generations of hard work by great men and women who built our more perfect Union.”