Tracy Starr

“Maryland families and businesses are being squeezed by rising electricity bills, and the status quo is unacceptable. Here’s what I will do:

Hold Data Centers Accountable. Data centers are among the fastest-growing drivers of energy demand in our region. I will push legislation to prevent data center operators from shifting their outsized energy costs onto everyday residents. If you’re consuming massive amounts of power for profit, you pay your fair share — not my constituents.

Empower Residents with Renewable Options. I will expand tax credits and incentives for homeowners to install solar panels and small residential wind turbines, putting power generation — and cost control — directly in the hands of Maryland families. Energy independence at the household level is one of the most effective tools we have against rate volatility.

Cap Excessive Utility Charges. Energy companies should not be profiting beyond their actual costs on the backs of struggling residents. I will support legislation capping what utilities can charge in excess of verified operational costs, bringing real accountability to rate-setting.

Invest in a Renewable Future. I will advocate for significant state and federal government investment in renewable energy infrastructure — solar, wind, and emerging technologies — to diversify our grid, reduce dependence on volatile fossil fuel markets, and drive down costs long-term.

Rising energy bills are not inevitable — they are the result of policy choices.”

“Losing nearly 25,000 federal jobs is a serious blow — but it is also a call to action to build an economy that was never overly dependent on any single employer in the first place.

I will aggressively pursue business investment from a broad range of industries — technology, healthcare, manufacturing, and green energy — that offer competitive salaries and strong benefits. Maryland’s talented workforce deserves employers who match that talent. Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. I will expand access to affordable employee benefits, provide marketing and operational tools, and reduce the administrative burdens that prevent small business owners from hiring and growing confidently.

A lost federal job does not have to mean a lost career. I will expand apprenticeship programs, certification pathways, and retraining initiatives so that workers at every education level have a real bridge to new opportunity — not just a brochure. I will push to raise Maryland’s minimum wage and pursue policies that require large corporations to reinvest executive compensation savings back into their frontline workforce. Prosperity should not stop at the executive suite.

Maryland’s greatest asset has always been its people. My commitment is to build an economy where a federal job loss is a setback — not a life sentence — and where every worker, regardless of background or degree, has a path forward.”

“I am committed to the following evidence-based approaches:

Maryland integrates mental health screening into primary care, but screening alone is not enough. I will ensure that primary care physicians are thoroughly trained to recognize, interpret, and act on mental health indicators — including subtle warning signs that might otherwise be dismissed. Early intervention at the primary care level saves lives.

Medications like buprenorphine and methadone are among the most effective tools for treating opioid use disorder, yet fewer than 1 in 5 people who need them receive them. I will fight to expand access statewide, particularly in communities of color where treatment gaps are most severe.

Telepsychiatry is clinically proven to be as effective as in-person care. I will support permanent telehealth funding and reimbursement parity so geography is never a barrier to mental healthcare. This can also lead to a de-stigmatization of mental health treatment. With better access and better education from primary care physicians, we can improve mental health for those who are otherwise marginalized.

I will invest in expanding a behavioral health workforce specifically trained to serve Black, Indigenous, and other historically marginalized communities, where mistrust of healthcare institutions remains a documented barrier to treatment.

I will advocate for sustained funding for public health agencies, harm reduction programs, and community-based prevention.”

“I will push for significant pay increases for educators and create pathways that attract professionals with real-world STEM experience into our classrooms. Teachers who have worked in science, technology, and engineering bring irreplaceable perspective.

Research is clear — young children absorb learning fastest in their earliest years. I will prioritize making quality early childhood education publicly available and universally accessible, with STEM and arts woven into everyday learning from the start.

I will embrace STEAM, not just STEM. Integrating the arts cultivates creativity alongside analytical thinking — producing more innovative, well-rounded graduates. I will support curriculum funding that reflects this.

Make public schools the premier choice. Through sustained funding increases and enriched programming, I will ensure public schools are where families want to send their children — not a fallback option.

Strong schools build strong economies.”

“I will support policies that rigorously measure the environmental cost of every development proposal, ensuring that green space, wetlands, and natural corridors are protected — not sacrificed for corporate profit.

I will protect our waterways and parks. Clean water and accessible public parks are non-negotiable public goods. I will oppose development that threatens our waterways and advocate for sustained funding for parks and open space preservation across the district and state.

Invest heavily in recycling and reuse. I will champion expanded recycling infrastructure and reuse programs, paired with robust public education campaigns that make responsible resource stewardship a community norm — not an afterthought.

Put people and environment before corporate interests. Land development decisions must serve residents and ecosystems first. I will fight to remove corporate profit motives from conversations where our environment’s health is at stake. Maryland’s natural resources belong to all of us.”

“I will employ advisors with formal scientific training and real research experience, ensuring that every major policy decision is informed by people who understand scientific methodology — not just political optics.

I will embed science into the policymaking process. Where research and data demonstrate clear impacts — on public health, the environment, education, or the economy — that evidence will be a required input, not an optional consideration. Policy built on fact produces better outcomes than policy built on ideology.

I will install structured guardrails. Good science-based policy must be durable. I will work to build institutional protections that prevent evidence-based policies from being quietly dismantled, defunded, or manipulated by shifting political winds or outside interests.

I am committed to full transparency. My constituents deserve to know what evidence informed my decisions. I will maintain open communication about the research and expert guidance behind my policy choices.

Science is not partisan.”

“Science and research permeates my family from past to present. I have several family members who were in scientific fields at one time or another. I will advocate forcefully for increased funding to NIST, NSF, NIH, and NASA — institutions that have driven American scientific leadership for generations and are critical to Maryland’s economy and workforce. Gutting these agencies is not fiscal responsibility; it is surrendering our competitive edge.

I will invest in AI safety and human-centered innovation. Artificial intelligence must be developed responsibly. I will support research initiatives that prioritize AI safety, ensuring that technological advancement protects workers, enhances human capability, and does not simply displace it.

I will keep America at the forefront of global research. Other nations are investing heavily in science and innovation. We cannot afford to fall behind. I will push to recruit and retain world-class researchers and scientists, making America — and Maryland — a destination for the brightest minds.

Innovation is national security. I will fund it like it.”