Former Secret Service agent to run for Senate
A former U.S. Secret Service agent from Severna Park who has served on President Barack Obama’s protective detail announced Tuesday he will seek the Republican nomination for Senate in Maryland.
Daniel Bongino, 36, who spent four years with the New York City Police Department before joining the Secret Service, said he felt compelled to leave his career in law enforcement because he feels the current political leadership in Washington is putting the country on the wrong path.
If he wins the GOP nomination, Bongino would likely face incumbent Democratic Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin in November.
“We’re doing the same things over and over again and expecting a different result,” Bongino said in an interview, adding that he would make education and the economy the focus of his campaign. “I hate labels, but I do tend to take the conservative position on economic issues because that’s what works.”
Bongino's campaign will be chaired by Brian Murphy, who ran a conservative challenge to Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. for the Republican gubernatorial nomination last year.
Bongino, who moved to Severna Park in 2002, said he is not intimidated by Maryland’s reputation as a blue state, or the Democrats’ two-to-one advantage in voter enrollment. Political observers, including the non-partisan Cook Political Report, predict that Cardin’s seat is safe for Democrats.
“Maryland’s not the blue state that everybody thinks it is,” Bongino said. “It’s hard to say conservatives can’t win if we’ve never run a real conservative.”
Bongino said he resigned from the Secret Service May 21 to think about running. Though the agency is fiercely non-political, Bongino would not be the first special agent to run for statewide office. Todd Lamb, the Republican lieutenant governor of Oklahoma, was also a former special agent.
Comments
NYPD to USSS? OK That's a reasonable aspiration. Good for him.
Relocate to MD and then jump from SS to Senate? Sorry Daniel that is a bridge too far (or too soon). How about the County Council? Or a State delegate? Or even State Senator?
Posted by: MrRational | May 31, 2011 7:18 PM
USSS to Senate? no problem! There are certain committees that he could serve on where his expertise would be very valuable. Remember, ours is supposed to be a government of the people not of the career politician. An intelligent voter would hear every candidate out... that is if they truly want to make an informed decision.
Posted by: andrew padula | June 1, 2011 4:49 AM
Look...Bongino's wife and Murphy's wife are business partners. Murphy was a democrat until a year before running for Governor and until last year he reportedly had NEVER voted in a primary election.
Murphy was on the radio last week saying Bongino thought it would be fun to run for Senate, and he quit his job to do so.
On May 1, 2011 he formed a consulting group called Silverloch and my guess he is looking for business and thus the run for Senate.
Bongino isn't any more serious about being in the Senate that Murphy was about being governor. They both just want to drum up business for their startups.
Now, ask yourself.....do we need a carpetbagger AND a yankees fan representing us in Washington.
NO
Although I can't stand Cardin, I would vote for him over this loser who has a campaign manager who is also a loser.
Posted by: Renee Brooks | June 1, 2011 11:48 AM
I personally have met both Mr. Bongino and Mr. Murphy and they are committed and enthusiastic people who would never run for public office for self gain. They both continually care about the state of Maryland and have voiced this numerous times. It is bothersome to hear someone call them “carpetbaggers” when they most certainly are not. Mr. Murphy lost the primary election to Ehrlich for the simple reason that Ehrlich had the name recognition and Mr. Murphy did not. It is unfair to call him a “loser” because if anything it was most certainly an underdog story running against a former Governor. While I am a devout O’s fan, I believe that baseball has nothing to do with politics and if you base your opinion on a candidate’s preference for a team you really shouldn’t be able to vote in the first place. Maryland needs people to run for office just like these two individuals for the sheer fact that we need to be equally represented in government. Maryland is really not all that blue of a state if you get out and talk to the people but it is sad when uninformed individuals make comments and decisions of such great importance haphazardly not truly looking at the facts.
Posted by: Kristina Martin | June 16, 2011 6:29 PM
Renee Brooks?? Again, this sounds an awful lot like the increasingly desperate Sue Payne. She lies both on the internet and on the radio about her name in order to misrepresent Bongino's positions. She is a "hack" with virtually no knowledge of the issues. It's a shame that we finally get a candidate who can actually win against Cardin and career "hacks' like Sue Payne choose to spread lies. Sue could actually do her homework and find out that there is no business registered to Daniel Bongino. Kind of hard to advertise for a business that is not in operation or selling anything. Sue has a difficult time with facts though. Bongino provided over 17 years of public service in law enforcement and left it on the line for this. Sue Payne has accomplished nothing but inventing clever pseudonyms.
Posted by: Joseph Brady | June 21, 2011 12:15 PM
SInce when is being a career politician a requirement for public office? Bongino has a MBA and almost two decades of public service. I think he is more than qualified to represent the state of maryland in the senate. If he can be trusted by Bush and Obama to protect the president of the united state's life I think we can trust him to represent our interests. A lot better than Ben Cardin has.
Posted by: Chris | June 23, 2011 2:37 PM
I know Dan, and I worked for him on a case he is user and can not be trusted do not vote for him. He just likes the TV cameras. Now, ask yourself.....do we need a carpetbagger AND a Yankees fan representing us in Washing………VOTE FOR Cardin, I would vote for him over this loser who has a campaign manager who is also a loser.
Posted by: shelley Onassis | July 10, 2011 2:33 PM
For those who don't know Dan, he left the Secret Service as the most decorated agent in history. Check out his web site, attend an event, and make your own decision.
And for those who haven't already picked up on it, the negative comments about Dan's career, and his character, are coming from Del. Pat McDonough (the guy who let someone else do the hard work for the petition drive, but always made time for cameras). He's just jealous of a new face, and he's doing all he can to sabotage Bongino - even if it hurts the party.
Guys like McDonough are the problem. Let it be, Pat - leave it to guys like Dan to clean up your mess!
Posted by: McDonough, let it rest | July 24, 2011 10:43 PM
Del. Pat McDonough, please stop posting under fake names like Onassis. Isn't impersonating a federal agent a felony? What about impersonating a Republican? You are a disgrace, and I can see why no one takes you seriously.
Posted by: Pat McDonough, stop smearing Bongino | July 25, 2011 10:43 PM