ST.MICHAELS 鈥 On Sept. 10, George Walish Jr. launched his campaign as a Democratic candidate for Maryland鈥檚 1st Congressional District.
Walish, 75, is a St. Michaels resident and a former senior executive at BMW of North America. He briefly served as an elected commissioner for the Town of St. Michaels in 2008 and 2009.
Walish said he is running because he believes he could do a better job representing the Eastern Shore and responding to residents鈥 needs than Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md. 1st). Harris has represented the district in Congress since 2010.
鈥淭he first week that you could register in February, I was there,鈥 Walish said. 鈥淚n fact, I was there on the second day, and I was just determined that I could do a better job.鈥
Walish had a seven-month stint as a commissioner of St. Michaels, until he resigned amid controversy surrounding the never-constructed Miles Point subdivision. Walish opposed a growth allocation awarded to the property鈥檚 developer, which had been a key issue of his campaign, he said.
When he resigned in 2009, Walish wrote in his resignation letter that 鈥淚t has become increasingly apparent over the last half of 2008 that it will not be possible to accomplish for the voters of St. Michaels the initiatives that I was elected to deliver to them.鈥
While Walish left only seven months into the office, he said he wanted to assure the Eastern Shore residents that he is not a quitter.
鈥淚 worked for the same company for 30 years. I was married to the same person for 33 years. So, I鈥檓 not a quitter,鈥 Walish said.
Walish鈥檚 business career includes leadership tenures with Xerox Corporation, Chrysler and BMW, where he became one of the company鈥檚 youngest senior executives in North America.
As BMW鈥檚 senior executive, he led the entire company鈥檚 integration of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and chaired BMW鈥檚 Diversity Committee. Under his leadership, BMW expanded diversity efforts across its workforce.
Walish plans to focus on the health of the Chesapeake Bay if elected. He said he would also support farmers and watermen.
鈥淔or example, farmers are really having a tough time right now, and I would definitely support some sort of program that would help them,鈥 he said.
The 2026 primary election is scheduled for June, with the general election to follow in November. The winner will represent Maryland鈥檚 1st District in the U.S. House of Representatives for a two-year term.
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