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The two Adams County Republican commissioners, Jim Martin and Randy Phiel, have also opened their reelection campaigns.
Incumbent Democratic Adams County Councilmember Marty Qually officially opened his campaign for reflection at the Democratic Party headquarters in Gettysburg on Friday evening.
Qually was introduced by Gettysburg Borough Council member Matt Moon, who said “Marty has spent more than a decade answering a simple question: ‘How can I help?'” Moon said Qually had been focused on improving mental health, and was instrumental in creating Gettysburg’s Mercy House addiction recovery center.
Party member Lois Starkey noted the immense responsibilities that come with the commissioner job, including overseeing almost 30 separate departments that deal with issues including agriculture, tourism, transportation, jails, courts, and health, as well as an $87 million annual budget.
“The commissioners’ job is to create a county where we can feel safe and secure,” she said. “I can’t say enough about Marty Qually.”
“Candidates do not win elections; teams win elections,” said Qually as he introduced the members of his reelection staff. “We are developing a base in Adams County for Democrats to run for office.”
“Don’t vote for me because of what I’ve done in the past; vote for me because of what we’ll accomplish in the future,” he said.
Qually said if reelected he would focus his next term on issues including affordable housing, broadband, and criminal justice. He asked residents to vote for him because “today we are moving forward.”
Qually cited a record of success in working with commissioners Martin and Phiel, saying “It’s so easy to find a way to disagree. But there’s also a whole lot we can agree on.”
Featured image caption: The Qually reelection team [Leon Reed].
Charles Stangor is Gettysburg Connection's Publisher and Editor in Chief.
Leon Reed, freelance reporter, is a former US Senate staff member, defense consultant, and history teacher. He is a seven year resident of Gettysburg, where he writes military history and explores the park and the Adams County countryside. He is the publisher at Little Falls Books, chaired the Adams County 2020 Census Complete Count Committee and is on the board of SCCAP and the local Habitat for Humanity chapter. He and his wife, Lois, have 3 children, 3 cats, and 5 grandchildren.
Qually and Moon should stop touting the Mercy House as an example of either of their success in improving access to vital services. It isn’t operational and never was operational in its intended capacity. It’s an example of continuing to fail forward on faux merit. Illusions of progress and success. Par for the Gettysburg Course.