Tony Campbell (politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tony Campbell
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Antonio Wade Campbell
November 25, 1965 |
| Political party | Democratic (before 1996) Republican (1996–present) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Geneva College University of Pittsburgh (BA) Towson University (MA) Liberty University (MDiv, DMin) |
Antonio Wade Campbell (born November 29, 1965) is an American educator and politician. He ran for the United States Senate in Maryland in 2018. He was the candidate for the Republican Party. He did not win, losing to the person already in office, Democrat Ben Cardin.
Tony Campbell teaches political science at Towson University. Before this, he worked as a chaplain in the U.S. Army.
Contents
About Tony Campbell
Early Life and Education
Tony Campbell grew up in Chippewa Township, Beaver County, Pennsylvania. He finished Blackhawk High School in 1983. He then went to the University of Pittsburgh. In 2003, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science.
Later, he received a Master of Science degree in Social Science from Towson University in 2007. He also earned two more degrees from Liberty University: a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) and a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.). After getting his master's degree in 2007, Campbell became a Chaplain in the U.S. Army.
Political Journey
When Tony Campbell lived in Pennsylvania, he called himself a "conservative Democrat." This meant he was a Democrat but held some conservative ideas. When he moved to Maryland, he changed to the Republican Party. He said the Democratic Party in Maryland felt "too liberal" for him. In 1999, he ran for Baltimore City Council President as a Republican but did not win.
Campbell worked in the government during President George W. Bush's time in office. However, in 2008, he wrote for a blog called "Republicans for Obama." He explained his different opinion on a national radio show.
As a Professor and Commentator
Tony Campbell teaches political science at Towson University. As a professor, he has appeared on TV to talk about government. For example, in 2017, he shared his thoughts on Donald Trump's first speech as president on a Baltimore TV station.
Community Involvement
Campbell has been a leader in Baltimore's Black Republican Council. In 2016, he hosted an open discussion for African-American politicians. This event, called “2016 Baltimore: A Colloquy on Conservative Solutions to Problems Besetting Inner-City Baltimore,” talked about issues important to Baltimore's mostly African-American population. These issues included immigration and crime.
He lives in Baltimore County, Maryland. He has been active on the Maryland Republican Party's Executive Committee. He also served on Baltimore County's group that reviews local rules. Campbell ran for Baltimore County Executive in 2014 but lost in the primary election. He is currently on the Baltimore County School Board Nomination Commission.
Running for U.S. Senate in 2018
Winning the Primary
On June 26, 2018, Tony Campbell won the Republican primary election. He received 29.2% of the votes. He was one of 11 candidates running. He won in 13 of Maryland's 23 counties and in Baltimore City.
Campaign Ideas
In the main election, Campbell's campaign focused on national safety and smaller government. He said his main goal as a Senator would be "securing America's important systems against outside threats." For education, he wanted to end certain programs like Common Core. He believed that control over schools should go back to the states from the federal government. He also wanted "fair college costs" so more students could get a four-year college degree.
In an interview, Campbell said he supported a balanced budget amendment. This rule would help make sure the government doesn't spend more money than it earns. He generally agreed with the Trump administration's ideas on the economy and foreign policy.
The Debate and Election Outcome
On October 7, 2018, Campbell had a lively TV debate with his Democratic opponent, Ben Cardin. Cardin was already a Senator and was running for his third term. Campbell said Cardin should have done more about Baltimore's high crime rate and struggling schools. Cardin replied that these are mainly local government responsibilities.
Campbell also said Cardin was part of the disagreements between political parties in the Senate. He criticized Cardin for voting against the approval of a judge for the US Supreme Court, Brett Kavanaugh. Cardin said he had "worked with people from other parties" on issues like protecting the Chesapeake Bay.
Maryland is a state that usually votes for Democrats. When asked about his chances against a Democrat who was expected to win, Campbell mentioned that Republican Governor Larry Hogan won in 2014. Campbell said, "people are ready for change. The person already in office has been in Congress for 32 years and there’s not much to show for it.”
On October 18, Campbell appeared with Democratic candidate Ben Jealous on a TV show called Take on America. They discussed "Black Men in Baltimore." The show looked at ways to solve challenges for many African-American residents in inner-city areas, like poverty and crime.
In a CNN interview on October 23, Senator Cardin asked the U.S. government to give help to a large group of Central American migrants. They were traveling through Mexico towards the U.S. border. Cardin said their situation was "desperate." He added that "America's strength is in our values." Campbell strongly disagreed. He posted on social media that the "illegal immigrant caravan... seeks to challenge our country's right to control its borders by rushing in."
Tony Campbell lost the election on November 7, 2018. He received 31% of the votes (659,380 votes). Cardin received 64% (1,363,259 votes). If Campbell had won, he would have been Maryland's first African-American Senator.
As an Author
Tony Campbell has written two non-fiction books. In 2014, he wrote America Today: Political Theory and Practical Politics. This book is a collection of ideas from old thinkers like Plato and how they connect to today's American politics. It is used as a textbook in political science, pre-law, and history classes.
His second book, A More Perfect Union: Connecting the Dots Between Today's Politics and the History of Political Thought, was written in 2017. The title comes from the introduction to the U.S. Constitution. The book talks about how the Constitution applies to political discussions and decisions today.
