md_sen_PIERPONT
ROSS PIERPONT
Age: 81 Born: September 7, 1917 in Woodlawn, Maryland Education: University of Maryland, M.D. (1940); B.S. (1937) Military: None Family: Married - Grace; 1 daughter Hometown: Timonium, Maryland Religion: Methodist Career: retired Surgeon; medical instructor |
• Republican challenger, Ross Pierpont began his political career when he ran against Spiro T. Agnew for the 1966 GOP Gubernatorial nomination in Maryland. He lost that election and has never served in political office.
• Pierpont has waged 14 unsuccessful campaigns over his career. In 1971, he ran for Mayor of Baltimore against Donald Scheafer. Pierpont was defeated in his 1990 bid for the Republican nomination for Maryland Governor.
• Health-care reform is a central issue of Pierpont's campaign. He points to the German model of publically owned insurance companies as one the U.S. should adopt - some Senate Democrats also supported this proposal a few years ago.
• Pierpont favors increased defense spending and criticizes the Clinton administration's foreign policy in Iraq and North Korea.
• Pierpont is a retired surgeon - he thinks it should be legal for all physicians to test their patients for HIV before surgery.