SALISBURY – Three governors will convene in Salisbury next month to promote civility and bipartisanship through conversation.
On Monday, Feb. 11, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, Delaware Gov. John Carney and Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam will come together at Salisbury University for the third installment in a conversation series featuring elected leaders.
The event, entitled “A Conversation with the Governors of Delmarva,” will allow members of the public to hear from the three leaders as they discuss issues specific to Delmarva.
The Greater Salisbury Committee, in collaboration with Salisbury University, will host the event. President and CEO Mike Dunn said all are welcome to attend.
“The governors will engage in conversation,” he said. “It will be issue-based, but not just issue-based. We really want to provide an opportunity for people in the three states to hear and see their governor interact.”
Dunn said the idea to host an event with the three governors came after two successful conversation series, one with Hogan and Comptroller Peter Franchot and another with Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen.
“This is the third year of the series, and we are thrilled,” he said. “Each of the governors has reacted to this in a positive way.”
Unlike forums or debates often seen during election years, Dunn said the conversation will form organically. He said the governors will have an opportunity to discuss hard-hitting issues, their jobs and the value of the Delmarva peninsula, among other things.
Dunn said the Greater Salisbury Committee hopes to promote civility and bipartisanship through the conversation series.
“It shows that governance can still happen in a civil way,” he said. “What better way to witness that then by grabbing a seat and listening?”
Organizers with the Greater Salisbury Committee are calling the meeting an “unprecedented event.”
“We don’t think this has ever happened before,” Dunn said, “and I don’t know how often people of Delmarva can see and interact with their governors. I think people sense this is kind of cool and exciting.”
The event will begin at 1 p.m. in Holloway Hall Auditorium at Salisbury University. Attendees are asked to arrive by 12:15 for parking.
The event is open to the public, but individuals wishing to attend are asked to RSVP to Eileen Lenehan at [email protected].
