ROCKVILLE -- Del. Kumar P. Barve of Montgomery County rolled out more than two dozen endorsements from state lawmakers on Monday -- including House Speaker Michael E. Busch, a longtime ally -- in his bid for the state's 8th Congressional District.
Speaking for the first time to reporters as a congressional candidate, the 24-year member of the House of Delegates and former majority leader said Congress appears to have "lost faith" in the people it represents, and that too many members of both parties are "thinking small."
"America is a great nation," Barve said. "We need a Congress that acts that way."
Barve is seeking the seat that will be left vacant by Rep. Chris Van Hollen, who is running for retiring Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski's seat. He faces an increasingly crowded field of Democrats that includes Sen. Jamie Raskin, former WJLA anchor Kathleen Matthews, Del. Ana Sol Gutierrez and former White House aide Will Jawando.
Former Montgomery County Council member Valerie Ervin is also expected to run.
The district is based in Montgomery County, but it also includes portions of Frederick and Carroll counties.
Busch, making his first foray into the state's federal races this year, applauded Barve's work as majority leader on a host of controversial bills the chamber advanced in the final years of Gov. Martin O'Malley's second term, saying that the lawmaker "is the voice of what has made the Democratic Party great in the state of Maryland."
In addition to Busch, Barve announced endorsements from Dels. James W. Gilchrist, Andrew Platt, Aruna Miller, Eric Luedtke, Joseph F. Vallario, Jr. and former House Speakers Casper R. Taylor Jr. and R. Clayton 'Clay' Mitchell, Jr., among others.
The 56-year-old Barve was the first American of Indian descent to be elected to a U.S. state legislature, a distinction that could help him tap into an affluent and politically attuned donor base. If elected, he would also join 11 members of the House and Senate who are accountants.
As a "numbers guy," Barve said he would take a different approach on issues in Washington, including tax code reform.
"Accountants have a reputation of being a little nerdy and, well, a little nerdy," Barve quipped. "I believe that nobody is better situated in this campaign to get real results in Congress."