The Greater Baltimore Urban League sponsored Maryland’s first three way debate including a third party candidate on Oct. 4. Senate candidates Ben Cardin (D), Michael Steele (R), and Kevin Zeese (G, L, P) spent two hours debating and fielding questions. By all accounts, Kevin Zeese won the debate.

Steele presented himself as an independent, asking people to judge him as a person. Cardin asked people to vote for him on the basis of “my record” although he played fast and loose with that record. Only Kevin ran on a vision for the future: getting off our oil addiction, taxing wealth instead of income, ensuring voting systems that we can trust.

All candidates had their share of raucus supporters, but Cardin’s supporteres became noticeably quieter as the night wore on. Kevin won over some of the undecided voters present. The Afro-American News. reported on one voter who commented that Zeese gave her pause for thought;

I liked what he talked about. I liked the values that he talked about. I liked the slate that he’s running on. So I haven’t made my mind up yet.

John Ford, a 39-year-old state employee, said although he came expecting to choose between Cardin and Steele, he also was impressed by Zeese’s performance.

The only real person that seemed genuine was Zeese. I was kind of split between Cardin and Steele, but Zeese was the better guy out of all three of them. I want somebody who’s going to care about people — genuine Americans,” he said. “Not somebody who’s already rich and once they get where they want to go, they forget about the people that put them there.

A video of the debate can be seen here.

A second three way debate is scheduled for October 25.