D.C. advocates see Maryland Congressman Andy Harris as the ultimate meddler after he successfully introduced an amendment to block the implementation of the city’s marijuana decriminalization law, and they’re getting up in his business again.

Four District residents went out to the Eastern Shore of Maryland to attend a Harris town hall, including Adam Eidinger of DCMJ, who helped pass Initiative 71. (Also among the four was Eidinger’s daughter, “who did her best ‘I’m bored’ face,” Eidinger says.) He asked Harris why the Congressman would “overturn a law” that more than 70 percent of D.C. residents supported, to a mixed reaction from the crowd.

As Harris seeks reelection in Maryland’s 1st District, his attempts to screw with D.C. marijuana reform could cost him the seat he’s held since 2010. A recent poll commissioned by the campaign of one of his opponents—former Maryland House of Delegates member Michael Smigiel—has Smigiel up 58 percent to Harris’ 29 percent in the primary.

Harris’ interaction with the D.C. interlopers continued after the town hall, which the Baltimore Sun says 80 people attended.

Harris told Eidinger that D.C. shouldn’t be a state because it “makes irresponsible decisions like legalizing marijuana.”

Eidinger says that Harris’ stance doesn’t line up with the beliefs of his constituents, who “hate big government, but what Harris did was an example of big government and it was arrogant.”

Smigiel, Harris’ opponent, agrees. “Big government from the left or big government from the right is wrong,” he tells DCist. “Andy Harris’ position isn’t that different from King George’s.” Smigiel describes himself as a “libertarian-minded person.”

For his part, Smigiel promises to “respect the autonomous decisions of people. If D.C. wants to be a state, we should respect that.” He says it “isn’t my place” to be an advocate for D.C. statehood, but instead would listen when residents hold their own vote.

Smigiel also has a legislative history with marijuana reform, co-sponsoring Maryland’s 2014 decriminalization bill with Maryland State Delegate Heather Mizeur. “I was the only Republican back there arguing over marijuana,” he says. “The conservative stance is out of touch that if we allow this, society will completely fall down.”

But Harris doesn’t seem to be budging. “Recreational marijuana is dangerous, that’s the way it is,” Harris, a doctor, told Eidinger before a staffer whisked away the Congressman for a Coast Guard interview.

Smigiel thinks that taking down Harris would serve as a lesson to other public officials. “If you take this position, if you make yourself a symbol of fighting marijuana, you will be removed.”

Eidinger thinks that the Smigiel campaign should use “the same strategy we used here for marijuana—just register a lot of young voters under 30 who aren’t participating.”

“This is the first of many planned trips,” says Eidinger. “We’re definitely interested in this primary.”

The Harris campaign did not respond to requests for comment.

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