Margaret Flowers of Green Party Crashes Maryland Senate Debate

A U.S. Senate debate in Maryland between major party candidates in the state was interrupted when Green Party candidate Dr. Margaret Flowers protested her exclusion from the event Wednesday.

The debate between Democrat Representative Chris Van Hollen and Republican Delegate Kathy Szeliga was being held in an auditorium at the University of Baltimore, and Flowers walked onto the stage to say that the public would not be properly educated about their choices “without having a full public discussion,” according to CNN.

Flowers continued, “How does it serve democracy or serve the public if I’m excluded from this discussion if I’m on the ballot?” Flowers was not invited to participate in the debate because she had not reached the 10 percent polling requirement in order to be included. She was escorted off the stage by security as she said, “This is how you treat a candidate?” CNN reported.

Flowers is a physician who has sought to be recognized by debate organizers for months. Her supporters applauded the interruption, according to The Baltimore Sun. Flowers is currently polling at about five percent.

Both Szeliga and Van Hollen have publicly said they are open to including Flowers in debates. The debate continued after Flowers was escorted out.

Flowers is campaigning on a single payer health care system and a crackdown on Wall Street greed, The Sun reported. Van Hollen is currently enjoying an almost 30-point lead in late September polling by the Washington Post and University of Maryland. The seat is being vacated this year by longtime member, Sentator Barbara Mikulski.

Flowers' campaign posted a video of the disruption on Facebook.

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