Fenwick Island resident Robert Maddex, former legal counsel for the Federated States of Micronesia, recently filed to run as a Democrat against Republican Rep. Gerald Hocker for the 38th district state House seat in November’s election.
“My basic concern has been that we needed to have a contested election here in the 38th district,” Maddex said earlier this week. “The least I could do was say, ‘Sure I’ll be glad to challenge the incumbent and make a race out of it.’”
Hocker, who carried all eight of the 38th district’s individual voting districts in 2004, winning by about 2,800 votes, will seek his third term as the 38th district’s state House representative this year.
“I’ve lived here all my life and been in business 35 years,” Hocker said. “I think I know the people. I think I know the district and I think I know the needs.”
Hocker said that local road improvements, and workmen’s compensation and health insurance reform, are the most important issues now facing southeastern Sussex County. Maddex agreed on health insurance reform but said that he will look for direction from potential constituents in his upcoming campaign.
“My basic problem is I’m not a politician,” said Maddex, noting that he has never run for a political office. “I want to provide the citizens with an alternative. If you’re happy with Mr. Hocker, vote for him. If you’re not, and you think that someone could do a better job, I’m willing to do that.”
Maddex grew up in a small West Virginia town across the Potomac River from Maryland but earned his bachelor’s degree in political science and law degree more than an hour away, at George Washington University in Washington. The now-64-year-old worked as an attorney for the Foreign Claims Commission of the United States and served as the interim head of the federal agency.
As an attorney for the commission, Maddex litigated and settled American citizens’ and business’ foreign claims, drafted legislation and regularly appeared before the U.S. Congress. In 1988, Maddex left the agency to work for the Federated States of Micronesia, a 607-island nation in the Pacific Ocean. He vacated that position in 1991 and, while he is still an active member of the bar in West Virginia, he has been working mostly from home since then.
Maddex said he has written legal reference books, mostly pertaining to state and federal constitutions. Those works include: “The U.S. Constitution from A-Z,” “Constitutions of the United States,” and “Constitutions of the World.” Maddex, who moved to Fenwick full-time with his wife four years ago after vacationing in the area since the ’70s, said he is willing to temporarily suspend his writing career to serve the citizens of the 38th.
“I’m trying to identify goals other people have and translate it into government action,” Maddex said. “Whatever needs to be done, I want to represent their interests.”
And, no less importantly, he wants to give residents of the 38th a choice this November.
“I’m trying to give people an alternative,” Maddex said. “It’s about challenging the incumbents to go to the citizens, and show them a record and their vision for the next two years.”