Haire, Pittman sling insults in Anne Arundel debate, but find they have plenty to agree on, too

The election for Anne Arundel County executive is one of the most competitive and consequential in the state this fall, and the stakes were reflected in the urgency and ferocity of some attacks the candidates hurled at each other during a debate Tuesday evening. County Executive Steuart Pittman (D) and his Republican challenger, County Councilmember Jessica Haire, circled each other like heavyweight pugilists at the start of their 90-minute encounter at the Maryland Hall for Creative Arts in Annapolis. Both had rehearsed zingers and substantive attacks in easy supply, to the delight of hundreds of people in attendance. But as the night wore on, the two candidates often — and sometimes to their own surprise — found themselves in agreement, and the crowd lost some of its energy and enthusiasm.