How much exposure is too much for a candidate? The guy looking to unseat Maryland’s Senate President might find out after videos of him singing seemingly naked resurfaced that he posted online six years ago.
Bobby LaPin, a social media personality who also owns a sailing business in Baltimore, is challenging Bill Ferguson in the District 46 Democratic primary. LaPin has largely been using his social media platform to get his message out, running to the left of Ferguson and focusing on progressive ideas.
During the COVID pandemic, he made a series of videos called ‘Bobby’s Naked Friday Love Songs’ and posted them to YouTube. In the videos, LaPin is seen appearing to be naked [though he later told FOX45 News he was wearing “shorty shorts” or a “speedo” of sorts], playing the guitar and singing.
“If people want the same statue, empty suit, politician that we’ve already always had, I think they can vote for that,” he said during an interview with FOX45 News. “If I had been planning to run from office my whole life, maybe I wouldn’t have made videos that cheered people up during COVID.”
FOX45 News also questioned LaPin about public Venmo transactions; memo lines include sexually suggestive emojis, ‘VD test’, ‘Doctors test’, and ‘Hose and Bohs.’
LaPin said there were no such tests and chalked it up to jokes among friends. Despite the naked video series and other posts, LaPin insists his campaign is serious.
“It will take me years to dig out a hole, a financial hole that my wife and I are in, because I chose to do this,” he said. “We’ve already maxed out one credit card, we’re about to max out the second credit card all because it’s the right thing to do.”
[People] see normal a human being, and that’s what people want to in politics. Of course I’m serious. I’ve been talking about trying to help this city and trying to make this city more affordable for years and years and years, LaPin said.
As he makes his way around the district talking to voters, he argues affordability is his big push, especially when it comes utility and energy prices.
“We have to end the multi-year rate plan that BGE has been using,” LaPin said. “You could simply introduce legislation to say, no, we’re not going to do multi-year rate plans in Maryland.”
The General Assembly passed legislation this last session that paused forecasted rate-making for one year while the Public Service Commission studies it. The legislation was signed into law earlier this week.
John Dedie, a Baltimore area political analyst, said the social media posts from LaPin show he’s a political novice. Prior to launching his campaign, going through LaPin’s online presence should have been done, Dedie said.
“Someone should have said, hey, you got to zip, zip, zip all this stuff,” Dedie said.
Follow Political Reporter Mikenzie Frost on X and Facebook. Send tips to mbfrost@sbgtv.com.
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