Maryland Rep. Andy Harris Steals Show During Late-Night Debate
Lawmaker gives silent shout out to No. 1 fan watching at home.
— -- It might be the congressional photobomb of the year.
As Rep. Buddy Carter delivered a statement on a TSA Worker Training program late Tuesday evening, Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., slid into a seat directly behind the lawmaker -- only Harris' attention wasn't on his freshman colleague.
As soon as Harris took his position, the three-term lawmaker gazed from his smartphone to look directly into the camera. A few seconds pass before Harris suddenly winks, apparently teasing an admirer watching the congressman's every move on C-SPAN.
Harris, a physician, cracks a wide smile before winking again, just to make sure whoever was watching didn't miss it the first time.
At one point, the stakes appear to increase. Harris, 58, reads a message on his device before removing his eyeglasses, displaying a proud smirk on his face for his No. 1 fan, as he looked directly into the camera.
Harris’ wife of 30 years, Sylvia, died unexpectedly last year. So who was the congressman toying around with?
Shelby Hodgkins, Harris’ communications director, revealed it was another woman close to the congressman’s heart.
“His mother watches for him on C-SPAN,” Hodgkins explained, “and gets a kick out of seeing him on TV.”
Jordyn Phelps and Tom Thornton contributed to this report.