(Tribune News Service) — Frank Thorp, a former Navy midshipman, recently launched his campaign to be the next Ward 8 alderman.

Thorp, a Democrat, is the second person running against five-term Democratic incumbent Ross Arnett. Will Cunha, an independent who is also a Naval Academy graduate, launched his campaign in November.

Thorp, 65, enters the race after 28 years in the Navy, retiring with the rank of rear admiral. An Annapolis native, he graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1981. He served as a surface warfare officer for about five years before transitioning to public affairs. Over the course of his career, his leadership roles have included deputy assistant secretary of defense for Strategic Communications and president and CEO of the U.S. Navy Memorial. He is also a board member of the Annapolis Maritime Museum.

“I’m not retiring, I am rewiring,” Thorp said of his decision to retire from the military and enter politics.

Thorp’s priorities include maintaining the maritime culture in Eastport, such as boating facilities and public access to the waterway. Asked about houseboats, Thorp says he is concerned about them being used as short-term rentals. However, he said that Arnett is “spot on” in trying to put together a task force that looks at the issue.

“We have to focus on the uniqueness of Eastport as it relates to the maritime sustainability and its culture,” he said.

Thorp supports building bike lanes and bike racks to promote short travel. He also wants the police department to hire more officers to address what he calls “unacceptable crime levels.”

“I think at the end of the day, we need to remember that Eastport is a peninsula. … You know, parking is part of the part of the challenge we have here. So, every decision we make in the future of Annapolis needs to take into account parking, traffic, public services and all that,” he said.

Thorp filed his paperwork with the city last week.

When the Capital asked Arnett if he intends to run for reelection in November he said, “it’s always been [his] intention to run for a sixth term.” He could not be reached for comment about the status of his paperwork.

Ward 1, Ward 2 and Ward 7 also have candidates that have either announced they are running or have been verified through the city’s Board of Supervisors of Elections. Harry Huntley and Ron Gunzburger — both Ward 1 Democrats — and Ward 2 Alderwoman Karma O’Neill, a Democrat, are all official candidates for their respective wards.

As of October, Tom Sells, a Democrat who is running in Ward 1, and Ward 7 Alderman Rob Savidge, a Democrat, have said they intend to run. No one new has been verified as of Jan. 3, according to Eileen Leahy, chair of the Board of Supervisors of Elections.

In the mayoral race, Jared Littmann and Rhonda Pindell Charles — both Democrats — are the only candidates that are verified so far with the elections board.

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