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This story was updated at 3 p.m. on July 29.

In an election dominated by strong incumbents and a bevy of challengers, Silver Spring resident Chris Stoughton is hoping to find success through grassroots door-knocking and on-the-street campaigning.

Stoughton, 33, is one of three challengers running against three established incumbents for a seat in the Maryland House of Delegates for District 20 this year. In a field where every candidate is a Democrat and the incumbents are hoping to run together as a block for re-election, Stoughton hopes to distinguish himself by speaking to his intended constituents face-to-face and relying on small, private donations only, he said in a telephone interview with the Gazette last week.

"I'm not allowing any contributions over $500, because what I'll fight for in the general assembly is real campaign finance reform," he said. "I talked to someone the other day who said, ‘You know you can't win without raising a whole lot of money,' and I said I'm going to test that theory. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm just not doing that; I'm going door to door to talk to people, ... because I have the energy and passion to come out everyday and talk to [the voters], not someone who is going to give me a lot of money."

While it may limit the size or number of campaign events he is able to finance, Stoughton was adamant that such grassroots efforts will help him not only reach voters in their homes, but, just as importantly, tune them in to his style of progressive politics.

A policy analyst and consultant for the Alexandria-based Strategic Applications International, Stoughton has worked to forward many of that public health and safety firm's goals in enacting policy, most notably working with U.S. senators to pass a bill supporting enforcement of underage drinking laws. Even after policymakers had given up, Stoughton pressed the issue until it was approved, according to SAI President Jim Copple.

"It saved $25 million for the field, [or] about $350,000 a state," Copple wrote in his e-mail response to Gazette questions last week. "We are a firm with no ‘lobbying' resources, [so] Chris did it on the merits on the program and the trust he had built with staff. This was an example of a man on a mission and [who] wouldn't accept conventional wisdom or direction; he just kept pressing until we prevailed."

Stoughton also mentioned expanding and improving mass transit and looking for clean energy jobs and benefits as top issues, citing his experience working with federal lawmakers to pass such legislation at that level.

"I feel so strongly that we need to make a lot more progress on these issues, and I just think that our delegates are not doing a good enough job," he said of his incumbent opponents. "I'm going to be a true progressive; ... we need people in there who have the passion and the energy to champion true progressive issues."

Stoughton is joined by Takoma Park resident Elihu Eli El and Silver Spring resident Robert Estrada in challenging the three incumbent House of Delegate members for the district: Tom Hucker, Sheila Hixson and Heather Mizeur. All candidates for the Dist. 20 seat are registered Democrats.

-Residence: 8508 16th St., #705 in Silver Spring

-Age: 33

-Party: Democrat

-Education: master's degree in public policy from American University; bachelor's degree in political science, University of California, San Diego.

-Work experience: More than 10 years experience in public policy, policy analysis and government relations at both the federal and state levels.

-Family: Married to Carolina Alban-Stoughton.

-Top three issues: finance reform, mass transit, clean energy development

-Campaign funds: No current contribution list on the Maryland Board of Elections website. Stoughton is only accepting donations from individuals less than $500.

-Previous political experience: Same as work experience.

-Other affiliations: Montgomery County Young Democrats, Action Committee for Transit

-Website: www.stoughtonformaryland.com