CD6: Tea Party Dischord? 18-Year-Veteran Staffer for Rep. Roscoe Bartlett Quits to Work for Rival Joe Krysztoforski

A Maryland Juice reader sent us an unusual note this week. They reported that Myra Kidd a longtime aide to Rep. Roscoe Bartlett recently quit her job and is working for his opponent, Tea Party candidate Joe Krysztoforski. Notably, Krysztoforski has won the support of Tea Party groups and came in first place in Maryland Juice's grassroots intensity straw poll. See the email message below:

SOURCE: At Saturday's CD6 forum at Allegany College I overheard two Krysztoforski staffers dicussing a Meet and Greet held in Oakland on Tuesday, organized by a recent addition to the campaign staff. I was surprised when in the next sentence she named Myra Kidd as the organizer of the event. I didn't believe what I had heard.

I know Myra Kidd, she manages Bartlett's district office in Washington County and has worked for him for over 18 years. After the forum I checked into it further and found out that Myra resigned as Bartlett's District Office Manager four weeks back and she is now working on the Krysztoforski campaign. I wonder what she knows that we don't?

A brief check of the Congressional staff salary database confirms Ms. Kidd's recent employment in Rep. Bartlett's office. After some prodding around, Maryland Juice also received the flyer below announcing a Krysztoforski event hosted by Myra Kidd. A top staff defection this close to an election is a bit unusual. Does this represent true Tea Party and ideological dissatisfaction with Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, or is something else going on?

Former Aide to Rep. Roscoe Bartlett Myra Kidd Hosts Event for Rival Tea Party Candidate