JuiceBlender: Alex Mooney Resigns as MD GOP Chair But Still Eyes Congress, Supporters Push Bongino for Anne Arundel Exec

PLUS: MARYLAND JUICE ENDORSES BLAINE YOUNG FOR 2014 GOP GOVERNOR

The Internet is abuzz with evidence that the Maryland Republican Party is undergoing growing shrinking pains. Below Maryland Juice highlights several tidbits relating to the evolution of the Free State GOP:

JUICE #1: MARYLAND GOP CHAIR ALEX MOONEY RESIGNS, MAY CHALLENGE REP. JOHN DELANEY - The conservative gents at the Red Maryland blog are declaring victory over embattled GOP Chair Alex Mooney. Citing numerous gripes with Chairman Mooney, they called on him to resign last November:

P. Kenneth Burns' Maryland Politics Blog provided details on the resignation, which popped up on the public radar via a letter posted on Facebook (excerpt below):

P. KENNETH BURNS: According to a posting on Del. Mike Smigiel’s facebook page, former Frederick County Senator Alex Mooney has resigned as chairman of the Maryland Republican Party. Here is the letter posted on Smigiel’s page:

David Ferguson
Executive Director
Maryland Republican Party

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Dear Republican Central Committee Member:

It has been an honor and privilege to serve as your Chairman of The Maryland Republican Party (MDGOP) these past two years and two months. After twelve years in the state senate immediately followed by two years as MDGOP Chairman, it is time for me to pursue other ventures.

Therefore, I plan to send in my official letter of resignation as Chairman by March 1st, and I wanted to make my intentions known now so that appropriate plans can be made. 

According to our bylaws, this will allow for the election of a new Chairman on April 20th....

Sincerely,

Alex X. Mooney

The Washington Post also reported yesterday that Alex Mooney has not ruled out a future run for the 6th Congressional District seat currently held by Rep. John Delaney (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: Last year, Mooney considered running for the 6th congressional district seat held at the time by then-Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-Md.) — but ultimately backed off.

During the meeting with GOP leaders on Saturday, Mooney said he would not rule out seeking the seat at some point in the future, according to a participant....

JUICE #2: DAN BONGINO SUPPORTERS LOBBY FOR HIS APPOINTMENT TO ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY EXECUTIVE, BUT EHRLICH'S WIFE WANTS THE JOB  - This weekend WMAR reported that former GOP Gov. Bob Ehrlich's wife wants to be appointed to the open Anne Arundel County Executive's office (Hat tip: Maryland Reporter). Meanwhile, a Maryland Juice reader sent us evidence of former U.S. Senate candidate Dan Bongino's supporters asking people to vote for him in online polls. But more interesting is their lobbying for Bongino's appointment to the open Anne Arundel County Executive's post. Check out the two items below (excerpt below):

WMAR: She is the former first lady, but Kendel Ehrlich wants to be the front woman.  Ehrlich has her eyes set on the Office of Anne Arundel County executive, a seat that opened when John Leopold resigned following a guilty verdict.

"I just think it's significant that I'm a woman after many things that we've read about the prior administration.  I just think the women in the county would breathe, it would be a big breath of fresh air," said Ehrlich....

As for 2014, Ehrlich is adamant about not running for office.   She says her only interest is to restore dignity to Anne Arundel County for the rest of this term....

Below you can also read a forwarded February 9th email from Anne Arundel supporters of Dan Bongino:

From: "XXXXX" <annearundelforbongino@XXXXX>
Subject: Fwd: What's your opinion?

Friends,

The email attached below contains 2 links to polls here in Maryland. I encourage all of you to take both polls.... One question, one simple answer.... Daniel Bongino....

Also, we want to mobilize this weekend on the with emails and phones for Dan to "lobby" for this appointment by the Anne Arundel County Council to replace John Leopold.  They must name a replacement within 30 days.  However, I suspect that they may try to name a replacement much earlier than the deadline.

That is why we must get on the phone and get busy immediately. I am including a link here: http://www.aacounty.org/CountyCouncil/generalInformation.cfm

This link will direct you to the Anne Arundel County Council General Information page. From this page you can look up who your County Councilman is if you aren't sure, as well as contact info such as email addresses and a general phone number you can call.

Do both - email your Councilman and call the general number and leave a message.  I would also take the extra initiative and get personal phone numbers if you can to call and speak directly to your Councilman if you are able to do so.

It is OK to put pressure on them to cast their vote for Dan Bongino for the position. If you get feedback from them such as: "Well......there are a lot of good candidates that are running that we will look at and we will consider Dan for the position."

Don't take that answer from them.......TELL them you want Dan and no other to be named as the replacement. Tell them, also, that you are a faithful voter who never misses a mid-term election.  You are counting on them to do the right thing by placing Dan as County Executive replacement for John Leopold.  You will not take no for an answer!

Something like that.......don't be afraid to be firm.  They need to know that Dan still has a fantastic Team of supporters and that we are and will continue to be a force in Anne Arundel County elections!....

Let's get busy and make this happen for Dan ASAP.......please reply to me to let me know you have emailed and called your Count Councilman.

Please maintain email security and Bcc; when you forward this.

Blessings to all and thank you so much,

XXXX XXXX

"Because it's your money, our freedom and our children's future!" ~ Daniel Bongino (R-MD)

JUICE #3: MARYLAND JUICE ENDORSES BLAINE YOUNG FOR GOP GUBERNATORIAL NOMINATION // WHO BEST TO REPRESENT THE MADNESS - Numerous characters have announced they are contemplating a run for the GOP's gubernatorial nomination in 2014. But no Republican candidate has captured the attention of Maryland Juice in quite the way Frederick County Tea Partier Blaine Young has been able to. That's why today we are officially announcing our endorsement of Young for the Republican nomination in 2014.

Young previously made national news after his name appeared in a Madam's "black book." Since then he's doubled-down on his tabloid-style politics by embracing mean-spirited legislation like "English-only" laws for Frederick County. But Blaine Young's latest incident was the final proof we needed that the loudmouth politician would practically guarantee a Democratic governor in 2014. The Frederick News Post reported two weeks ago that Blaine Young was temporarily suspended from his duties as a youth basketball coach for cursing out a teenager who was serving as a volunteer referee:

FREDERICK NEWS POST: Let's say you're a high-ranking elected official who coaches a youth basketball team in your off time. During a game, you don't like how the calls are going against your team. Do you:

(A) Let it go.

(B) Argue the calls with the referee, but in a respectful, professional manner.

(C) Berate and bully the teenage referee after the game, using language so foul it's unpublishable, and then play the victim by saying the only reason you were suspended by the league for your actions was because of who you are. To support the "victim defense" you also post comments by sympathetic friends on your Facebook page that in turn blame the media and critics for making you look bad.

If you're Frederick County Commissioners President Blaine Young, then of course you pick (C).

Young was suspended for one game by the Linganore, Oakdale, Urbana Youth Athletic Association for his actions after a Jan. 5 basketball game involving fifth- and sixth-graders -- including his own 12-year-old son.

We know there is always more to the story, but we can't imagine anything that would justify a grown man (he's 41) cursing at a 17-year-old New Life Christian Academy student over a youth basketball game.

And we're bothered that Young just doesn't seem to get it. "I'm old school, and when someone disrespects me, I let my feelings be known," Young told a Frederick News-Post reporter....

Blaine Young cursed out this teenage basketball referee

SHAMEFUL BEHAVIOR FROM BLAINE YOUNG  //  VICTIM'S MOM DEFENDS HER SON: According to news reports, Blaine Young later apologized for cursing out the minor, but not before he tried to blame it on the teenage referee. This prompted the young victim's mother to speak out in her son's defense in the Frederick News Post (excerpt below):

FREDERICK NEWS POST:  Stacy Allwein said her son, Michael, was not the aggressor in the Jan. 5 dispute, and the New Life Christian School senior reacted only after Young, 41, made an obscene comment....

"I was furious when it all happened," she said. "We decided to let it go. We wanted to set the right example for Michael." But after reading that Young told The News-Post the referee initiated the confrontation, Stacy Allwein decided to come forward.

"I just thought it was very arrogant and (Young) was twisting things to make himself look like a victim," Allwein said. "It just appeared he had ulterior political motives. Taking the blame off him and putting it on a 17-year-old...."

Allwein, who is in his first season as a referee for this league, will continue to work games, his mother said. Referees are paid less than $20 a game, according to a league official. Her son, who has played basketball since the first grade, is a starting guard on his high school team....

CONTROVERSY DRIVING BLAINE YOUNG TO FREDERICK COUNTY EXEC RACE INSTEAD OF GOVERNOR? - This controversy may help explain why Blaine Young is now downshifting expectations from his 2014 gubernatorial run. Recent news reports indicate that after denying any interest in running for Frederick County Executive, Young is now thinking about running for that office instead of Governor. That would be a damn shame, because Maryland Juice looks forward to months of Blaine Young on the statewide campaign trail!


JUICE #4: MARYLAND ON VERGE OF BECOMING A RED STATE (ACCORDING TO MARYLAND GOP)  //  BUT MOCO GOP AIMS FOR PURPLE - Yesterday the Maryland GOP held a party to celebrate Ronald "The Gipper" Reagan. Notably, the invitation to the "Reagan Ball" claimed that Maryland "is on the verge of becoming a red state...." The Montgomery County Republican Party, however, apparently has the largest number of registered Republicans in the state. In contrast with the state party, the MoCo GOP is not claiming that Maryland is turning red. Maryland Reporter today reports that they are instead focused on trying to make Montgomery County purple. See items on the Maryland GOP and MoCo GOP plans below:

Fellow Republicans, Maryland is on the verge of becoming a red state and we're ready to party! So join us at the 3rd Annual Reagan Ball as we the celebrate the legacy of America's greatest President, Ronald Reagan, and prepare for a future of strong growth and opportunity. The Reagan Ball will take place on Saturday, February 9th at the Turf Valley Resort in Ellicott City. Black tie is optional, plus you'll be able to indulge in sumptuous hors d'oeuvres and desserts while getting to know Republicans from across our great state. Tickets are going fast, so click here to RSVP! If you have any questions, please contact us by email here (lisaemarr@gmail.com) or by telephone at (410) 263-2125. We hope to see you there! Sincerely, Lisa -- Lisa Ellis Marr Finance Team Maryland Republican Party

In contrast to the Maryland Republican Party optimism, the MoCo GOP is setting its goals a bit closer to reality:

MARYLAND REPORTER: With the help of state party leaders and a lot of data, the Montgomery County Republican Party - which boasts the largest number of registered Republicans in the state - launched an all out ground game Saturday at their annual convention in Rockville.

Their goal in this targeted effort is to change Montgomery County from blue to purple by the 2014 election. "We are not going to get where we want to be with just Republicans," said Montgomery Republican Chairman Mark Uncapher. "We need to go after Independents and soft Democrats...."

Montgomery County’s 23-member state delegation and nine-member County Council are exclusively Democratic. But changing the landscape from a minority party to a majority party where Republicans can often be outnumbered by as much as 3-to-1, may not be the ultimate end game for the county or state party....

JUICE #5: NEWS ABOUT ANNE ARUNDEL EXECUTIVE JOHN LEOPOLD TRIGGERS CONDOM CATHETER ADS BY GOOGLE - Anne Arundel County Executive John Leopold was recently convicted of misconduct relating to numerous abuses of power. These misdeeds included using police to spy on political opponents and forcing government employees to empty his urinary catheter bag. An amused Maryland Juice reader noted that readers of some news articles about Leopold's misconduct were being shown ads for "Condom Catheter Supplies." Check out the screencap below:

WATCH: Fred Evans vs. Rebecca Smondrowski - MoCo School Board Debate // PLUS: Blaine Young vs. Frederick Teachers

This November, numerous Maryland voters will elect members of their local school boards. But some of these low-profile races are among the most competitive contests on the ballot. Below Maryland Juice highlights three notable Board of Education battles: Montgomery County, Frederick County & Prince George's County.

BOE BATTLE #1 - VIDEO DEBATE FOR MONTGOMERY COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION (DISTRICT 2): Last April, Montgomery County voters nominated former principal Fred Evans and local politco Rebecca Smondrowski to run for the lone District 2 school board spot this November. Candidates from throughout Montgomery County can vote in this race. Fred Evans has the backing of the teachers union (MCEA), while Rebecca Smondrowski has the backing of The Washington Post and two other unions in Montgomery County: MCGEO and SEIU Local 500. Below you can watch Fred Evans and Rebecca Smondrowski debate on MoCo cable's "Political Pulse" show:



BOE BATTLE #2 - CANDIDATE WITHDRAWS FROM FREDERICK COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION RACE: This November, Frederick County voters will vote to fill a portion of their Board of Education seats. The race is highlighting numerous ideological battles, as Frederick Tea Party leader Blaine Young is trying to wrest control of the school board. He needs one more vote on the school board to unleash his agenda. Last May, Gazette columnist Joe Volz gave a quick background on Young's attempts to gain control the Frederick County school board:

Harford Executive David Craig Wins MD Young Republicans Straw Poll for 2014 Governor // Lt. Gov. Michael Steele is #2

Maryland Juice will be very curious to see how Free State Republicans behave in their 2014 gubernatorial primary. After all, it seems like without a shake-up of some sort, the Maryland GOP is destined to remain a regional party for the forseeable future. I truly believe that the tone of the Republicans right now is waaaaay too screechy, racist and homophobic to compete in Maryland's suburbs (example: exactly one GOP legislator Senator supported marriage equality this year-- ONE -- and we're in the year 2012). I think these politicians are being half too cute by thinking they can get away with this or turning a blind eye to it. My hunch is that they are turning off a lot of independent, moderate, and suburban voters. It remains to be seen how long the taint will last, but it could be a long time.

JuiceBlender: Van Hollen for Minority Leader, Tea Party on MoCo Muslims, MD Redistricting, Anti-Immigrant Blaine Young

Maryland Juice is playing a bit of catch-up this week, after spending a few days on the Left Coast. Unfortunately, my return flight had "mechanical failures," and so I was forced onto a midnight "redeye" flight and didn't get to post yesterday. Below you can read a round-up of interesting political tidbits from the recent news cycle:

JUICE #1: REP. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN FOR MINORITY LEADER? - A few weeks ago, Maryland Juice noted that if U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi retired, Minority Whip Jim Clyburn was set to take on Maryland's Steny Hoyer for the top Democratic leadership position in the House. Josh Kurtz of Center Maryland, however, notes that if Pelosi leaves, Rep. Chris Van Hollen would be better positioned to vie for Pelosi's job (excerpt below):

CENTER MARYLAND: ...the emerging thinking on Capitol Hill goes, Pelosi, who is 72, will decide to leave — either retire outright, or take a plum ambassadorship if Obama is re-elected.

After that, House Democrats scramble to replace her — and all hell breaks loose.

It's Official: Blaine Young Announces for 2014 Governor // MD Tea Party Fanatic Pushed English-Only Law, Frederick Sprawl

Drawing of Blaine Young from his website.

It's official -- Frederick County's attention-seeking Tea Partier, Blaine Young, has launched a bid for Maryland Governor in 2014. Mr. Young is the head of Frederick's Board of Commissioners, and Maryland Juice has previously written about some of his controversial actions.

He recently ensured that Frederick passed a useless law declaring English the official language of the County, and Frederick residents previously tried to launch a movement to recall him over his war on government employees. His hard turn to the right began after he was linked to an area Madame's prostitution scandal, in an incident that locals refer to as Blaine Young's "Black Book Scandal."

You can catch a television report of the announcement at Your4State.com, but The Frederick News-Post carried a print report (excerpt below):

FREDERICK NEWS-POST: Blaine Young says he will seek the Republican nomination for governor in 2014. In an announcement sent to media outlets today from his Yellow Cab email address, the Frederick County Commissioners president stated he has filed a statement of organization with the Maryland Board of Elections to create Blaine Young for Maryland as the first step in his gubernatorial bid....

Montgomery & Frederick School Board Primaries May Come Down to Absentees // Two Analyses of the Results

Below Maryland Juice prints two analyses from Maryland politicos regarding potentially up-in-the-air results in Montgomery and Frederick counties.

A Close Race in Montgomery // Background: In Montgomery County, the District 2 Board of Education primary will ultimately yield two winners who will proceed to the November General Election. But currently, the second and third place finishers are separated by about 450 votes, with over 3,000 absentee ballots outstanding. A Leisure World Democratic Club leader and advocate Paul Bessel provides a micro-analysis of the race. Leisure World is a massive retirement community in Montgomery County with a large Democratic Club, and its super-large precincts have historically had the highest turnout in Maryland. Bessel looks at the District 2 results thus far in the Board of Education race, and he concludes that the outcome could shift. Read his take below. The current results are as follows (click to enlarge):

A Close Race in Frederick // Background: Meanwhile, in Frederick County, the Frederick News-Post editorial board notes that Tea Party leader Blaine Young received a rebuke from voters, given the strong showing of teachers union-backed candidates in last Tuesday's school board primaries. Young has triggered famous wars with public employees in his quest to raise his profile for a run at the Governor's mansion. Nevertheless, the News-Post ed. board highlighted the potential for the results to shift slightly, given the large number of outstanding absentee ballots (relative to the narrow margins). The Frederick Primary is a preview battle for three seats on the county's school board. In last Tuesday's election, voters were allowed to select three candidates out of twelve -- but the top six will proceed to the November ballot. Read the Frederick News-Post's take below. The current results are as follows (click to enlarge):

To help guide you through the math of whether any election results might change, you may want to take a look at the numbers of absentee ballots that were mailed out by the Board of Elections - [Absentee Totals Here]. Also, note that ballots will continue being counted until April 13, 2012.

Maryland Schedule of Ballot Tabulation:

1. Early Voting: Reporting (Early Voting Results are expected to be posted by 8:30 p.m. on Election Night)
2. Election Night: 1851 of 1851 Precincts Reporting
3. Absentee 1: Reporting (The Absentee 1 canvass begins April 5, 2012)
4. Provisional: Not Reported (The Provisional canvass begins April 11, 2012)
5. Absentee 2: Not Reported (The Absentee 2 canvass begins April 13, 2012)

Current Leisure World Democratic Club Leaders : Paul Bessel is standing next to President Obama

MoCo Board of Education District 2 Outcome Could Change // by PAUL BESSEL

Political JuiceBlender: O'Malley White House Update, Pundit Analysis of CD6 Democratic Battle, Blaine Young for Governor

Here's a random blend of political tidbits, starting with an update on Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley's status in the 2016 White House field.

JUICE #1 // O'MALLEY WHITE HOUSE UPDATE: The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza has created a 2016 Presidential "bracket" and has named Gov. O'Malley the #2 seed in the race, one step behind New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (who Maryland Juice thinks is generally a douche). Unfortunately, the match-ups are a little uneven, as Gov. O'Malley is paired off against Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the first round. NY Gov. Cuomo, on the other hand, is paired off against the Montana Governor. Cillizza writes the following about his White House bracket effort:

CHRIS CILLIZZA: In our bracket we have seeded the top eight Democrats and top eight Republicans considered — by us — to be their party’s leading presidential candidates in 2016....

Here’s how the Sweet 2016 will work. Check out our bracket. Then vote in our first round matchups. Voting is open through Wednesday at 7 pm. We’ll tabulate the winners and then move on to the Elite Eight on Thursday. After narrowing the field to a Final Four on Monday, we’ll pick a winner on April 2, the day of the national championship game.

[ FILL OUT YOUR BRACKET CHOICES ]

O'MALLEY ON THE RADAR: There is no doubt that there are several reasons Governor O'Malley is constantly mentioned as a top 2016 Presidential contender. First, he has the natural advantage of representing the Washington media market -- which leads to unnaturally amplified and leveraged national political coverage, by virtue of a shared media market with the Congressional beat. Moreover, O'Malley has smartly chosen a number of tipping point issues to work on that are either priorities of the national party base or national Democratic leaders (ie: marriage equality, Dream Act and millionaires tax issues). His profile has also been elevated by strong back-to-back electoral performances in 2006 and 2010 and his leadership at the helm of the Democratic Governors Association. O'Malley's attendance at last week's White House "State Dinner" with U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron did not go unnoticed by those of us at home. Politico reports that not too many politicians were invited to the exclusive event, but Gov. O'Malley was there alongside George Clooney and the band Mumford and Sons.


JUICE #2 // MORE PUNDIT ANALYSIS OF CD6 DEM RACE: Josh Kurtz from the Center Maryland website has a scorching column today that condemns the leading candidates in the 6th Congressional District Democratic Primary. While blasting Rob Garagiola and John Delaney, Kurtz draws attention to the candidacy of military doctor Milad Pooran:

JOSH KURTZ: ...what does it say about our political system that the two leading Democratic contenders are the ultimate Annapolis insider, who has bent state fundraising rules and had the seat handed to him on a silver platter — and may still fumble the opportunity — and a very wealthy guy who is trying to buy the seat, and political credibility, aided by a Washington Post editorial board that’s on one of its unfathomable crusades?

And what does it say that both men — at the advice of their high-priced advisers — see their path to victory as a race to the bottom....

Garagiola had a legitimate claim on this Congressional seat, once the lines were drawn the way they were. But he’s made a pact with the devil — really, several devils — as he’s waged his campaign.

The first devil, of course, was Senate President Mike Miller, who was loudest among party leaders in insisting that the new 6th district be drawn just so — with Garagiola’s home in it, and other prominent Democrats out. Garagiola has considerable political talents of his own, but it only reinforced the notion, unfair but unavoidable, that he owes his entire political rise to Miller and Miller alone. Now Garagiola has the chutzpah to say he’d favor national redistricting reform....

This is clearly a case of Garagiola having to sleep in the bed that he’s made for himself. Worse, from a purely tactical perspective, he has teed up his candidacy for an unending series of attacks from the Washington Post editorial writers, who hate Mike Miller and Annapolis lobbyists almost as much as they hate unions — who, by the way, have also gotten behind Garagiola’s candidacy.

Which brings us to the Post’s favored candidate, Delaney. He seems like a good guy, and money shouldn’t be a disqualifier when considering a candidate’s merits. But haven’t we seen this movie too many times before?

Who the hell is John Delaney? Would we be giving his candidacy a moment’s thought if he didn’t have the ability to open his wallet to build a campaign apparatus? Would he have snared President Clinton’s endorsement if he hadn’t raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Hillary Clinton’s White House bid? Would the Post editorial writers even be returning his phone calls if they didn’t see his candidacy as a vehicle to knock the unions down a peg or two? And what about that contribution to Andy Harris, anyway?

Which brings us last, but not least, to Milad Pooran, a man with an interesting story to tell and solid progressive ideals. His family emigrated to the U.S. from Iran when he was 6 years old. “I’ve walked the long path to citizenship,” he says.

He’s a military doctor who has seen the horrors of war – and poverty – up close. He supports achieving universal health care coverage in this country and does not rule out the possibility of pushing for a single payer system. He’s been endorsed by Howard Dean and the co-chairmen of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

GOOD ONE MIKE MILLER - Maryland Juice continues to blame Senate President Mike Miller for artificially limiting the viable options in the 6th Congressional District. Way to go! Score one for democracy by the Democratic Party leader in the Senate. I'm not even talking about redistricting -- I'm talking about him using fear to squelch potential candidacies. You know, because he's so "good" at being a Party Boss. HaHaHa. Uh, will somebody show this guy the door already? Anyways, back to Kurtz' tirade. I'm not surprised at all that pundits and voters both should be disappointed in the way the CD6 race is developing. This doesn't look like a grand debate about the future of the Democratic Party or its issues in CD6, does it? Speaking of old news, did you catch Josh Kurtz's article noting that Delaney endorser Doug Duncan is thinking about running for Montgomery County Executive in 2014? Rolling my eyes.


JUICE #3 // FREDERICK NEWSPAPER DISSES BLAINE YOUNG FOR GOV: A few days ago, Maryland Juice flagged news coverage indicating that Frederick County politician and Tea Party leader Blaine Young had announced an exploratory effort for Governor. Thankfully, The Frederick News-Post does not rate his chances well. Also thankfully, Mr. Young has promised to serve only one term on the Board of County Commissioners. Maybe we'll be rid of him for good!

FREDERICK NEWS-POST: Frankly, it's hard to imagine how Maryland's electoral math could turn his way. Not even former Gov. Bob Ehrlich could pull off a second term, and he was, for all intents and purposes, a moderate. We'll be interested to see if this goes beyond the exploratory stage. To be honest, we doubt it.

Young, despite having once been a Democrat then flipping parties after he decided not to run again for Frederick city alderman, is about as conservative a conservative as Frederick County has to offer.

On the plus side, now is as good a time as any for a Republican to float a potential run, however....

And Young certainly is prominent, if controversial. He and his fellow commissioners gathered statewide recognition with their most recent vote to make English the official language of Frederick County government....

But it's the negative side of the ledger that Young will have most trouble with. It's unlikely the public persona -- Frederick's youngest good ol' boy -- will resonate in Montgomery, Prince George's and Baltimore counties. No Republican will be elected in Maryland without siphoning off Democratic voters in those areas.

The harsh spotlight of a run for public office can be a terrifying thing. It shows up flaws and failures in stunning high definition. No doubt the issue of the Frederick madam's Black Book -- and Young's listing in it -- will be floated and floated again in grainy black and white with ominous music and a gravelly voiceover attacking Young's credibility for office.

OMG: Frederick Tea Partier Blaine Young Announces Exploratory Bid for 2014 MD Governor - HAHAHA (Seriously!)

OMG: So the rumors have been true. Blaine Young -- Frederick County's Tea Party loudmouth -- is running for Governor of Maryland in 2014. Blaine Young is the man responsible for making English the "official language" of Frederick County, and who once served as a Democrat -- until his name appeared in a madam's little black book. He is currently serving in his first term as President of the Frederick County Board of Commissioners. The Frederick News-Post publishes an email from Mr. Young, where he describes his fantasy (see excerpts below):

BLAINE YOUNG: I’ve been watching politics in Maryland for a long time and I can honestly say I have never felt as uneasy – and almost physically ill – as I do now watching what is going on in Annapolis.

 The absolute domination of this state by one political party, which seems to know no limits to how far they are willing to exploit their monopoly of power, is taking us all for a ride that I am afraid will end up in a massive and fiery crash and burn....

  It seems to me that there is very little real prospect of Republicans gaining enough seats to overturn the Democrat majority in either the House or the Senate. Their majorities are overwhelming numerically; and, with their further gerrymandering of the legislative map, it will be next to impossible to gain a significant number of seats. Our legislature is going to be Democrat, liberal and clamoring for our money for as far into the future as the eye can see.

  It seems the only way to do anything about the one party monopoly in Annapolis is to do something in the Governor’s Mansion. Bob Ehrlich proved 10 years ago that although it is against long odds a Republican can win the Governor’s Mansion. This strategy, though daunting, at least from a historical prospective, is achievable with the right candidate and the right campaign that focuses on the excesses and arrogance of the one party rule in Annapolis. If voters truly are tired of being dictated to by a political monopoly, it is much easier for them to switch over to the other side of the ballot in the statewide race than to vote against their local delegates or senators, who many of them have met and may know well....

  This is why it is so important that the Republicans get serious about the 2014 Maryland gubernatorial campaign and start thinking about and doing what is necessary to try to win back the Governor’s Mansion. You say it’s only early 2012, and there is still plenty of time to think about an election 2 1/2 years from now? Think again!

  The Democrats are way ahead. Attorney General Doug Gansler has over $4 million in the bank, and there is no question he is going to run for governor. Comptroller Peter Franchot has raised more than $1 million. Howard County Executive Ken Ulman has also raised over a $1 million, and Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown has raised more than $800,000. The primary election is two years from this June, and from experience I can tell you, when you are trying to raise money, that two years will go by awfully fast.

  From Republicans we’ve heard some talk but haven’t seen much action. I have heard some say that they will make a decision late this year or early next year. Based on what the Democrats are doing, that will be too late. Republicans had better get serious now, and start working to raise the money which will be necessary to compete with whichever Democrat comes out of what should be a very interesting and contested primary.

  Many probably know that I am considering a run for governor of Maryland as a Republican. I am going to get this going over the next few months with an exploratory committee, and open a campaign account to raise money. My message will be very simple: One Vote Stops It All. One vote from Gov. Blaine R. Young will block any and all future tax and fee increases in the State of Maryland. And I promise I will use that one vote to veto....

  Blaine R. Young

CD6 STATUS: Pundits Weigh In On the Epic Democratic Battle // Plus, Participate In Our Dem & GOP Reader Polls: VOTE NOW

UPDATE: Maryland Juice should've been more clear up-front -- I have no preference in the CD6 race. With such a tantalizing opportunity for a NATIONAL Democratic pick-up, I am interested in moving issues and seeing how progressives can leverage this opportunity. People keep trying to brainwash me into thinking that the Democrat who emerges from this race needs to be a centrist that can win in a swing district. Duh. But that doesn't change the fact that the party base still needs to know that the CD6 victor knows how to evolve rapidly on issues -- if and when the opportunity to move the dialogue emerges.

Right now, the candidates are all proving that they are not going to be addressing the issues that I think are most ignored and that need the most work in Congress. They seem to prefer the safety of generic issue bullets and check-list style platforms aimed at core Dem issues. But let's be honest -- ANY Democrat from CD6 will be pro-environment, schools, jobs and more. Is that really how low Democrats set the bar these days? This is a national race, and the winner will be your voice on national and international issues -- maybe for many years!

I am done with the scorched earth campaigning we've been watching, but that has little to do with whether a campaign is negative or not. Can't we at least have heated disagreements on issues instead of innuendo? Where are Garagiola and Delaney on: 

1. Congress' Role in Ending Hunger/Raising the Poverty Line/School Nutrition Standards
2. The Patriot Act, Torture/Guantanamo, NDAA & the Indefinite Detention of U.S. Citizens
3. Federal Death Penalty Repeal, Police Abuse, Disproportionately High Incarceration of Minorities
4. Medical Marijuana/Decriminalization and the Obama Crackdown
5. Immigrant Justice, Secure Communities, Money Spent on Walling the Border
6. Foreign Policy - ie: Iran, Israel/Palestine, North Korea, Cuba, Sudan, etc
7. Federal Transit/Transportation Funding & Smart Growth vs. Sprawl
8. Internet Freedom, Open Government, Transparency, etc

These are just a few issues that I think have popular support on the left, but few heroes in Congress willing to do anything. I don't want to spoil a Democrats' re-election chances in a swing District, but I want to know that if they win re-election several times, the District trends blue, and they are looking safe in the future, that they will use the power of incumbency to further the movement rather than keep things the same. Nobody has been talking turkey yet, and it shows.

MIKE MILLER - EPIC FAIL: Maryland Juice has noticed that the news commentary and analysis of the 6th Congressional District is finally beginning to take form: Houston, we have an epic problem. The Democrats have a real race on their hands -- and any way you slice it, the loser here is Senate President Mike Miller. The Washington Post today noted:

With Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) playing a key role in its drafting, the reshaped district just so happens to include Garagiola’s Germantown home while excluding those of some other prominent Montgomery County Democrats who might have wanted to run.

Indeed, Mike Miller artificially reduced the number of viable candidates in the new 6th Congressional District, which made it possible for a self-financing businessman to create a head-to-head race. Moreover, Miller left the Party with few contingency options in the event of a meltdown. In short, he replaced the judgment of the Democratic Primary voters with his own. Pro-Democracy: EPIC FAIL.

FUNDRAISING DISPARITY? - Granted, State Senator Rob Garagiola may indeed win the Democratic nomination, but it appears (at least atmospherically) as if we are in a toss-up situation. We haven't seen any new polls numbers in a while, and certainly not since Garagiola's chief competitor, John Delaney, received the endorsement of Bill Clinton and The Washington Post. The Post, by the way, provided some clues about the potential spending we are likely to see in CD6:

“I think it’s fair to say Garagiola started with an advantage in this race, but the question is whether Delaney’s spending can close the gap,” said David Wasserman, House editor for the nonpartisan Cook Political Report....

Delaney’s campaign will report soon to the Federal Election Commission that it has raised more than $700,000 since the beginning of January, and that does not include what Delaney — who is worth upward of $50 million — has put into the race. He has said he is willing to spend more than $1 million of his own money to win the primary.

Garagiola, whose campaign would not provide its latest fundraising totals, has not run any ads in the race, focusing on direct mail and grass-roots support instead.

“The Garagiola campaign has been implementing its strategic plan for months, building the support of member-driven Democratic and progressive groups that are absolutely critical to win a Democratic primary,” said Garagiola campaign manager Sean Rankin, adding: “So let Delaney buy his TV ads and waste his money. Even my little boys, 6 and 8, know you can’t buy real friends; you have to earn them.”

Garagiola has a clear advantage in winning support from elected officials in Maryland, boasting the endorsements of more than two dozen members of the General Assembly, Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown and Rep. Steny H. Hoyer. (Democratic insiders said Garagiola’s allies have urged Reps. Chris Van Hollen and John P. Sarbanes to join Hoyer in endorsing Garagiola, but they chose to stay neutral.)

The rest of the Maryland pundit-class is beginning to draw some conclusions. Below we sample a few opinions (pulled from recent media reports), and we launch our first-ever poll of readers! After all, we want to hear your opinion as much as the so-called experts.

PUNDIT PREDICTS DELANEY UPSET: In yesterday's Maryland Reporter, one political science professor predicted a Delaney upset:

One political analyst said this race is not about issues, though. Rather, it’s about the candidates themselves and an anti-incumbent spirit running rampant throughout the country.

“There aren’t a great deal of differences between the candidates on policy. The parties have pretty much aligned themselves ideologically,” said Todd Eberly, assistant professor of political science at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. “Instead you find matters of character and personality, and who might be a better fit....”

Eberly said it is fair to categorize the primary now as a two-man race, and he thinks Delaney, running as an outsider, can capture that spirit. He also believes Garagiola’s failure to disclose five years of lobbying work on state financial disclosure forms will hurt him....

Eberly believes Garagiola will have more appeal in Montgomery County, but says Delaney, who lives in Potomac, doesn’t need the county to win. He believes Delaney will go after “old line” conservative Democrats in western Maryland that have traditionally voted for Republican Congressman Roscoe Bartlett, but would vote for him in the primary....

“My gut right now is that Delaney ends up pulling this out,” Ebberly said. “I think it’s going to be an upset and it will point to what will be a very interesting 2012 for political insiders and a very strange year where conventional wisdom doesn’t quite hold.”

REPUBLICANS SUPPORTING DELANEY? - In today's Gazette, Katherine Heerbrandt has a worthwhile rundown of some strange dynamics in the CD6 race. The Republicans seem to agree with Mr. Eberly on Delaney's momentum, but are now praising his campaign. Take their comments with a pound of salt, because they have every reason to try and create conflict for Democrats. Our candidates have scorched the earth, and I'm sure the Republicans are looking to convert that into an advantage. Frederick Tea Party leader Blaine Young commented:

“No one should underestimate John Delaney, not only the Democrats, but the Republicans,” said Blaine R. Young (R), Frederick County Commissioners’ president and co-chairman of incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett’s campaign for re-election. “As a Republican, I’d much rather run against Rob Garagiola than John Delaney. ... Delaney is a business person who can self-finance his campaign, while Garagiola has a work record of being a lobbyist.”

The Gazette article also includes suspicious praise about John Delaney from Rep. Roscoe Bartlett's former Chief of Staff Bud Otis. Notably, Mr. Otis was fired after publicly announcing he was seeking support for his boss' CD6 seat --- but before his boss had made a decision about whether or not to run for re-election. See Otis' remarks below:

The Delaney campaign seems to have inspired some Republicans, despite the fact they don’t want to compete with him in the general election. 

“Delaney has the most compelling record,” said Bud Otis, former chief of staff for Bartlett. “He’s been very successful in business, and we need more candidates like that. Garagiola has no real world experience. He’s been a state senator and worked at a lobbying firm in Washington.”

REPUBLICANS STILL CAN'T WIN - The same Gazette article notes that at least one area pundit thinks the Maryland GOP is engaging in wishful thinking in the CD6 race:

But another Local pundit and publisher/editor of FrederickPolitics.com, George Wenschhof, said it is doubtful Bartlett will emerge the winner in November. 

“In light of redistricting, Maryland 6th District Republican voters who say they favor facing one Democratic candidate over another are exercising wishful thinking,” Wenschhof said. “[They are] hoping for a result similar to what took place in the 2002 Maryland gubernatorial election ... [that] resulted in Republican Robert Ehrlich defeating Democratic candidate Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, in spite of dominant Democratic voter registration in the state.”

The Hagerstown Herald-Mail's Andrew Schotz notes the overwhelming Democratic registration advantage in the new CD6:

Before the 2010 election, the 6th District had 445,679 registered voters. Of those, 208,024, or 47 percent, were Republicans, and 159,715, or 36 percent, were Democrats.

In the new district, as of February, there were 413,163 registered voters. Of those, 182,934, or 44 percent, were Democrats, and 140,816, or 34 percent, were Republicans.

Schotz's article also includes a listing of both Republican and Democratic candidate debates coming up in the 6th Congressional District. In the meantime, please participate in our reader poll below. This is obviously unscientific, but this is one non-arbitrary measure of the potential intensity of volunteer support:

WOW: Frederick County Makes English Official Language // Montgomery & Baltimore Join Federal Deportation Program

WTOP is reporting that last night, Frederick County voted to make English their official language:

Frederick County has become the first in Maryland to make English the official language of the government.

The vote was 4-1 on Tuesday, with the lone dissent coming from Commissioner David Gray....

A public hearing regarding the issue took nearly three hours, during which most of the 19 people who spoke were against the measure.

Among those speaking against the ordinance was Meredith Kelly, who says the first settlers of Frederick County were German.

"By various reports, English was not the area language until the Irish immigrants came in in the late 1840s. The original newspapers were published in both German and English. So, I have to look at the history of the county and wonder, what the hell is the point of this legislation? What does it benefit, because it looks like pure anti-immigrant posturing," Kelly says.

Meanwhile, CASA de Maryland reports that today is doomsday for many Latino families in Maryland. Montgomery County and Baltimore City are set to implement the so-called "Secure Communities" program that was rejected by Democratic Governors in New York, Massachusetts and Illinois. The federal program demands that local governments check and transfer information about the citizenship status of residents, even if they are not convicted of a crime. The District of Columbia also rejected the program on the day that researchers released disturbing findings about the program. A number of actual U.S. citizens were arrested under Secure Communities (oops!), and the program disproportionately targets Latinos, sometimes breaking up families over trivial issues:

The study is the first to analyze government data on the program. Among its findings:

• 1.6 percent of those arrested were actually U.S. citizens
• 39 percent of people arrested through Secure Communities have at least one child or spouse who is a U.S. citizen
• 93 percent of those arrested are Latinos, even though they account for 77 percent of the entire undocumented population

See the press release from CASA below:

Editorial Juice // Blaine Young for Gov?, Prince of Darkness Endorses Marriage Equality, The Sun Disses English Laws

UPDATE: A Maryland Juice reader calls into question whether Blaine Young is actually planning a run for Governor. They point out that his name was also incorrectly floated for CD6. The allegation originally comes from Frederick politico Joe Volz's Gazette column (noted below).

Maryland Juice presents two tidbits of editorial commentary from the Free State's politico pipeline.

Editorial Juice #1: Prince of Darkness Endorses Marriage Equality - Former Gov. Bob Ehrlich's hatchet-man Joe Steffen (aka the Prince of Darkness) recently endorsed marriage equality in Maryland. He also weighed in on Cowardgate (aka the GOP's cover story for hate) and defends First Lady Katie O'Malley's remarks:

Look, no matter where you stand on the marriage equality issue – and for the record, and despite the fact it’s going to light up about half of my friends, I favor passage of the bill – I think the question should be “Why did she apologize?”

The way I’m hearing it, there were a few legislators who switched sides at the last minute out of fear of reprisals if they voted for the bill. To those legislators who have strong beliefs either in favor of or in opposition to the bill, that’s fine. Vote your conscience. BUT, if you’re going to jump at the last moment out of fear of what may happen if you don’t – you’re a coward.  And no apologies will be forthcoming from this end.

Maryland Juice agrees with Mr. Steffen and doesn't think there was need for an apology. Either way, I'm glad that The Prince of Darkness is no coward!

Editorial Juice #2: Blaine Young for Governor? Plus, The Baltimore Sun Disses "English Language" Stunts - The Sun's editorial board yesterday called out the stupidity of Frederick and Anne Arundel County proposals to designate English as the official language of County government (excerpt below, full article at The Sun):

Arundel English-only bill: A hostile, empty gesture
Our view: Proposals to make English the 'official language' are code for demonizing immigrants

County Councilman Jerry Walker wants to make English the official language of Anne Arundel County. That would make perfect sense if English weren't already, for all practical purposes, the county's official language. When was the last time you heard someone complain they couldn't read a county parking ticket or other official document because it was written in Urdu or Farsi?

The fact that this never occurs ought to be a clue: This is not serious legislation but rather a piece of political theater that would achieve nothing more than puffing up the councilman's reputation among the anti-immigrant crowd....

Advocating such laws is, as Mr. Walker openly admits, code for "you're not welcome here," and politicians embrace the tactic because it's a way of giving the appearance of responding to voters' concerns about illegal immigration without actually doing anything about it....

Frederick County GOP Official Compares Blaine Young's Anti-Immigrant Proposals to Nazi Germany

Maryland Juice recently flagged an article in the Frederick News-Post discussing Tea Party leader Blaine Young's package of xenophobic and anti-Liberty policy proposals. We noted that a lone member of the Frederick County Board of Commissioners, David Gray, stood up to the Tea Party proposals

The Gazette now has their take on the proceedings, and it turns out the events were even more contentious than we previously reported. First, they involved comparisons of Blaine Young's proposals to Nazi Germany, and second, Maryland Juice did not realize the criticisms were being lobbed by a fellow Republican:

One longtime Frederick County commissioner is comparing another commissioner’s decision to crack down on illegal immigrants to 1940s Nazi Germany and the treatment of Jews during the Holocaust.

Commissioner David P. Gray (R) made the comparison during a discussion at a Board of County Commissioners meeting Thursday about a package of legislation targeting illegal immigrants in the county.

Frederick County to Declare English Official Language? // Dear Neighbors, Please Do Something About Blaine Young (Seriously)

A Message to Frederick County Residents:

DE-THRONE YOUR KING: BLAINE YOUNG

Blaine Young, the elected leader of Frederick County's government has turned the Frederick County government into a taxpayer-funded Tea Party press operation. The Frederick News-Post is reporting on more embarrassing theatrics from up the I-270 corridor:

Frederick County has moved one step closer to making English its official language.

The Board of County Commissioners decided Thursday to hold a public hearing next month on the proposed ordinance. Residents will get a chance to speak on the issue before the commissioners vote....

"It just sets the tone," Commissioners President Blaine Young said.

Gov. O'Malley Says PlanMaryland Stops Subsidies for "Stupid Decisions" // MoCo Planning Board's Casey Anderson Explains

Maryland Juice has periodically discussed Governor Martin O'Malley's smart growth initiative PlanMaryland. Montgomery County Planning Board member Casey Anderson today provides readers with some information about the new land use guidelines. Conservative lawmakers have attacked the plan, but Gov. O'Malley adopted it as an Executive Order over their objections. The Baltimore Sun reported last month:

The plan has been decried by conservative county officials and Republican legislators as a usurpation of local power over land use, but O'Malley defended it Monday as a framework for making wise decisions about where the state should invest in capital projects....

O'Malley said the plan will not dictate local land-use policies but will guide state spending, steering money away from projects that promote sprawling development.

"The state's not going to be a part of those stupid decisions, and we're not going to be subsidizing stupid decisions — pardon me — unsustainable decisions," O'Malley said....

The plan seeks to discourage the spread of what it calls "large lot development areas" — subdivisions that are typically built with septic systems rather than with public water and sewer. The policy explicitly seeks to discourage the spread of such developments by minimizing funding for programs that fuel such growth.

Montgomery County Planning Board member Casey Anderson provided the following additional explanation of PlanMaryland:

The most important thing for anyone who lives in Montgomery County to understand about Plan Maryland is that if the surrounding jurisdictions are allowed to do whatever they want, the resulting sprawl will clog up our roads (because many of the people who move there will be commuting to jobs here or travel through MoCo on their way to DC).  It also will increase the amount of water pollution from runoff (because of increased amounts of impervious surface when new roads and parking lots are built, etc.) which limits our ability to grow, because the total amount of pollutants entering the Chesapeake Bay is subject to increasingly tight restrictions.  

In other words, if Frederick's development ends up polluting our watershed, then development in Montgomery will be more expensive and difficult because we will be required to pay for additional water quality mitigation in order to build anything.  

RECALL BLAINE YOUNG: Frederick Residents Seek Recall Rights // Backlash Against County's Tea Party Government

UPDATE: The News Post has issued an editorial endorsing recall rights in Frederick County: 

At a recent public meeting, some county residents requested that the state delegation help them in their wish to recall some or all of the current members of the Board of County Commissioners.

Sen. David Brinkley suggested that it might not be the best method for unhappy voters to deal with local government. He also hinted that getting traction in Annapolis for recall legislation would be difficult because of the state's traditional resistance to it.

Despite that, we urge the local delegation to craft a recall bill and introduce it in the upcoming session of the General Assembly. Maryland voters deserve the right to mount a petition to recall their elected officials. It should be a rigorous process, one that is not subject to frivolous or narrow concerns, purely political motivations, or to a small number of disgruntled residents....

And despite the fact that Brinkley may be right about the fate of such legislation, our local delegation should stand up for its constituents' rights and initiate this important discussion in the State House.

The Frederick News Post is reporting that Frederick County residents are petitioning the Maryland legislature to grant voters recall powers:

Some Frederick County residents want the power to recall their elected leaders, and on Saturday, they asked state lawmakers to help them get it.

Legislation that would arm voters with the option to remove officials midterm could make them feel less helpless between elections, said advocates of the measure. A few said they would be interested in ousting some sitting commissioners.

"How soon can you get that recall through?" Dave Twigg of Tuscarora asked the county's legislative delegation....

"We the people have no recourse and must sit idly by while those who are elected cause great harm," said Ed Hinde of Frederick.

Frederick County GOP Leader Blaine Young Seeks to Push "Illegal" Immigrants Into Montgomery County

Maryland Juice does not feel the need to give airtime to every moronic statement by a GOP politician -- but a recent comment by Frederick County politician Blaine Young is too ridiculous to ignore. While our neighbors in D.C. are fighting anti-immigrant sentiment, our other neighbors in Frederick are promoting it. In an article describing Mr. Young's new immigration strategy for Frederick County, The Gazette reported:

Commissioners’ President Blaine R. Young (R) said commissioners will explore avenues to try to curb the county’s spending on illegal immigrants. 

“We are going to make Frederick County as unfriendly to illegal residents as possible,” he said. “Let them go to Montgomery County.”

CD6 Candidates Float Trial Balloons: Doug Duncan, Mark Shriver, Chris Shank, A Tea Party Activist & More!

UPDATE:  OOPS! Maryland Juice completely misread Maryland Reporter's follow-up to our article below. They correctly noted that Sen. Nancy Jacobs is running against Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger in CD2, not against Bartlett in CD6. In the excitement of the morning roundup, I incorrectly dragged her into Rep. Bartlett's nightmare. Also, Steve Silverman says he is definitely not running for CD6 -- especially as he has just been re-drawn into CD3.

Earlier, another reader noted that, "Doug Duncan attended the Montgomery County Chapter of the Maryland Municipal League meeting with the Montgomery County Council last night, and he stayed the whole time of a very long meeting." Interesting. More on a possible Duncan candidacy soon.

Lastly, Maryland Reporter also noted that Sen. Brinkley lives in CD8 and therefore may not go through with a challenge to Rep. Bartlett. Be that as it may, its not stopping some politicians from starting rumors. But let me clarify the post below -- these are potential candidates who are being discussed in MD politico circles right now. I expect many will not ultimately run, but I do believe that it is not unlikely that we will get at least one non-CD6 candidate in the race (note: you don't really have to live in the District before you run for Congress). I also believe there is a 0% chance that Rep. Bartlett gets an easy GOP Primary Election.

Yesterday, Maryland Juice began crafting a list of candidates for Maryland's new 6th Congressional District. We mentioned a few obvious names like Sen. Rob Garagiola and GOP Chair Alex Mooney, but within hours former Montgomery Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg surprised observers with an announced CD6 bid. Now, the floodgates are open and numerous politicos are floating trial balloons.

Former County Executive Doug Duncan's name is now being whispered by insiders, along with former Delegate Mark Shriver. On the GOP side, things are about to get crazy, as it looks like multiple officials are "supporting" Bartlett while weighing whether to try and take him down. We summarize the chaos below and end with a simple list of the potential candidates.

2012 Election Preview - Maryland Congressional District 6 // Rep. Roscoe Bartlett vs. [FIND OUT HERE]

UPDATE: One Democratic lawmaker added, "State Senator Chris Shank should be on your list for CD6 Republican candidates. He is very talented and represents Washington County." Additionally, a reader adds the following to the CD6 list: "Former Frederick County Commissioner Jan Gardner? I always thought she could crush Mooney for Senate." Ms. Gardner lives in Maryland House District 3A in Frederick.

Another Democratic operative added, "Jan Gardner is a Democrat and Senator Barbara Mikulski's State Director. More than one person mentioned her name to me today. Given that the Democratic electorate in the 6th will be dominated by MoCo, I just don't think a WestMD Dem has any chance. Another GOP possibility for CD6 is D2B Delegate Neil Parrott of Washington County. He did all the petition work against the Dream Act and was mentioned as a future Congressional candidate then." Are there any other potential candidates we are missing? Email david@marylandjuice.com

Folks, it finally happened. Maryland Democrats have announced that in 2012, they will attempt to shift their 6-2 advantage in the state's U.S. House Delegation to 7-1. In doing so, they will try to replace Rep. Roscoe Barlett (one of two Republicans representing Maryland in the House) with a Democratic member. Maryland Juice decided to find out more about Rep. Bartlett and his electoral history, along with the various challengers that may seek to replace him.

Maryland GOP Divided: Anonymous Democrats Say Colleagues' Romney/Perry Endorsements Reflect Divisions

Earlier this week, Maryland Juice reported on a blip of GOP Presidential activity in Maryland. In the course of the GOP in-fighting, Mitt Romney and Rick Perry both released their lists of Maryland endorsers. We asked several Democratic lawmakers to comment on any meaningful patterns in which Republican lawmakers supported Romney vs. Perry. Their responses point to a trend of Romney endorsers being more moderate than Perry supporters. But some of our sources noted a more interesting dynamic: GOP Delegate Nic Kipke has endorsed Romney over Perry, while attempting a House leadership coup from the right.

We reprint the Maryland Romney/Perry elected officials endorsement lists below, followed by comments from several anonymous Democratic legislators (all from Montgomery). You can see the full GOP endorsement lists with former electeds and party activists in our previous coverage.

Tea Party Albatross for Frederick Politicians // Plus, Blaine Young for Recall (or Governor)

UPDATE: A reader emailed us the following message: "I live in Frederick County and just wanted to add that no story on Blaine Young is complete without mention of the Black Book Scandal." They link to a NY Times article headlined: "City Combs Madam’s ’Black Book’ for the Names It Knows." 

You can also read Mr. Young's fascinating 2004 blog post addressing the allegations: "I’m in the so-called 'Black Book'. Now what?" The NYT article, however, may explain his 2002 party-switch:

Ms. Potter's list has already helped end one career, that of Blaine Young, whose name was on a partial list released in 2001. Mr. Young, an alderman at the time and the son of a former mayor, said he had hired the women to dance at parties, not for sex. He decided not to run for re-election after The News-Post published reports on his liaisons.

In an editorial yesterday, the Frederick News Post fired warning shots at their 100%-Republican Board of County Commissioners. In particular, the editorial writers pointed out coverage of recent polls showing that the Tea Party's standing with the public has plummeted: