MD GOP Chaos: Party Chair Alex Mooney Retiring to Challenge Bartlett, Leaves Party in Debt // Sen. Shank & MoCo GOP Chair Endorse Brinkley

The latest buzz in the Maryland political world has concerned a possible retirement from GOP Congressman Roscoe Bartlett. News of his Chief of Staff Bud Otis campaigning for the seat is causing a stampede of candidates into the race, including Maryland Republican Party Chair Alex Mooney. The Gazette's Sarah Breitenbach recently reported on what would happen to the State Party with Mooney's return to the campaign trail:

The GOP could see more turnover in leadership in the next few weeks if Chairman Alexander X. Mooney officially files to run for the 6th Congressional District seat....

It is against party bylaws for a chairman to actively campaign for political office, Ready said.

If Mooney officially files for the race, first Vice Chairwoman Diana Waterman would take over the party, and a special election for a new chairman would take place 60 days after that, he said.

Mooney's announcement of his exploratory committee stated a more clear departure date:

Mr. Mooney plans to officially file as a candidate for Congress in January, at which time he would step down from his position as Chairman of the Maryland Republican Party and take a leave of absence from his job running a non-profit organization which trains journalists.

MD GOP Rep. Andy Harris Endorses Newt Gingrich // Plus, Anti-Tea Party Republican Becomes Democrat, Challenges Harris

Maryland's beloved Tea Party Congressman Andy Harris is back in the news today with his endorsement of former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich for President. Politico this morning had the exclusive:

EXCLUSIVE – ANDY HARRIS TO ENDORSE GINGRICH: Maryland Congressman Andy Harris will endorse Newt Gingrich today. The freshman Republican, who was not in the House during Gingrich’s tenure as Speaker, will be the first of several federal and state legislators to announce their support for the surging presidential candidate, according to a source familiar with the rollout plan.

It will be interesting to see what Mr. Harris' Tea Party fans think about this endorsement. Indeed, the National Journal recently opined on this topic with an articled titled, "Can Newt Gingrich Pass Tea Party Muster?" They wrote:

Newt Gingrich doesn’t seem like the tea party’s type. He’s the ultimate Washington insider, a career politician who spent two decades in that reviled institution known as the U.S. Congress. Especially when compared to stick it-to-the-man tea party heroes like Rep. Allen West of Florida and Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, Gingrich doesn’t seem to fit the part. He is the man.

Meanwhile, Mr. Harris is facing a challenge of his own from a fellow Republican. The Elkton-based Cecil Whig site reports that small business advocate Wendy Rosen has switched her registration to the Democratic Party and is now challenging Mr. Harris. Her interview with Cecil Whig seems to convey frustration with the Tea Party and Mr. Harris' focus on hot-button social issues instead of the economy and jobs:

CD6 Juice Blender: GOP Sen. Chris Shank Learns Facebook, Rep. Bartlett's Deviant Moustache, Trachtenberg Denies Push Poll

Here's a random blend of both political and apolitical tidbits from recent news, starting with a Capital News Service article foreshadowing looming cuts in federal government expenditures in Maryland. The writer notes that the biggest cuts to defense jobs are likely to be from defense-related contractors:

Juice #1: States such as Maryland, with its high concentrations of federal employees and contractors, could feel an even deeper sting when $600 billion in defense spending and $600 billion from other federal agencies is lopped from budgets over the next 10 years....

According to the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, military bases accounted for 3.4 percent of the jobs in Maryland and employed about 118,000 workers - before the Base Realignment and Closing process, which increased these numbers.... 

The sequestration process protects war spending, but military contracts and civilian personnel could be on the chopping block.

Mike Hayes, a retired brigadier general and director of military and federal affairs for the state economic development department, said Maryland's military installations tend to have specialized missions. This makes them less likely to face cuts, Hayes said.

But cuts to contractors focused on weapons systems, already set in motion, may be deeper, he said.

Juice #2: Meanwhile, former Montgomery County Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg responded to Maryland Juice's article about an alleged push poll in the 6th Congressional District race. The Germantown Patch had this article:

Doug Duncan NOT Running for 6th Congressional District, Leaning Toward Delaney // GOP Senator Chris Shank Perks Up

Last month, Maryland Juice noted that former Montgomery County Executive Doug Duncan appeared to be floating trial balloons  for a potential Democratic Primary campaign in the State's 6th Congressional District. Numerous news outlets are now reporting that Duncan is NOT running. The Washington Post wrote today:

Former Montgomery County executive Douglas M. Duncan (D) said Tuesday that he had decided against making a run for the redrawn 6th District Congressional seat, and he is leaning toward backing financier John K. Delaney for the post instead....

“I looked at the race very closely and thought about it for some time,” Duncan said. “In the end I decided I’m an executive, not a legislator....”

“I think it’s going to be an interesting race,” Duncan said. “There is some resentment with how the district was set up, particularly in western Maryland, and I think Garagiola is going to have problems with that.”

So Duncan sounds likely to back Delaney, a wealthy political novice, instead.

“I’m talking with him,” Duncan said of Delaney. “There’s nothing formal but I’m looking to find a way to help him.”

There are several noteworthy items in the preceding article:

Gays, Muslims, Immigrants Unite to Oppose Extremist Conference // CD6 GOP Candidate Sen. Shank a Featured Speaker

"A gay man, a muslim, and an illegal undocumented immigrant walk into a bar..."

...and write a letter telling GOP legislators "to strongly reconsider their decisions" 

to attend an upcoming extremist conference in Annapolis, Maryland.

This week, Equality Maryland, CASA de Maryland, the Islamic Society of Annapolis, the Muslim Public Affairs Council, and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) denounced an October 29th conference hosted by the Maryland Conservative Action Network (MDCAN).

Together, the groups stated, "We unquestionably uphold the right of free speech guaranteed by the First Amendment to the US Constitution. However, we cannot remain silent when bigots and hate-mongers come to our communities to spread their lies and intolerance." They called on the following elected officials to reconsider their plans to speak: Senator Christopher Shank, Delegates Kathy Afzali, Patrick McDonough, and Neil Parrot. We reprint their full letter below, but already it has drawn the ire of our Tea Party counterparts in the blogosphere (see ie: Potomac Tea Party Reports).