UPDATE: Dan Bongino Not Seeking Anne Arundel Executive Vacancy // Former Senate Candidate Still Running for Gov?

Earlier today Maryland Juice noted that supporters of Dan Bongino were lobbying for him to replace John Leopold as Anne Arundel County Executive. We published an email message that urged supporters of the former GOP Senate nominee to contact members of the Anne Arundel Council in support of Bongino.

But only three hours later, Bongino posted a message on his Facebook page indicating that he's not interested in serving as Anne Arundel County Executive (Hat tip: Red Maryland). Should we presume the message below means Bongino will be continuing his campaign for Governor?

Friends & Supporters,

Paula and I cannot thank you enough for your support and encouragement, both during and after the election. Although the results were not what we intended, I am proud of what we accomplished and honored to remain in the fight.

I would like to update you on rumors you may have heard about my interest in the Anne Arundel County Executive position and the MDGOP Chairman position. I will not be seeking either position at this time, although I am extremely grateful to all of those who emailed and called in their support to a number of elected officials.

Regarding the decision making process for the vacant Anne Arundel County Executive position, I have chosen to disengage from a process that has become weighted towards insider politics. This County needs a reformer, not an insider, and any illusions otherwise are driven by a political agenda and not the sentiments of actual voters on the ground.

Regarding the MDGOP Chairmanship, although I respect the MDGOP Party infrastructure for their recent outreach initiatives and I feel the Party is headed in a better direction, I have chosen to take my platform and my commitment to a Maryland government that is citizen-centric, rather than insider-driven, to the people via a continued, robust grassroots effort.

Very Respectfully, 

Dan

More on the 2014 Governor's race soon!

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:

JuiceBlender: Dem Women Dominate, Marriage Equality Boosters Work Polls, Senate Race for 2nd, No Monday Early Vote

Below Maryland Juice provides a blend of news tidbits about the current election battles, starting with early vote news:

JUICE #1: NO EARLY VOTING TODAY (MONDAY) - In case you haven't already heard, Gov. Martin O'Malley has shut down early voting today, due to the Hurricane. He made the announcement in a recent storm update (excerpt below):

GOVERNOR O'MALLEY: Since Thursday October 25, the entire state of Maryland has been under a state of emergency. Hurricane Sandy is fast approaching and forecasters predict that it will be a large, violent storm that could knock out power for a few days and cause significant damage. This is a serious, killer storm. It's important that everyone is vigilant.... Due to the storm, we are canceling early voting on Monday October 29, 2012.

Question 6 supporters at Baltimore City poll

JUICE #2: BALTIMORE CITY VIDEO // MARRIAGE EQUALITY VOLUNTEERS DOMINATE POLL COVERAGE - A Maryland Juice reader (Hat tip: Lisa Polyak) sent us the following video footage of the last-minute campaigning at a Baltimore City early voting location.

The clip below was shot yesterday, the second day of Early Voting in Maryland, and it includes Maryland Juice's "Obama + Dream Act + Marriage Equality" lawnsign. (Note: video edited by Juice):

LISA POLYAK: I shot short video walking the line of folks waiting to get into the polling sign-in at the League for People With Disabilities polling station on Cold Spring Lane.  Wait time estimated at 1.5-2 hours.  Note the only folks staffing the voter line were YES on 6; NO on 7 and YES on 7.  Fun shot at the end is someone who was walking the line (yesterday & today) with one of your Obama/Dream Act/Marriage Equality signs.

JUICE #3: DEMS MAINTAIN EARLY VOTE ADVANTAGE ON DAY 2 // DEM WOMEN 45-65 DOMINATING TURNOUT - Yesterday, we reported that the first day of early voting demonstrated greater enthusiasm from Democratic voters in Maryland. They turned out at nearly twice the rate as Republicans, and the latest report from the Board of Elections proves it wasn't a fluke. Dems turned out at nearly twice the rate of Republicans on the second day of early voting. Also of note is that Democratic women age 45-65 are turning out in far larger numbers than any other group (see page 5 of the full BOE report below). In fact, twice as many women fitting that profile turned out than the next highest group -- Democratic men age 45-65, who are in 2nd place. But first, here's the current total D & R turnout from the first two days of balloting:

• Democrats 91,185 (4.43%) vs. Republicans 26,809 (2.79%)

Maryland Early Vote Turnout: Days 1 & 2

JUICE #4: U.S. SENATE RACE BECOMES BATTLE FOR 2ND PLACE FOR MARYLAND GOP - The Capital Gazette today quotes a politico who highlights the shabby state of the Maryland GOP. The article notes that Maryland's U.S. Senate battle between Ben Cardin, Rob Sobhani, and Dan Bongino has become a race for 2nd place (Hat tip: Maryland Reporter). Indeed, with Cardin so far ahead in the race, the Maryland GOP stands to lose a lot of face. Even still, Maryland Juice doubts that a trouncing this year will lead to much soul-searching by the Free State Republicans. See an excerpt from The Capital Gazette below:

CAPITAL GAZETTE: “...anybody who observes Maryland politics and isn’t partisan has to agree: Maryland’s Republican Party is a mess.” [Todd] Eberly, a political independent, said the GOP is simply too conservative for the bulk of Maryland voters, who do not consider “progressive” a dirty word. “You don’t run a candidate who would win in Texas, in Maryland,” Eberly said.... The real challenge for the GOP may be staying out of third place.

JUICE #5: CRAZY FULL PAGE ANTI-MARRIAGE EQUALITY AD IN BALTIMORE SUN - A reader sent us the following photos of a full-page ad in yesterday's Baltimore Sun urging Christians to oppose marriage equality. They also provide us with choice quotes from the screed. See below. Notably, a majority of Christians support LGBT rights.

BALTIMORE SUN ANTI-MARRIAGE EQUALITY AD: "Gay marriage is Satan's unfinished business - a repeat scene, similar to the one recorded in the garden of Eden, where Satan tempted Eve, 'in the day you eat from the tree your eyes will be open and you will be like God, knowing good and evil (Genesis 3:5).' In the leaglization of gay marriage, man is now like God, determining good and evil."

The closing tag line states:

This Treatise is Encouraged by the People of God at the Upper Cross Roads Baptist Church, Baldwin, MD (Dr. Robert A. Condict, Pastor)

IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN, 'STAND FIRM IN THE FAITH...BE ALERT AND SOBER' - VOTE "AGAINST" QUESTION 6.

JUICE #6: LAST CHANCE TO ADVERTISE ON MARYLAND JUICE BEFORE THE ELECTION // BID BEFORE 4 PM TODAY - Maryland Juice is offering a rare opportunity to advertise on our blog (we rarely do this). We are hosting an eBay auction for ad space that will appear on every page and article at MarylandJuice.com for the week of the November 6 election. But note that the auction ends today around 4 pm, and the current high bid right now is a measly $10! Bid now to snatch up a bargain.

BID NOW TO ADVERTISE ON MD JUICE 

AUCTION ENDS 4 PM TODAY

U.S. SENATE POLL: Ben Cardin 53%, Dan Bongino 22%, Rob Sobhani 14% // PLUS: All Three Candidates to Debate 10/30

ANOTHER POLL SHOWS LARGE CARDIN LEAD: The Washington Post last night released poll results in Maryland's U.S. Senate battle showing a large lead for incumbent Democrat Ben Cardin (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin’s reelection race has become more like a stroll, with a new Washington Post poll showing most Marylanders ready to give him a second term next month....

In the new Post poll, Cardin (D) wins 53 percent among likely voters. Bongino wins 22 percent, while Sobhani — who entered the race in September — has 14 percent. (Libertarian Party candidate Dean Ahmad receives about 2 percent.)

In the Post poll, Sobhani wins 19 percent among Republicans and independents who lean to the GOP. His base of support is clearly among political independents, where he wins 28 percent support, according to the poll.

The Washington Post, for what it's worth, is also endorsing Cardin for re-election (excerpt below). They appear to agree with Maryland Juice's belief that the Maryland GOP has made itself electorally irrelevant:

WASHINGTON POST: There are two plausible explanations for the apparently lopsided race for the U.S. Senate seat in Maryland, in which the incumbent, Benjamin L. Cardin, seems to be gliding to reelection.

One is that Mr. Cardin, a Democrat elected in 2006, is a solid, substantive and serious lawmaker whose proven ability to cross partisan battle lines places him among the dwindling ranks of grown-ups in Congress. The other is the catatonic state of Maryland’s Republican Party, which, having once produced electable moderates like former governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. and former representative Connie Morella, has sunk into irrelevance.... 

The Republican, Daniel Bongino, is a former Secret Service agent whose strident attacks on government and pledge never to raise taxes earned him the endorsement of Sarah Palin.

CANDIDATES TO FACE OFF OCTOBER 30: If you're still undecided in the race, you now have an opportunity to see the contenders meet face-to-face. The Capital Gazette reported last Friday that the candidates for U.S. Senate will be debating the issues during a royal rumble next Tuesday, October 30th in Salisbury, MD. Maryland Juice previously wondered whether Democrat Ben Cardin and Republican Dan Bongino would welcome independent Rob Sobhani to planned debates. We now have our answer, and it appears that Sobhani may get the opportunity to participate in more than on upcoming debate. See an excerpt from The Capital Gazette below:

CAPITAL GAZETTE: Democratic incumbent Sen. Ben Cardin has agreed to meet Republican Challenger Dan Bongino of Severna Park and independent Rob Sobhani of Montgomery County on Oct. 30 at Salisbury University for their first announced debate....

The Salisbury debate will be held at 3 p.m. in Holloway Hall Auditorium. Admission is free, and will come on a first-come, first-serve basis. Questions, complete with the name and hometown of the person submitting the question, can be sent to pace@salisbury.edu.

MORE ON THE U.S. SENATE BATTLE SOON!

POLL RESULTS: Dream Act With Big Lead In New Poll // PLUS: Without Sobhani In Senate Race Cardin Beats Bongino Easily

Below Maryland Juice highlights two new polls, plus a television ad from U.S. Senator Ben Cardin.

JUICE #1: WASHINGTON POST POLL HAS DREAM ACT WITH HUGE LEAD - The Washington Post released more poll results today, and this time they are showing the Dream Act (Question 4) with a large lead (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: Maryland voters broadly support a measure that would allow undocumented immigrants to pay in-state tuition rates at public colleges and universities, according to a new Washington Post poll. A referendum on the law appears as Question 4 on the November ballot. The poll finds 59 percent of likely voters back the plan; 35 percent are opposed....

In Maryland, the poll finds fully three-quarters of Democrats and 58 percent of independent voters supporting the measure.... White voters divide roughly evenly on the subject, while non-whites favor it by a huge margin — 75 to 19 percent. More than seven in 10 voters with postgraduate degrees say they would vote yes, including a majority who say they feel strongly about it.

JUICE #2: NEW POLL SHOWS RESULTS IF ONLY CARDIN & BONGINO WERE RUNNING FOR SENATE - The Takoma Park Patch flagged new poll results today in Maryland's U.S. Senate race (Hat tip: Howard Gorrell). They note that pollsters did not include independent candidate Rob Sobhani in their survey. While that makes the results more of a curiosity than anything else, I think it is worth noting that incumbent Democrat Ben Cardin would still be crushing GOP nominee Dan Bongino right now:

TAKOMA PARK PATCH: We have a new poll for the state of Maryland from YouGov which shows, not surprisingly, Barack Obama and Ben Cardin ahead in their respective races.

PRESIDENT - MARYLAND (YouGov) 
Barack Obama (D-inc) 58% 
Mitt Romney (R) 37% 

US SENATE - MARYLAND (YouGov) 
Ben Cardin (D-inc) 54% 
Dan Bongino (R) 30%

You can see more detailed results from the survey by YouGov below:
YouGov U.S. Senate Poll: Ben Cardin vs. Dan Bongino
JUICE #3: NEW TELEVISION AD FROM SENATOR BEN CARDIN - U.S. Senator Ben Cardin is out with a new tv ad in his race against Rob Sobhani and Dan Bongino. The spot features former World War II fighter pilot Maurice “Mo” Mallinoff who lives in Silver Spring, and it is airing in the Baltimore and DC markets. Watch below:

JuiceBlender: Marriage Equality Leads New Poll, Cardin's $2 Million War Chest, New Anti-Gambling Ad & Youths Get Active

Here's a random blend of political tidbits from recent news, starting with the latest poll results in Maryland's marriage equality battle (Question 6):

JUICE #1: MARRIAGE EQUALITY LEADS 52% TO 43%  -  The Washington Post recently commissioned a poll on Question 6 (marriage equality), and they revealed their results this morning. So far, the pro-civil rights forces continue to lead the way, and Montgomery County (no surprise) is the most supportive County (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: Maryland voters are leaning toward legalizing same-sex marriage next month, something that has never happened at the ballot box anywhere in the nation, a new Washington Post poll finds.

A ballot question on whether to uphold a state law allowing gay nuptials is favored 52 percent to 43 percent among likely voters, according to the poll, reflecting a long-term trend toward greater acceptance of gay unions that has included President Obama’s backing this year....

Across the state, support is highest in Montgomery County, where 65 percent of likely voters back the measure and 31 percent oppose it....

Age also plays a big factor in Marylanders’ views of same-sex marriage. Sixty-four percent of those 18 to 39 support Question 6. That drops to 51 percent of those ages 40 to 64, and 40 percent of those 65 and older.

Maryland Juice's key takeaway -- pro-marriage equality forces need high turnout in Montgomery County and among younger voters. Don't let us down young people/MoCo -- it's time for a generational & regional shift in Maryland politics!


JUICE #2: SEN. BEN CARDIN AMASSES $2 MILLION CASH ON HAND  -  U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, who was last reported to have a comfortable lead over his challengers, now reports $2 million cash on hand as we hit the homestretch. Cardin has faced an onslaught of television advertising from independent candidate Rob Sobhani, who has the ability to self-finance massive television buys. See the press release below:

PRESS RELEASE

CARDIN ENTERS FINAL WEEKS OF CAMPAIGN 2012 WITH

$2 MILLION CASH ON HAND

Baltimore, MD – With his new television ad already on the air throughout Maryland, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) announced that he is ready for the final weeks of his re-election campaign with $2,001,860 cash-on-hand as of September 30. During this third quarter of 2012, Senator Cardin raised $621,875 bringing his cycle-to-date total to $6,347,868.

Senator Cardin has received nearly 13,000 individual contributions over the course of this election cycle, with more than half of those being less than $200.

###

If you want to get a taste of the U.S. Senate battle, today WBAL uploaded videos of all three candidates on the campaign trail. Below you can watch footage of Ben Cardin, Rob Sobhani and Dan Bongino seeking votes in Maryland:







JUICE #3: MARYLAND YOUTHS GET POLITICAL WITH VAN HOLLEN, HOYER & MORE  -  Numerous youth-driven political organizations are getting active this political cycle, including a few new entities. A Maryland Juice reader tipped us off to a relatively new group called Our Time, which is currently featuring videos from two Free State U.S. House members: Rep. Chris Van Hollen & Rep. Steny Hoyer.

Our Time's mission statement highlights a unique goal: "to combine the voting and purchasing power of young Americans so that politicians and businesses represent our needs better.  Currently, they are not doing a good job."





NEXT GENERATION MARYLAND: Meanwhile, some of the key student activists who organized opposition to a Montgomery County youth curfew last year have also launched a voter engagement effort. Their group, Next Generation Maryland, has a message for other young voters:

NEXT GENERATION MARYLAND: We want you to rock the progressive youth vote Marriage equality and the Maryland DREAM Act will both be on the ballot in November. The rights of your fellow Marylanders hinge on these crucial votes. Next Generation Maryland aims to mobilize the youth vote to protect these landmark pieces of legislation.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY STUDENT COALITION: Lastly, Montgomery County high school students are now launching an effort to activate and mobilize students for policy changes in Annapolis, and the Montgomery County County Council and school board. Their effort is called the "Montgomery County Student Coalition," and it appears that one of their top priorities is pushing for full voting rights for the student member of MoCo's Board of Education (excerpt below):

MOCO STUDENT COALITION: Full voting rights for Montgomery County’s Student Member Of The Board of Education is closer than ever to becoming a reality. For 35 years, the student who occupies the eighth seat at the Board table has been left without a vote on such critical matters as the budget, collective bargaining, school openings/closings, issues of redistricting/boundaries, and negative personnel. MC 9-12, a bill that reverses this original certitude now has a renewed chance to become reality this year.

JUICE #4: NEW TELEVISION AD FROM GAMBLING EXPANSION OPPONENTS  -  The forces opposing Maryland's Question 7 (gambling expansion) are out with a new television advertisement. In the spot below, the advocates continue to try and undermine the idea that more gambling in Maryland will lead to increased education funding. Watch below:



Meanwhile, Maryland Juice has heard from one reader that boxer Oscar De La Hoya has launched a robocall promoting gambling expansion in Maryland. Hmm.

EXCLUSIVE: Maryland Juice Interviews Rob Sobhani // Independent Senate Candidate On Nov. Ballot Questions & More

Over the course of the last few weeks, Maryland politicos have seen hundreds of thousands of dollars of television advertising from independent U.S. Senate candidate Rob Sobhani. The former Republican candidate has been trying to appeal to members of both parties, and that has led both Democrats and Republicans to question Sobhani's motives.

Rob Sobhani campaigning in Montgomery County

Maryland Juice decided to try and find out more about where Rob Sobhani stands on key "values" issues, so we asked him to respond to several questions. Today, we present the results of our exclusive email interview with Maryland's independent U.S. Senate candidate. NOTE: I am aware that several of the issues I raise below are slightly unrelated to the roles and responsibilities of a U.S. Senator -- but I think it is important for voters to hear where Sobhani is coming from on hot topics. Below you can see his responses on a range of issues, including support for a flat tax and support for death penalty repeal (or at least a moratorium).

Without further ado, Maryland Juice presents the following Q & A with Rob Sobhani:

Maryand Juice Question 1  //  November Ballot Questions: How do you plan on voting on the hot-button ballot questions this November? In particular, I am curious about where you stand on:

• Question 4: Dream Act
• Question 5: Congressional Redistricting Plan
• Question 6: Marriage Equality
• Question 7: Gambling Expansion

TV AD: Independent Rob Sobhani Attacks U.S. Senator Ben Cardin // PLUS: Conservative Super PAC Attacks Sobhani

NEW SOBHANI AD ATTACKS CARDIN: The dynamics in Maryland's U.S. Senate battle are beginning to shift. Last month, we reported that independent candidate Rob Sobhani was tied for 2nd place with GOP nominee Dan Bongino. But Sobhani is appearing to try and position himself as the alternative to Ben Cardin today, with a new ad attacking the incumbent Democrat by name (watch below):



RIGHTWING SUPER PAC ATTACKS SOBHANI: Meanwhile, Republican Dan Bongino's supporters are busy trying to keep the anti-Cardin vote from drifting to Rob Sobhani. A conservative "Super PAC" called the Conservative Victory PAC has released a negative video slamming Sobhani and promoting Bongino (watch below). The Super PAC's "about us" section states:

Conservative Victory PAC is both a federal and a Super PAC dedicated to supporting conservative political candidates for office in Annapolis and in Washington, DC.

The text accompanying the ad states:

CONSERVATIVE VICTORY PAC: Why a candidate chose to run for office is an important thing to consider. Dan Bongino's reason has resonated with supporters across Maryland. Despite Rob Sobhani buying his way onto the ballot as an unaffiliated candidate, Dan Bongino is the only true independent voice in the race. Dan is the only one speaking for Marylanders.

MORE ON THE U.S. SENATE BATTLE SOON!

Gazette Endorses Democrat Ben Cardin for Re-Election to U.S. Senate // Dan Bongino's Tea Party Support is a Negative

Not a big surprise here, but The Gazette has endorsed Ben Cardin for re-election to the U.S. Senate. Cardin is running against independent Rob Sobhani and GOP nominee Dan Bongino. See a quick excerpt below:

GAZETTE: By his own admission, Bongino remains an outsider with much of his own party. His views most closely resemble those of the tea party; he even gained the endorsement of Sarah Palin.

Sobhani makes all sorts of promises about securing investments for Maryland without specifics on how he would do it....

When all is said and done, Cardin remains the best hope for Maryland’s electorate. Besides being the most experienced candidate, he brings a willingness to work with others, an understanding of the scope of problems facing the United States — including legislative gridlock and the economy — and compassion for his fellow citizens.

More on Maryland's Senate Battle Soon!

U.S. SENATE BATTLE: Independent Rob Sobhani Targets Moco With Direct Mail // PLUS: Dan Bongino's New Spanish Web Ad

PLUS: BEN CARDIN & DAN BONGINO MAY INVITE ROB SOBHANI TO DEBATE

The battle for U.S. Senate in Maryland is beginning to heat up, but new polls indicate the real fight appears to be for second place. Incumbent Democrat Ben Cardin is way ahead in the polls, but independent Rob Sobhani and Republican challenger Dan Bongino are currently tied for second.

Today Maryland Juice received campaign ads from both Rob Sobhani and Dan Bongino. You can see both ads below, along with an update on whether Rob Sobhani will be invited to debates with his GOP and Democratic competitors.

U.S. SENATE AD #1: ROB SOBHANI TARGETS MOCO WITH DIRECT MAIL - Today Maryland Juice received a postcard from independent U.S. Senate candidate Rob Sobhani. In the new ad, Sobhani argues that "Montgomery County is the key to jump starting Maryland's Economy." This mail campaign comes at the same time that Sobhani is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on television advertising. Read Sobhani's appeal to MoCo voters below:
U.S. Senate Candidate Rob Sobhani's Montgomery County Direct Mail

U.S. SENATE AD #2: GOP CANDIDATE DAN BONGINO RELEASES SPANISH-LANGUAGE VIDEO AD - Yesterday, a Maryland Juice reader forwarded (via Twitter) the following new video ad from Republican candidate Dan Bongino. Notably, the ad is in Spanish and features Bongino's wife (who was born in Colombia). The ad also comes with the following text:

DAN BONGINO: Dan Bongino, candidato a senador de los Estados Unidos para Maryland presentó hoy un video donde aparece su esposa, Paula, una ciudadana Americana nacida en Cali,Colombia.

Dan y su esposa, Paula, forman parte de una nueva generación de republicanos en este ciclo de elecciones que creen apasionadamente que el futuro de los Estados Unidos se encuentra en el espíritu emprendedor y en la dedicación incansable para un futuro mejor.

"Paula es una madre y esposa afectuosa, y una orgullosa Americana", afirma Dan. "El juramento a nuestra bandera en la ceremonia de su ciudadanía fue uno de los días más importantes en nuestras vidas. Estamos construyendo campaña en todas las comunidades diversas de Maryland, para que los ciudadanos se den cuenta que un cambio verdadero y un futuro mejor están a la vuelta de la esquina".

Paula Bongino es una inmigrante de primera generación, que con su constante determinación y su árduo trabajo logró alcanzar el sueño Americano. Es una consultora de diseño de sitios web y propietaria de una pequeña empresa. Paula cria a sus dos hijas, Isabel y Amelia, en Severna Park.

DEBATE UPDATE: SOBHANI CAN ATTEND IF THERE IS PUBLIC INTEREST - NBC News reports that Democrat Ben Cardin and Republican Dan Bongino are willing to invite independent Rob Sobhani to candidate debates, but only "if there is enough public interest." We previously reported that Sobhani felt he should be included after a new poll showed him tied with Bongino. Watch the news clip below:

MORE ON MARYLAND'S U.S. SENATE BATTLE SOON!

POLL RESULTS: Independent Rob Sobhani Tied With GOP Nominee Dan Bongino in Race for Sen. Ben Cardin's Seat

UPDATE: Rob Sobhani is now using these tied poll results to argue that he should be included in debates between Sen. Ben Cardin and Dan Bongino. It sounds like Bongino doesn't want him to attend, though. The Associated Press reported on the news (via The Washington Post - excerpt below):

ASSOCIATED PRESS: An independent candidate for U.S. Senate in Maryland is renewing his call to be included in debates between Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin and Republican challenger Dan Bongino. In asking to join the two major-party candidates in their debates, independent Rob Sobhani is citing recent poll results that show he is as competitive as Bongino....

POLL RESULTS DEMONSTRATE WEAK REPUBLICAN BRAND IN MARYLAND

BACKGROUND: Independent U.S. Senate candidate Rob Sobhani appears to have doomed Republican Dan Bongino's already struggling campaign for Democrat Ben Cardin's seat. Moreover, the GOP brand in Maryland appears to be extremely weak.

Maryland Reporter today highlighted a new poll from Gonzales Research and Marketing Strategies surveying voter opinion on several contested races in the Free State. We'll soon discuss some of the latest numbers on the heated ballot questions, but for now Maryland Juice finds the poll results on Maryland's U.S. Senate race the most interesting. Incumbent Sen. Ben Cardin's biggest re-election competition comes from GOP nominee Dan Bongino and wealthy independent candidate Rob Sobhani (a former Republican candidate). We previously reported that Sobhani was spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on television advertising throughout Maryland. Gonzales' poll today is the first measure of the impact of that spending, and the results show how weak the Republican brand is in Maryland.

BEN CARDIN WAY AHEAD IN SENATE RACE // TIE FOR 2ND PLACE - First, it shouldn't surprise anyone to see that Sen. Ben Cardin is way ahead of his competition in the U.S. Senate race. Gonzales reported the following results today (excerpt below via Maryland Reporter):

Sen. Ben Cardin & GOP Challenger Dan Bongino Now Face Independent Republican from MoCo with a $700K Ad Buy

Rob Sobhani, independent for U.S. Senate

A NEW SENATE CANDIDATE IN MARYLAND: News outlets are buzzing about a new competitor for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Democrat Ben Cardin and being sought by Republican challenger Dan Bongino. WBAL reports that a businessman has gathered over 77,000 signatures and will appear on the Maryland ballot as an independent (excerpt below):

WBAL: A Potomac businessman and former professor of political economy at Georgetown University has launched a run for U.S. Senate in Maryland.

Rob Sobhani submitted 77,000 signatures to the Maryland State Board of Elections and has been certified to run as an independent for the seat now held by Democrat Ben Cardin.

"I'm running as an independent, because I think our political system is broken, and both political parties have let the American people down," Sobhani told WBAL News.

He is the CEO of Caspian Group Holdings which has holdings in energy, publishing and technology, according to the company website....

$700,000 TELEVISION AD BUY FOR ROB SOBHANI? - Notably, yesterday the Cardin campaign sent out a fundraising solicitation from Sen. Barbara Mikulski which noted:

BARBARA  MIKULSKI: I'm at the convention and just heard news I wanted to share right away: an independent candidate for Senate in Maryland has dropped more than $700,000 on TV ads that began airing yesterday.

With potential attacks coming from a Tea Party Super PAC, and now this, we could see a lot of false charges leveled at Ben.

Sobhani's website (www.sobhaniformaryland.com) provides his television ad, which you can see below. If Cardin's campaign is right, this ad and others, may appear with decent frequency in parts of Maryland:

JUICEBLENDER: Rep. Roscoe Bartlett Under Fire for Rape Issues // PLUS: Bongino Receives Sarah Palin Endorsement

Here's a random blend of political tidbits from recent news, starting with news that former GOP Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin has endorsed U.S. Senator Ben Cardin's opponent Dan Bongino:

JUICE #1: SARAH PALIN ENDORSES MARYLAND GOP SENATE NOMINEE DAN BONGINO - Former Secret Service agent Dan Bongino faces an uphill battle in his race against incumbent U.S. Senator Ben Cardin. But this week, he received an endorsement from former Alaska Governor and GOP Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin. The rightwing Monoblogue reported on the bizarre development, and we provide Palin's full endorsement below. Maryland Juice is not sure that a Palin endorsement is a net gain for any statewide candidate in Maryland, but check out Monoblogue for the rightwing perspective on this endorsement.

SARAH PALIN: Though political pundits often dismiss conservative candidates running in deep blue states, I don’t believe in ignoring good candidates simply because they’re fighting uphill battles against the odds. In fact, I find such candidates incredibly brave and especially worthy of encouragement. In many cases, they are often the most articulate and courageous new conservative voices out there.

U.S. Senator Ben Cardin Reports $2.1 Million Cash On Hand for General Election // GOP Challenger Has Dustballs in Wallet

The Republicans have nominated former Secret Service agent Dan Bongino to take on incumbent Democrat Ben Cardin for the U.S. Senate this November. Mr. Bongino may have a near-impossible challenge unless he can demonstrate a sudden ability to raise tons of cash. His latest FEC reports show roughly $16,000 cash on hand through mid-March. Senator Cardin, on the other hand, has issued a press release announcing $2.1 million in his war chest, so far: