INTERESTING: Salisbury Mayor Jim Ireton Silent on Possible Alliance w/ Doug Gansler for Governor // Ulman-Brown Videos

Last night Maryland Juice published rumors that Attorney General Doug Gansler might be looking to team up with Salisbury Mayor Jim Ireton for his 2014 gubernatorial campaign. A couple sources scoffed at the idea, noting that Ireton introduced the newly minted ticket of Anthony Brown and Ken Ulman at their Cambridge, Maryland kickoff this weekend. See the photo below from Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown's Facebook page (Ireton is at far left):

But the Delmarva Now website today published a follow-up story with commentary from Mayor Ireton indicating he may in fact be weighing joining Attorney General Doug Gansler's ticket (excerpt below):

DELMARVA NOW: The same day Salisbury Mayor Jim Ireton gave a rousing introduction for Maryland gubernatorial running mates Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown and Howard County Executive Ken Ulman, speculation came up as a possible running mate for a potential competitor in the state Democratic primary.

On Monday, a blog floated the idea Ireton would join Maryland Attorney General Douglas Gansler on the gubernatorial campaign trail with Gansler running for governor and Ireton for lieutenant governor. Ireton, who spoke at campaign rally for Brown and Ulman on Monday, said his phone has been ringing ever since with curious callers....

“The end game is a win in the fall of 2014 for progressive values and I’m willing to get out there and do that in any way I can,” Ireton said. “I think everybody knows that I am a strong member of the team and a strong member of the ticket and I’m going to go wherever the nominees need me to go....”

Meanwhile, NBC 4 carried video footage and interviews from this weekend's series of campaign events announcing the new Brown-Ulman ticket. The news footage includes commentary from Congresswoman Donna Edwards and Montgomery County Councilmember Valerie Ervin:

View more videos at: http://nbcwashington.com.

MUCH MORE ON THE 2014 GOVERNOR'S RACE SOON!

CD1 VIDEO: Sen. Ben Cardin Endorses Democrat John LaFerla's Write-In Campaign Against Tea Party Rep. Andy Harris

Maryland's 1st Congressional District race was recently upended when Democratic nominee Wendy Rosen dropped out of the race this month over voter fraud allegations. Democrats, for what its worth, are rallying behind Dr. John LaFerla -- the runner-up in last April's CD1 Democratic Primary. The Chestertown Spy yesterday reported that Senator Ben Cardin was recently on the campaign trail for Dr. LaFerla. You can read a quick excerpt from their coverage and watch a video of Cardin's endorsement below:

CHESTERTOWN SPY: Cardin wasted no time pouncing on Republican incumbent, Dr. Andy Harris, for rejecting a farm bill that would help the Shore’s drought stricken farmers. He read off seven letters that he said would move the bill towards passage after the November election.

“Let me just spell his name, L-A-F-E-R-L-A,” Cardin said—reminding voters that LaFerla is a write-in candidate. “The Farm Bill passed the Senate with strong bi-partisan support, but we just can’t seem to get it out of the House of Representatives....”

More on the CD1 race soon!

Rep. Andy Harris' Law Blocks Funds for a Harriett Tubman Park in Eastern Shore // Would Be Only Park In USA With Such a Ban

Several weeks ago, a Maryland Juice reader reported on exciting news that a bill by Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara Mikulski would push forward a new National Park on the Eastern Shore to honor Harriett Tubman -- Maryland's most famous conductor of the Underground Railroad. Leave it to the Republicans to politicize slavery. DelmarvaNOW.com today reports that Tea Party Rep. Andy Harris  (surprise, surprise) is undermining the project with interesting restrictions that no other National Park in the U.S.A. would have. Our original article on the project noted the following report from a reader:

Apolitical Juice #1: Did you hear about congressional committee approval this week for Harriet Tubman National Park?  Very cool. This was years in the making. The Maryland Park will be on the Eastern Shore, essentially in the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge -- which is beyond stunning, in case you haven't been there.  This is a good thing given the following: Maryland's slave legacy, our past need for the National Guard to come in and suppress the white mob lynchings of blacks, the race riots when the Eastern Shore rejected integration, and the fact that we feel a statue Chief Justice Roger Taney (of Dred Scott v. Sandford fame) in front of the State House is okay because it's "balanced" with Thurgood Marshall in Lawyer's Mall.

Notably, Maryland Juice filed this story under "Apolitical Juice." Unfortunately for Maryland residents and Eastern Shore tourism, Rep. Andy Harris just couldn't help himself and so he made Harriett Tubman political (and is trying to talk out of both sides of his mouth):

Rep. Andy Harris introduced legislation Thursday to create a national park honoring abolitionist Harriet Tubman, but he's not proposing to give the project any federal money....

CD1: Another Democrat Files Against GOP Rep. Andy Harris // Former Rep. Frank Kratovil One Step Closer to Judge

Delmarva Now reports that another Democrat has filed to run against Maryland's Tea Party Congressman Andy Harris. Notably, the new candidate, John LaFerla, highlights that Rep. Harris is more B'more than Shore:

John LaFerla of Chestertown and Wendy Rosen of Cockeysville have registered with the state Board of Elections for the Democratic primary, scheduled for April 3. However, only one of them will be able to face off with Rep. Andy Harris next November.

LaFerla, an OB/GYN at Corsica Women's Health with a master's degree in public health, said he wants to represent the Eastern Shore by promoting the health of the Chesapeake Bay and environmental stewardship, as well as job creation....

"I think the Eastern Shore was previously well represented when we had Wayne Gilchrest or Frank Kratovil because they lived on the Shore," said LaFerla. "Now we have a representative who lives just outside of Baltimore; it doesn't seem quite right."

LaFerla has served in public office before as treasurer and president of the Kent County Democratic Central Committee.

Speaking of Frank Kratovil, a Maryland Juice reader points out that two days ago, his name was formally sent along to Governor O'Malley in consideration for a judgeship. The vacancy was caused by the retirement of Judge John T. Clark, III of the District Court for Queen Anne's County.

Our source directed readers to the Maryland Courts website, which indicates on 12/6, Mr. Kratovil's name was transmitted to the Governor, along with three others: