JUICE: Sparks in Governor's Race, Candidate Updates in D15, D16, D19, D23B & MoCo 3, MoCo Exec Debate WED & More!

Below Maryland Juice provides a round-up of news of interest to politicos:

JUICE #1: PRINCE GEORGE'S LAWMAKERS ISSUE LETTER CONDEMNING DOUG GANSLER'S REMARKS ABOUT THEIR COUNTY - Yesterday a wide range of Prince George's County elected officials signed onto a letter condemning remarks from Attorney General Doug Gansler about their county. Gansler's remarks were covered in a Washington Post article about his new campaign office in Prince George's (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: In an attempted show of strength on his rival’s home turf, Maryland gubernatorial hopeful Douglas F. Gansler opened a campaign office Saturday in Prince George’s County and argued that his ticket is more committed to the jurisdiction’s vast economic development and educational needs than Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown....

Gansler, a former Montgomery County state’s attorney, also unveiled a list Saturday of 34 current and former municipal officials from Prince George’s who are backing his campaign — including eight officeholders whose names had previously appeared on lists of endorsements released by Brown.

By Sunday morning, The Washington Post was able to independently verify that two of the eight had switched allegiances from Brown to Gansler. One of the eight, however, said he is still backing Brown, and another name was removed from Gansler’s list after his campaign said that it had appeared by mistake....

“He’s not from Prince George’s County. . . . He’s from Long Island,” Gansler said at one point, referring to Brown’s birthplace of Huntington, N.Y....

Gansler also said that Prince George’s has not seen the kind of economic development the county deserves. “When people get up in front of you and say, ‘We have one Maryland,’ we do on a map,” Gansler said. “But we have two Marylands: There are those who have it and those who don’t....”

Prince George's officials ranging from U.S. House members Donna Edwards and Steny Hoyer to State Senate President Mike Miller released the following letter in response to Gansler's remarks:

Letter from Prince George's Lawmakers to Doug Gansler

JUICE #2: MIZEUR CALLS ON GANSLER & BROWN TO TESTIFY IN FAVOR OF MARIJUANA DECRIMINALIZATION  //  PLUS: BROWN RESPONDS W/ LETTER - Delegate Heather Mizeur took an early stand on marijuana reform by being the only gubernatorial candidate to come out for legalization, while also co-sponsoring legislation to decriminalize pot. This week she followed up on her stance by calling on Doug Gansler and Anthony Brown to testify in support of the decriminalization bill. Both Brown and Gansler recently confirmed support for removing jail time as a penalty for pot possession, and Mizeur asked both candidates to do more in the following press release (excerpt below):

PRESS RELEASE

Mizeur Calls On Brown, Gansler to Testify For Marijuana Decriminalization Bill

SILVER SPRING, Maryland—This morning, Delegate Heather Mizeur (D-Montgomery), candidate for governor, invited Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown and Attorney General Doug Gansler through her legislative office to join her in testifying on behalf of the Maryland Marijuana Decriminalization Act (HB0879).

The bill, if passed, would replace criminal penalties for possession of up to an ounce of marijuana with a civil fine of $100. For individuals under 21, criminal penalties would be replaced with drug education classes and would also include parental notification requirements for those under 18. Mizeur introduced the bipartisan bill last week with Delegate Michael Smigiel (R-Cecil County) as the lead Republican co-sponsor.

The bill has 40 co-sponsors, including Gansler’s running mate, Delegate Jolene Ivey (D-Prince George’s), House Majority Leader Kumar Barve (D-Montgomery) and two committee chairs: Delegate Sheila Hixson (D-Montgomery) and Delegate Maggie McIntosh (D-Baltimore).

After hesitating to endorse decriminalization earlier in the campaign, both the Brown and Gansler campaigns have since come out publicly in favor of the reform. Brown expressed his strong support for decriminalization at a Baltimore Sun “Newsmaker Forum” last month. Ivey has made her ticket’s support public over Twitter and at last week’s BEST Democratic Club lieutenant governor candidate roundtable....

Anthony Brown' campaign responded with the following letter to Mizeur:

ANTHONY BROWN: Dear Delegate Mizeur: Over the past several years, in our state and throughout our country, there has been a serious discussion about marijuana and its impact on our society. Here in Maryland, a number of dedicated public servants, like Senator Zirkin and Delegate Anderson have proposed legislation decriminalizing marijuana. Last year, legislation was sponsored, and passed, by Delegate Clippinger and Senator Raskin which reduces the sentences for those caught with small amounts of marijuana.

As they are currently constructed and enforced, our state’s marijuana laws are costly, ineffective, and racially biased. In 2010, African Americans in Maryland were almost 3 times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than their white counterparts, and black Marylanders represent almost 58 percent of all marijuana possession arrests, but only 30 percent of the population. This is despite the fact that both groups have nearly identical marijuana usage rates. An arrest for possession has an incredibly negative impact on that person’s life, often creating problems finding employment or even a place to live.

Equally distressing is how ineffective and costly our marijuana laws are: just four years ago, our state spent over $55.3 million in enforcement of this law on police costs alone. These are resources that could have been better spent fighting violent crime throughout our state, or on substance abuse treatment that could help end the cycle of use and dependency. I support the decriminalization of marijuana because I believe in strong communities where safety – and not just the appearance of being tough on crime – comes first....

JUICE #3: MOCO EXEC CANDIDATES DEBATE ON TOMORROW (WED) // TEACHERS  HOSTING EDUCATION FORUM W/ LEGGETT, DUNCAN & ANDREWS - Tomorrow MCEA (the union representing MoCo teachers) is holding a schools debate with Democratic MoCo Exec candidates Ike Leggett, Doug Duncan and Republican candidate Jim Shalleck (details below):

MCEA Montgomery County Executive Forum
Wednesday February 12, 2014 from 7:00 – 8:30 pm
Richard Montgomery High School, Rockville, MD
RSVP: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CountyExecForum

MCEA Event: Montgomery County Executive Candidates Debate

JUICE #4: THE MARYLAND POLITICS WATCH BLOG IS BACK - Maryland Juice considers our blog a later iteration of the news model developed by the Maryland Politics Watch blog (aka MPW). Indeed, MPW ceased operations sometime after the 2010 election cycle, but now the site's owner David Lublin has relaunched Maryland Politics Watch:

DAVID LUBLIN (VIA MARYLAND POLITICS WATCH): After a long hiatus, I've decided to start blogging again. I'm hoping to move to a new platform and URL so watch this spot to follow Maryland Politics Watch. For now, I'm not going to publish comments because I just don't have the time or desire to moderate them. Enjoy!

JUICE #5: CANDIDATES ANNOUNCE // THEA WILSON VS. DEL. VALLARIO IN D23B, BENNETT RUSHKOFF VS. DAVID FRASER-HIDALGO IN D15, CHARLOTTE CRUTCHFIELD VS. MARICE MORALES IN D19, TOM MOORE FOR MOCO COUNCIL - Maryland Juice has received a number of alerts from candidates announcing for various positions. Below you can see a quick round-up of the events.

DISTRICT 23B: This Sunday, Thea Wilson is announcing a campaign for District 23B Delegate. Notably, D23B is a new legislative district that has been re-drawn in a way that may make incumbent Delegate Joe Vallario vulnerable in his re-election bid:

DISTRICT 15: Delegate Brian Feldman recently vacated his District 15 seat to be appointed to Rob Garagiola's State Senate seat. In turn, David Fraser-Hidalgo was appointed to Feldman's vacant D15 seat. But now progressive attorney Bennett Rushkoff has announced a campaign for District 15 Delegate, and some interesting officials attended his campaign kickoff this weekend. In the photo and press release excerpt below, Rushkoff announced that his event was attended by D15 Delegates Kathleen Dumais and Aruna Miller (current colleagues of David Fraser-Hidalgo):

PRESS RELEASE

Over 100 People Pack Bennett Rushkoff’s State Delegate Campaign Kickoff
District 15 Delegates Dumais and Miller Attend

North Potomac, Maryland  – Over 100 people, including District 15 Delegates Kathleen Dumais and Aruna Miller, packed into Nantucket’s Reef in North Potomac for Bennett Rushkoff’s State Delegate campaign kickoff on Saturday, February 8.

After being introduced by Ron Weich, Dean of the University of Baltimore Law School and a Yale Law School classmate of Rushkoff’s, as well as Antonio Carrillo, a public school science teacher and local community activist, Rushkoff described why he was running for office.  He spoke about his many years fighting for justice as a consumer protection attorney and how he plans to pursue justice in the General Assembly, advocating in the areas of education, health care, and the environment on behalf of all Marylanders.  Rushkoff said that his commitment to protecting the environment comes from his belief that we “borrow our planet from our children.”

Following the kickoff, Rushkoff commented on the packed house at Nantucket’s Reef: “I am inspired by all the people who came out today to hear about our campaign for justice.  It is clear that the residents of District 15 want a Delegate who will fight for our shared values.”

Rushkoff has assembled a professional campaign team, hiring the consulting firm Feldman Strategies and bringing on former Obama campaign staffer Britney Mumford....

DISTRICT 19: This week MCDCC member Charlotte Crutchfield announced a campaign for District 19 Delegate, where incumbent Sam Arora recently announced his retirement. Crutchfield will be joining Marice Morales (an aide to Sen. Roger Manno) in seeking the open seat. Check out this excerpt from Crutchfield's announcement press release below:

PRESS RELEASE

Longtime County Activist Charlotte Crutchfield Announces Candidacy

Bringing Communities Together Through Energy and Experience

February 9, 2014 (Silver Spring, MD)—Longtime Montgomery County activist Charlotte Crutchfield formally announced today that she has filed as a candidate for the Maryland House of Delegates in District 19. She will be running in the Democratic primary on June 24, 2014.

“After many years working in the community with and for the wonderful people of District 19, I am ready to serve as an effective advocate in the General Assembly,” Crutchfield said.

Seeking to fill the vacant seat with Delegate Arora’s retirement, Ms. Crutchfield’s election will be historic, as she will be the first African American woman from Montgomery County to be elected to the State legislature.

Ms. Crutchfield's focus is Community First. Her top three campaign issues will be education, the economy, and equality. “A community is strongest when its citizens are well-educated, economically prosperous, and are treated equally. A livable minimum wage benefits workers, unions and businesses alike, and bolsters the economy. And, when every member of the community knows that their life, lifestyle and life-choices are valued regardless of sex, race, religion, ethnic origin, sexual orientation or identity we, indeed, become a community," she said.

Charlotte Crutchfield was elected to the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee (MCDCC) in 2010, serving as Liaison for District 19, and as a member of the Rules Committee, Voter Protection Committee, Ballot Question Review Committee and Strategic Planning Committee....

MOCO COUNCIL 3: Rockville City Councilmember Tom Moore announced a February 17th kickoff for his campaign for County Council District 3. The incumbent Phil Andrews is running for County Executive, and so far Gaithersburg Mayor Sid Katz, Gaithersburg Councilmember Ryan Spiegel, and activist Guled Kassim have announced in the race. Moore's announcement is below:

Greetings, Juice!

Please join Tom Moore, his wife Amy, his kids, and many of Tom's friends and supporters next Monday as we kick off his campaign for County Council with good cheer and good food.

Come hear why Tom is running, and how he will represent Rockville and Gaithersburg on the County Council!

We have four short months until the June 24 Democratic primary, and Tom's in a red-hot race. Let's get this campaign off to a roaring start!

When: Monday, Feb. 17, from 3-5 p.m. (Presidents' Day!)
Where: American Tap Room in Rockville Town Square   
Please feel free to bring as many people as you like. Kids are more than welcome to attend.

Click here to RSVP: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1YrGoQUTRRfZ529Z9q6owR5ePPBhYayZ2QzA-xHgGBfc/viewform

See you there!

Max van Balgooy
Campaign Chair, Friends of Tom Moore

JUICE #6: KYLE LIERMAN WEIGHING RUN FOR D16 SENATE OR DELEGATE AS FIELD THINS // PLUS: MOCO BOE MEMBER SMONDROWSKI FOR D17 SENATE? - Bethesda Magazine's Lou Peck highlighted some possible last-minute candidate filings as we head closer to the February 25th deadline for candidates to put their names on the June Primary Election ballot. The race for two open Delegate seats in District 16 may lose some candidates and gain others, while candidates are still eyeing the open Senate seat primaries in Districts 16 and 17 (excerpt below):

BETHESDA MAGAZINE: Local real estate agent Ted Duncan, who had formed a campaign committee and was ready to run as recently as mid-January, has pulled out of the contest.... Veteran political operative Kevin Walling, who announced his candidacy last summer, appears ready to drop out and instead run for a seat on the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee.... White House aide Kyle Lierman, who finished second in an 11-person race for an open seat in 2010, is said by sources to be continuing to consider another run for delegate or a run against Delegate Susan Lee for the seat being vacated by Sen. Brian Frosh.

Rebecca Smondrowski confirmed she is still mulling a run to succeed state Sen. Jennie Forehand, who is retiring after 20 years in the seat.... Smondrowski, a former General Assembly aide who was elected to the school board in 2012, acknowledged that “I’ll likely be staying where I am,” But she added of a possible Senate run: “I’m very torn. I really love what I’m doing, [but] I’m feeling like this might be once in a lifetime opportunity…My guess is that I’ll be considering it until pretty much close to the deadline....”

JUICE #7: MOCO POISED TO APPROVE PUBLIC FINANCING FOR COUNTY ELECTIONS // PLUS: CONGRESSMAN SARBANES & NANCY PELOSI INTRODUCE CLEAN ELECTIONS BILLS FOR FEDS - All members of the Montgomery County Council have signed on to legislation sponsored by Councilmember Phil Andrews to take advantage of new state law allowing municipalities to enact public financing systems for local elections. Indeed, MoCo Councilmembers seek to make the county the first in Maryland to create a "clean elections" fund and reduce the impact of special interests in elections. This effort seems likely to pass.

Meanwhile, Congressman Jon Sarbanes is sponsoring legislation to create a similar program at the federal level. Sarbanes co-signed an op-ed with U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi about their new legislation, and Governor O'Malley and former MoCo Councilmember Valerie Ervin (now with the Center for Working Families) issued a press release about the effort. You can see excerpts from both items below:

NANCY PELOSI & JOHN SARBANES (VIA WASHINGTON POST): Americans have seen it on their televisions and heard it on their radios: political ads backed by unnamed sources; the work of so-called advocacy groups backed by undisclosed donors; damaging policy agendas orchestrated by special interests; endless money muddying the waters of our debate with confusion and voter suppression.... Indeed, Citizens United shook the foundation of our democracy: the principle that, in the United States of America, it is the voices of the people, not the bank accounts of the privileged few, that determine the outcome of our elections and the policies of our government....

Those of us inside and outside the Capitol who support this kind of major change are rallying around H.R. 20, the Government by the People Act, which is to be introduced Wednesday. This sensible, straightforward legislation would:

• Encourage the participation of everyday Americans in the funding of campaigns by providing a refundable $25 My Voice Tax Credit. This would bring the voices of the broader public into the funding side of campaigns and democratize the relationship between money and speech.

• Establish a Freedom From Influence Matching Fund to boost the power of small-dollar contributions. To be eligible for these matching funds, a candidate would have to agree to a limit on large donations and demonstrate broad-based support from a network of small-dollar contributors. Amplified by the Freedom From Influence Matching Fund, the voices of everyday Americans would be as powerful as those of big donors.

• Provide candidates with an opportunity to earn additional resources in the homestretch of a campaign so that the voices of the people are not completely drowned out by super political action committees and other dark-money interests. In the wake of Citizens United, this kind of support is critical to ensuring that citizen-backed candidates have staying power.

Here's the press release from the Center for Working Families about the new Pelosi-Sarbanes public financing bill:

PRESS RELEASE

Gov. O'Malley, Valerie Ervin Laud New Sarbanes Bill to Take on Money in Politics

Today, Gov. Martin O'Malley and Center Working Families Executive Director Valerie Ervin lauded a new bill meant to take on the role of big money in politics and raise the voices of everyday people in the political process

H.R. 20, The Government by the People Act, was introduced today by Rep. John Sarbanes, and has more than 100 original co-sponsors.

"We need more action and smarter solutions to improve our nation's campaign finance system and I commend Congressmen John Sarbanes and Chris Van Hollen for their leadership on this important issue," said Governor Martin O’Malley. "Elections are the foundation of a successful democracy and these ideas will put us one step closer toward a better, more representative system that reflects the American values we share.”

"The Citizens United decision has given wealthy interests a megaphone so big it drowns out the rest of our voices," said Valerie Ervin, Executive Director of the Center for Working Families. "I am proud to stand in support of more than 100 members of Congress today who want to put the voters back in charge. Democracy shouldn't be for sale at any price."

The Government by the People Act would change the way our elections are financed through a combination of small donors, matching funds, and a “My Voice” tax credit.  Instead of relying on Wall Street executives or lobbyists, participating candidates would rely on the ones the founding fathers intended them to represent: we the people.

How the bill works:

People would be encouraged to give small contributions through two parts of the proposal: first, contributions of $1 to $150 would be amplified on a six-to-one basis by a newly-created “Freedom from Influence Fund.” Large contributions would not qualify.
The first $25 contributed by individuals would qualify for a “My Voice” refundable tax credit.
Each candidate’s money from the new fund -- which would be financed by closing corporate tax loopholes -- would be capped, and there would be strict enforcement of campaign finance laws, including disclosure of all donations.

Learn more about the Government by the People Act at: www.ofby.us

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JUICE #8: STATE SENATOR LISA GLADDEN WITHDRAWS BILL TO TACKLE DEL. JON CARDIN'S HELICOPTER STUNT - The Daily Record recently reported that State Senator Lisa Gladden withdrew a bill designed to combat misuse of police equipment. The bill was apparently aimed at a scandal involving Delegate Jon Cardin, who is locked in a battle for Attorney General against Gladden's Senate colleague Brian Frosh (excerpt below):

DAILY RECORD: A bill that would have established reimbursement requirements and perhaps set other penalties for elected officials who misuse police equipment has been pulled by the sponsor because of election year concerns. Sen. Lisa A. Gladden, D-Baltimore, introduced the bill last week but quickly pulled it at the request of her committee chairman, Sen. Brian E. Frosh, D-Montgomery.

“It will not be considered for this year because of the election,” said Gladden, who is vice chairwoman of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee. “It will be back next year because I like the bill and I think it’s a good idea....” The bill imposes a $15,000 fine for an elected official found guilty of misusing police resources and requires the official to reimburse the agency for the use of the equipment and officers.... When asked if the bill was specifically related to the Baltimore County Democrat, Gladden responded: “Of course we’re talking about Jon Cardin.”

The Associated Press reported on the context for the bill in 2009 (excerpt below):

ASSOCIATED PRESS (VIA HUFFINGTON POST): A Maryland lawmaker has apologized for using a police boat and helicopter to create a diversion so he could surprise his girlfriend with a marriage proposal.

Baltimore Police Commissioner Frederick Bealefeld told reporters Tuesday that Delegate Jon Cardin also offered to pay expenses from the incident. The department is investigating. Officials don't know yet how much Cardin's proposal cost the department....

JUICE #9: TWO-TIME DUI CONVICT DEL. DON DWYER INTRODUCES BILLS REQUIRING JAIL & SUSPENSION FOR LAWMAKERS JAILED FOR DUI - If you haven't already heard, Delegate Don Dwyer was back in the news again. The Tea Party lawmaker has been in and out of the news in recent cycles, due to back-to-back drunk driving incidents. The first incident was a drunken boat crash that injured several children, while the second was a DUI conviction for dangerous driving. But now Dwyer has introduced two bills to create mandatory expulsion and jail-time for lawmakers involved in DUI's:

• BILL #1 - HB733: For the purpose of requiring that certain State officials who are convicted of certain alcohol–related driving offenses be subject to a certain mandatory minimum sentence; defining a certain term; and generally relating to a mandatory minimum sentence for a State official who is convicted of certain alcohol–related driving offenses.

• BILL #2 - HB734:  For the purpose of requiring that a member of the General Assembly who is found guilty of any crime for which the member is sentenced to serve a period of incarceration in any penal institution during the member’s term of office be suspended and, under certain circumstances, removed from office by operation of law; requiring that a member of the General Assembly who enters a certain plea relating to any crime for which the member is sentenced to serve a period of incarceration in any penal institution during the member’s term of office be removed from office by operation of law; and submitting this amendment to the qualified voters of the State for their adoption or rejection. 

JUICE #10: ANTHONY BROWN SLAMS DOUG GANSLER CORPORATE TAX CUT PROPOSAL - Attorney General Doug Gansler has voiced support for linking a corporate tax cut to a minimum wage increase in Maryland. Last week Lt. Governor Anthony Brown issued a press release calling Gansler's stance a Republican position (excerpt below):

PRESS RELEASE

Doug Gansler’s $1.6 billion corporate tax giveaway to be debated in Senate at 1 p.m. in Annapolis today

Will Gansler join with Republicans by testifying and explaining which programs he'll slash or schools he'll close to pay for this reckless corporate tax handout?

UPPER MARLBORO, MD – Throughout his campaign for governor, Doug Gansler has frequently and enthusiastically embraced the Republican proposal to slash Maryland’s corporate tax rate from 8.25% to 6%. Just like Annapolis Republicans, Gansler has yet to explain how he’ll pay for this corporate giveaway, which would cost Marylanders more than $1.6 billion in revenue over the next five years. The Washington Post even called Gansler’s unfunded giveaway part of a “package of panders” to Maryland voters.

Today at 1 p.m. in the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, Republicans will push for passage of Doug Gansler’s $1.6 million corporate tax handout – the only question is, will Doug Gansler finally stand with them and explain how he’ll pay for it?

“Doug Gansler has been in lockstep with Republicans who want a $1.6 billion corporate tax handout that would defund our schools and put the brakes on several job-creating infrastructure projects,” said Brown-Ulman campaign manager Justin Schall. “If Gansler wants to recklessly create a $1.6 billion hole in revenues, he should come clean and explain which programs he’ll slash or which schools he’ll close to balance the budget. Marylanders deserve to hear Doug Gansler and the Republicans explain why a corporate tax giveaway is a better idea than investing in our schools.”

JUICE: Brown's MoCo Endorsers, Saqib Ali Exits D15, Ryan Spiegel for MoCo Council, MCEA Supports Incumbents & More!

Below Maryland Juice provides a few news items that may be of interest to politicos:

JUICE #1: ANTHONY BROWN ANNOUNCES NEW ENDORSERS FROM MONTGOMERY COUNTY - This weekend, Lt. Governor Anthony Brown announced endorsements from elected officials in Montgomery County. You can see the names of his local supporters in the following press release (excerpt below):

PRESS RELEASE

Brown-Ulman campaign unveils 18 Montgomery County endorsers

Gaithersburg Mayor Sidney Katz: “Montgomery County families know that they can count on Anthony Brown and Ken Ulman”

CHEVY CHASE, MD – Today, 18 Montgomery County elected officials endorsed Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown and County Executive Ken Ulman in their campaign for Governor and Lt. Governor.... Earlier today, Baltimore City Council President Bernard C. “Jack” Young and three others endorsed Brown and Ulman at an event marking the opening of the campaign’s Baltimore office. 

“I’m proud to be endorsing Anthony Brown because he’s fought hard for education, maintaining record investments for Maryland schools while making them the best in the country for five years running,” said Gaithersburg Mayor Sidney Katz. “Montgomery County families know that they can count on Anthony and Ken Ulman to make sure they have access to affordable health-care, good jobs, and a quality education for their children. Like many throughout Montgomery County, I’m ready to get to work for the Brown-Ulman team.”

“Anthony Brown and Ken Ulman each have an impressive record of progressive results for hard-working Maryland families and they’re the best choice for Montgomery County,” said Del. Tom Hucker. “Anthony has a great vision for Maryland's future and I wholeheartedly support him. He has the high moral character and commitment to service Marylanders expect in their next Governor, and I’m excited to help him get elected....”

The following Montgomery County leaders have endorsed the Brown-Ulman team:

• State Senator Nancy King (39)
• Former State Senate Majority Leader Rob Garagiola

• Delegate Sheila Hixson (20)
• Delegate Tom Hucker (20)
• Delegate Kirill Reznik (39)

• Craig Rice, President of Montgomery County Council
• Valerie Ervin, Montgomery County Council
• Nancy Navarro, Montgomery County Council
• Hans Riemer, Montgomery County Council
• Chris Barclay, President of Montgomery County Board of Education

• Sidney Katz, Mayor of Gaithersburg
• Peter Fosselman, Mayor of Kensington
• Jeffrey Slavin, Mayor of Somerset
• Michael Sesma, Gaithersburg Council
• Tracey Furman, Kensington Council
• Paul Sexton, Kensington Council
• Cathy Pickar, Somerset Council
• Tim Male, Takoma Park Council....

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JUICE #2: GAITHERSBURG COUNCILMEMBER RYAN SPIEGEL TO RUN FOR MOCO COUNCIL DISTRICT 3 - Last week, Gaithersburg Councilmember Ryan Spiegel announced he will be running for the Montgomery County Council seat being vacated by incumbent Phil Andrews. Indeed, Maryland Juice has been astonished at the fairly empty field for a coveted Council seat, given that Andrews announced his departure months ago. But now we have a race on our hands. Local activist Guled Kassim has already announced for the D3 seat, and last week we received the following message from Ryan Spiegel (excerpt below):

RYAN SPIEGEL: Dear Juice, This time of year, we enjoy the blessings in our lives and we give to others.  We reflect on the past and we make resolutions for the future.  After much reflection together with my family, I have resolved that the best way I can give back to my community is by running for the Montgomery County Council. 

As you may know, Councilmember Phil Andrews is vacating his seat to run for County Executive.  It is imperative that someone with experience, vision, and commitment be elected to continue serving the people of District 3, which includes Rockville, Gaithersburg, Leisure World, Washington Grove, and parts of Aspen Hill, Derwood, North Potomac, and Potomac.

During my two terms on the Gaithersburg City Council, we've implemented cutting-edge policies on sustainability, economic development, housing, and job creation, all while preserving the quality of existing neighborhoods and our excellent record of constituent service.  We've achieved big successes for public safety, transportation, cultural events, and open space, while maintaining a fiscally responsible budget.  And we've increased our support for critical social programs addressing senior living, medical care, homelessness, financial education, and youth empowerment. 

But just as important is the way in which we've governed.  I have worked with colleagues of all political stripes to foster an atmosphere of mutual respect and to build consensus on major decisions.  And by reaching out and working together, we've managed to get incredible things done to make Gaithersburg one of the most progressive and productive cities in the nation.

I will bring that important combination of legislative experience and leadership style to the Montgomery County Council.

In the coming weeks, our campaign will be rolling out the details of our policy priorities, updating our webpage, scheduling events, and calling on supporters to help us get the word out. I've run campaigns before, and I can tell you it's incredibly hard work. 

Like any successful endeavor, a campaign needs investors -- people who believe in the candidate and the cause and who understand that their contribution will help elect the right kind of leaders to make the decisions that affect us all.  It is particularly important to have a strong financial position in the early days, to ensure a smooth and successful campaign.  Please take a moment to make a contribution....

Thank you so much.  I am truly humbled by your support.

I am also a big proponent of open government. Throughout this journey, we want to hear from you and stay connected.  So please follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and call or email with any ideas or questions. 

Wishing you and yours a very happy holiday season.

Sincerely,

Councilmember Ryan S. Spiegel

JUICE #3: SAQIB ALI WITHDRAWS FROM D15 DELEGATE RACE // BENNETT RUSHKOFF TO RUN AGAINST DAVID FRASER-HIDALGO - Earlier this year the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee appointed David Fraser-Hidalgo to serve in the District 15 Delegate seat that was vacated by Brian Feldman. There are a few updates to the story, as one candidate has dropped out of the race to win a full term to the D15 seat in 2014, and a new candidate has emerged for the Delegate seat.

First, according to the Board of Elections website, Saqib Ali has withdrawn from the D15 race:

Second, Maryland Juice received the following press release from a new D15 Delegate candidate, Bennett Rushkoff:

PRESS RELEASE

Bennett Rushkoff announces his candidacy for Maryland State Delegate, District 15

December 4, 2013 - North Potomac resident Bennett Rushkoff announced today that he has filed as a candidate for the Maryland House of Delegates, District 15. He will be running in the Democratic primary on June 24, 2014.

Rushkoff is Chief of the D.C. Attorney General Office's Public Advocacy Section, where he leads public interest enforcement in the areas of consumer protection, antitrust, charities, and government-related fraud. He joined the Office in 1998.

“After 25 years of public protection work at the federal, state, and local levels, I’m ready to serve as an effective advocate in our General Assembly,” Rushkoff said. “It would truly be an honor to join Senator Brian Feldman and Delegates Kathleen Dumais and Aruna Miller in representing District 15.”

Rushkoff’s top three campaign issues will be education, health care, and the environment. “We should strive to keep Maryland’s public schools No. 1 in the country, to ensure quality health care for all, and to promote clean, safe, and renewable energy as well as energy conservation,” he said.

A graduate of Yale Law School, Rushkoff has previously served as a Special Assistant to the Maryland Attorney General, as a consumer protection attorney at the Federal Trade Commission, and as Special Chief Counsel in the Missouri Attorney General's Office. He earned his undergraduate degree from Princeton University, where he majored in public policy at the Woodrow Wilson School.

Rushkoff is a Lay Minister for social justice at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Rockville. With his congregation, he has worked for marriage equality, offshore wind power, and repeal of the death penalty.

Rushkoff is married to Karen Whitesell, a physical therapist at Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital. They have been residents of Montgomery County since 1997. Their daughter and son attend Wootton High School.

Friends of Bennett Rushkoff’s campaign website is at www.bennettrushkoff.com.

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JUICE #4: MOCO TEACHERS UNION ENDORSES ALL INCUMBENTS SEEKING RE-ELECTION (INCLUDING ALL D18 ELECTEDS) - Maryland Juice just saw the following announcement from the Montgomery County teachers union (MCEA), noting early endorsements for all MoCo Senate & House members seeking re-election. Note that MCEA has not yet weighed in on the contested D16 and D17 Senate races or the open seats. Also note that in District 18, MCEA has endorsed all three Delegates for re-election, including Ana Sol Gutierrez. This may be further evidence that she'll be running again in 2014:

MCEA December 2013 Endorsements

JUICE #5: WASHINGTON POST PUBLISHES BLOW-BY-BLOW OF CONTENTIOUS MOCO MINIMUM WAGE VOTE - A couple weeks ago, Maryland Juice published several action alerts from groups making last minute appeals to voters before the Montgomery County Council's vote on a minimum wage increase. Indeed, I attended the Council vote in-person and witnessed a four hour spectacle of debate before the Councilmembers ultimately approved a minimum wage of $11.50/hour. Last week, however, The Washington Post's Bill Turque published a blow-by-blow of the contentious debate (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: ...as the proceedings approached the four-hour mark, the council dais began to look and sound like a Thanksgiving dinner where long-simmering family tensions bubbled to the surface. The measure sponsored by Council member Marc Elrich (D-At-Large), lifting the minimum from $7.25 to $11.50 by 2017, passed 8-to-1 last Tuesday. The decisive final margin, however, belied the level of acrimony and personal animus.....

The first unexpected twist came from Council member Craig Rice (D-Upcounty), who for weeks had urged the council to defer action until the General Assembly passed a statewide wage hike. But toward the end of the debate, Rice solemnly announced that he would support Elrich’s initial proposal to raise the county minimum to $11.50 by 2016.... Gasps of surprise and applause rippled through the chamber.

Leventhal, who had planned on a strong six-vote majority for the amendment, was clearly stunned by Rice’s reversal.... “I’m losing track of how many times I’ve heard Mr. Rice change his views....”

Without naming her, Leventhal chided Council member Valerie Ervin (D- Silver Spring), one of Elrich’s co-sponsors, for telling The Washington Post that the bill raising the minimum to $11.50 by 2016 was “a vote of conscience” and “a litmus test” for the June 2014 Democratic primary. “Some colleagues are eager to make this an election issue, as quoted in the paper this morning,” Leventhal said.... 

Ervin: “....We’re all Democrats. We’re all supposed to be progressive Democrats....”

Riemer, speaking in support of [Roger Berliner's amendment to set the minimum wage at $10.75], underscored the importance of aggressively lobbying the General Assembly to raise the statewide minimum.

Riemer: “We are going to have to take the battle to Annapolis, and get the state to raise the minimum wage.”

Ervin: “Good luck.”

Riemer: “Well, we’ll see if you’re there on the front lines....” 

Berliner’s amendment was approved, 5-4. But a motion by Elrich, to phase in the increase from $7.25 to $11.50 across four years instead of three, won 6-3.

POP QUIZ: Juice Interviews MoCo Teachers' New Political Head // MCEA's Barbara Hueter Raps About Post, Bell Times & More

MCEA Political Director Barbara Hueter (fourth from left)

In Montgomery County, MCEA (the union representing public school teachers) has long commanded one of the more influential endorsements in Democratic politics. But last August we reported that the long-time head of MCEA's political process Jon Gerson had stepped down to make room for a successor: Barbara Hueter.

Maryland Juice blogger David Moon decided to take the opportunity to give Ms. Hueter a pop quiz about what the change in personalities means for MCEA and to weigh in on a handful of the hot-button issues that have been debated in local education policy in recent years. In our exclusive interview below, you can read Barbara Hueter's response to a range of education and political issues, including her thoughts on the long-standing endorsement rivalry between The Washington Post & MCEA, life after Jon Gerson, the movement to start school later, and much more!  NOTE: I sent Hueter these questions on 8/31/2013, and she sent back responses on 10/11/2013.  :)

MARYLAND JUICE INTERVIEWS MCEA

MARYLAND JUICE: Your predecessor in running MCEA's political operation, Jon Gerson, spent many years managing one of Montgomery County's most high profile endorsement processes. What do you think the key differences (if any) will be between how he operated and how you might organize things? Will there be any notable changes that teachers, candidates and politicos might notice in the coming months?

BARBARA HUETER ON LIFE AFTER JON GERSON: It is a challenge to build on the record of success that we have accomplished with our political program. One of my priorities moving forward is to increase the engagement of MCEA members in the political process. We are known for putting hundreds of teachers at the polls handing out Apple Ballots. We will be working to increase that, to increase the number of our members participating in our PAC fund, and to increase the number of our members meeting regularly with elected officials. I’m focused on increasing teacher engagement in the political process.

MARYLAND JUICE: What do you think are the greatest political challenges facing MCEA in the coming electoral cycle?

BARBARA HUETER ON MCEA'S POLITICAL CHALLENGES: Our goal is to help elect the most pro-education candidates to office. During elections, virtually every candidate says they support public education: the challenge is who really has the core values so that when difficult choices need to be made, they will put the interests of our schools and our students first. We want elected officials who recognize that a strong school system is essential to the future prosperity of the entire county and the state.

MARYLAND JUICE: In the last few years, there seems to have been a bit of competition between the Washington Post and MCEA for prominence in endorsement power in Montgomery County politics. Do you have any reflections on this dynamic going forward? Does it even matter?

BARBARA HUETER ON THE WASHINGTON POST: I think that when it comes to what’s best for our schools, voters are a lot more interested in the opinions of their teachers than they are in the opinions of a handful of people sitting in an office building in downtown DC. 

MARYLAND JUICE: What are the top 3 issues that motivate you in politics (at the state/county level or nationally)?

BARBARA HUETER'S POLITICAL PRIORITIES: I am concerned with what is best for our schools and our students. Locally and nationally, our challenge is how to close the achievement gap and ensure that every child has access to a high quality education. Part of that is attracting and retaining the best and brightest teachers - which means valuing and not demeaning the profession. Part of it is investing in lower class sizes and other supports in our highest need schools. And part of it is providing the social services (health care, nutrition, etc.) that low-income families need so their students can be successful. Schools alone cannot erase the terrible disadvantages caused by poverty.

MARYLAND JUICE: Though MCEA obviously deals with school budget and labor issues, I've noticed a number of persistent grassroots education topics that continue to get attention from activists in the school arena. I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on some of these:

MARYLAND JUICE: The achievement gap and standardized test disparities impacting students of color, lower income families, and immigrant/ESL students have been popping in and out of the news lately. Lots of politicians have been weighing in on this, but what do you think are some of the quickest and most direct ways of addressing this, given that parents with children in the schools now don't want to wait years to implement policy solutions? Can this problem really be dealt with without reducing class size?

BARBARA HUETER ON THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP: Lower class sizes in high needs schools are part of the solution. MCPS has proven it. We significantly lowered class sizes in early childhood grades in our high needs schools, and now more than 90% of our kindergarteners are consistently meeting or exceeding reading targets – closing the achievement gap. Universal pre-k would be a huge step. The Linkages to Learning program that provides wrap-around health care services is incredibly valuable and would make a big difference if it were expanded to more schools.

We can’t close the achievement gap on the cheap. It will take an increased investment in our highest need schools, and if politicians say otherwise, they are badly out of touch.

MARYLAND JUICE: At a few events, I've noticed parents and students mention a perceived disparity on how disciplinary actions are used against students from different demographic groups. Is this perception a reality? If so, what can be done to address this?

BARBARA HUETER ON DISPARITIES IN DISCIPLINE: Nobody should tolerate disparate disciplinary actions. We need better systems in place to support students who need additional attention. Teachers need time for more training and collaborative planning on how to teach in diverse classrooms. MCEA is proud of a new graduate certificate program we have designed (with McDaniel College) on Excellence and Education in Teaching, which addresses teaching strategies and cultural competency that are needed to succeed in racially and ethnically diverse classrooms. Smaller class sizes make it easier for teachers to reach all their students so they are engaged – and not alienated – from school.

MARYLAND JUICE: Over the years (including dating back to when I was a student in MCPS), there has been period discussion of starting high school later than the current super-early start to the school day. There is a great deal of research showing that adequate sleep is critical to students being "ready to learn," but it seems like this issue is continuously punted into the future so that it can never actually be reformed. Do you have any thoughts on whether this should be dealt with? If so, what is the best and quickest way forward, and if not, why not?

BARBARA HUETER ON STARTING SCHOOL LATER: The recommendation from the Superintendent deserves serious consideration.  We look forward to having MCEA members involved in the process of considering the pros and cons of the proposal. We’re especially concerned about the impact on low-income families whose students work after-school jobs, or who provide after school care of siblings. 

MARYLAND JUICE: When I was in MCPS, the vast majority of students did not have an opportunity to learn a foreign language until middle school or high school. Again, research persistently shows that it is much easier and efficient for young people to learn second languages earlier in life. What would it take to make this common-sense shift in our schools?

BARBARA HUETER ON OFFERING FOREIGN LANGUAGE EDUCATION EARLIER : No Child Left Behind has driven an obsession with standardized test scores in reading in math. The result has been a narrowing of the curriculum in lots of areas. It would cost money to provide world language instruction in all elementary schools – but as I understand it, Utah is doing that now. It would also require a recognition that a good education means more than reading and math scores on standardized tests.

MARYLAND JUICE: "Tracking" students (eg: separating pupils by academic ability into segregated groups) has been a much debated topic, with research showing both positive and negative effects. But as I can recall from my own days in MCPS, this process begins very early in grade school and impacts which students are put on AP and more rigorous academic tracks. Do you think this policy is working? If not, what reforms would you make?

BARBARA HUETER ON TRACKING: For a number of years, MCEA has supported elimination of the Global Screening process in second grade. MCPS has been piloting that in two schools and we believe it has been successful. Grouping practices need to be flexible over time. No one is well served by rigid tracking: neither on-level students nor above grade level students. Over the years, there has been powerful testimony in front of the Board of Education by students from the Blair magnet program about how they benefitted from flexible grouping practices. But again, the larger class sizes are, the more difficult it is to teach heterogeneous groups of students.

MARYLAND JUICE: Do you think MCPS is providing students with adequately nutritious meals?

BARBARA HUETER ON SCHOOL MEALS: Should the system strive to do better? Absolutely. But most kids aren’t going to eat brussels sprouts and kale. It’s a challenge to figure out how to provide healthier meals that students will eat. But I don’t doubt that the folks in food services are waking up every day trying to do that. Nutrition is their business.

CONCLUSION: There you have it, folks!  This conversation is obviously just the tip of the iceberg on some of the intriguing challenges facing Montgomery County Public Schools heading into the future, and a potential sign of some of the policy debates we may see in the near future. But in the meantime, it appears that MCEA is getting an early start on organizing for the 2014 election cycle. They've placed the following ad in The Gazette this week:

MCEA's October 2013 Ad in The Gazette

Montgomery County Teachers Union Selects New Political Director // Meet MCEA's New Advocate Barbara Hueter

Last May, Center Maryland columnist Josh Kurtz wrote that the Montgomery County teachers union's long-time political director Jon Gerson was shifting out of his role managing the labor organization's political endorsements (excerpt below):

CENTER MARYLAND: A major power in Montgomery County politics is stepping aside this campaign season. Jon Gerson, the longtime – and controversial – political director of the county teachers’ union is no longer serving in that capacity. While he remains employed by the union, serving on its School Assistance Team, focusing on new teachers, he will no longer be part of the political operation.

In an email Thursday to Center Maryland, Tom Israel, the executive director of the 12,000-member Montgomery County Education Association, said Gerson’s reassignment is part of a broad staff reorganization, prompted in part by the departure of two veteran staff members....

In an interview Thursday, Gerson – who, like most of his colleagues at the union, wears many hats – said he sought the change because he had grown tired of the “transactional relationships” in politics and was deriving more satisfaction from working with teachers.... “It’s somebody else’s turn,” he said....

But a Maryland Juice source within MCEA informed us today that as of August 15th, MCEA has selected Barbara Hueter to serve as their new political director. Heuter formerly served as Co-Chair of MCEA's Political Action & Legislative Support Committee and previously worked as a social studies teacher at BCC High School. She will now be serving half-time as the union's political director through the 2014 election cycle:

Photo Source: The Warrior Online

Congratulations and good luck to Barbara Hueter!

ENDORSEMENTS: Montgomery County Teachers (MCEA) Release 2012 Apple Ballot Recommendations

For years, Montgomery County's teachers union (MCEA) has organized a sample ballot to be distributed at polling locations on election day. This year is no different, and below you can see what recommendations the teachers will be handing out on their "apple ballot." Note that earlier this week, Maryland Juice published a purple "school bus" ballot from MoCo's public school employees union SEIU. The apple ballot and school bus ballot differ on two matters: the District 2 Board of Education race and gambling. SEIU backs Rebecca Smondrowski in District 2 and also came out "for" Question 7 (gambling expansion). In contrast, the teachers are backing Fred Evans in District 2 and made no recommendation on gambling. Note: voters throughout Montgomery County can vote in all of the Board of Education races.
Montgomery County Teachers (MCEA) 2012 Apple Ballot

SEIU Local 500 Endorses Rebecca Smondrowski for Montgomery County Board of Education, District 2

SEIU Local 500, the labor organization representing employees in the Montgomery County public school system, has endorsed Rebecca Smondrowski for the Board of Education District 2 seat. Smondrowski is running against former principal Fred Evans, who has the backing of the teachers union (aka MCEA). In the April school board primaries, five candidates vied for the two General Election spots. The Primary Election results are below, followed by the endorsement press release from SEIU Local 500:

DISTRICT 2 BOARD OF EDUCATION PRIMARY RESULTS (April 2012)

1. Fred Evans - 16,495 (24.8%) - MCEA Endorsed
2. Rebecca Smondrowski - 14,938 (22.4%) - Washington Post Endorsed
3. Jeanne Ellinport - 14,487 (21.7%) - MCEA Endorsed
4. Susan Byrne - 13,828 (20.8%)
5. Saqib Ali  - 6,878 (10.3%)

PRESS RELEASE    SEIU Local 500 Endorses Rebecca Smondrowski for  Montgomery County Board of Education, District 2
History of commitment to education key to endorsement

GAITHERSBURG, MD – The executive board of the SEIU Local 500 unanimously voted to endorse Rebecca Smondrowski for the open, District 2 seat on the Montgomery County Board of Education.

SEIU Local 500 President Merle Cuttitta said:

“Local 500 members drive the buses that bring children to school, keep classrooms and hallways clean and safe and provide direct instruction to this community’s children as paraeducators and media assistants - and they are committed to giving our children a world class education. Local 500 members also have children and grandchildren who attend Montgomery County public schools. That’s why it is so important for all of us to have someone like Rebecca on the Board of Education, because she has proven her commitment to our schools, our community and our children.”

Rebecca Smondrowski expressed her appreciation of Local 500’s support:

“SEIU Local 500 members are on the front lines, working to keep Montgomery County schools among the nation’s best and I am honored to have their support.”

SEIU Local 500 members include supporting services employees at MCPS, Maryland family childcare providers, part time faculty at Montgomery College and employees at homes and centers for the developmentally disabled.

UPDATE: MoCo Board of Education Candidate Rebecca Smondrowski Holds 365 Vote Lead Over Jeanne Ellinport

Ten days ago, Montgomery County's Board of Education District 2 Primary ended with somewhat of a murky result. The top two candidates in the race will proceed to the November General Election, but last week there were only 452 votes separating the second and third place finishers:

After 1,652 absentee ballots were counted last week, Fred Evans maintained his first place finish, and Rebecca Smondrowski held a 371 vote lead over Jeanne Ellinport. Today, 2,259 absentee ballots have now been counted, and Ms. Smondrowski is still maintaining a 365 vote lead over Ms. Ellinport. This may be the end of this race, as Ellinport has only netted a handful of votes through the absentee count. See the current unofficial results below:

Board of Education District 002 | Non-Partisan (Vote for One)
Name	Party	Early Voting	Election Day	Absentee / Provisional	Total Votes	Percentage
Saqib Ali	Non-Partisan	860	6,021	230	7111	10.3%
Susan Byrne	Non-Partisan	1,463	12,381	627	14471	21.0%
Jeanne Ellinport	Non-Partisan	2,031	12,477	458	14966	21.7%
Fred Evans	Non-Partisan	2,098	14,429	571	17098	24.8%
Rebecca Smondrowski	Non-Partisan	1,745	13,213	373	15331	22.2%

---

Congratulations to Fred Evans & Rebecca Smondrowski!

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

REPORT: MD Absentee Ballots Received Per District & County // P.S. MoCo School Board Has 452-Vote Margin w/ 3K Absentees

Maryland Juice was just flipping through the Maryland absentee ballot counts, so I thought I'd share them all with you. The numbers below show how many voters received absentee ballots, and how many have mailed them back. The numbers are split by Congressional District, and then by County. If you are monitoring any races that are currently too close to call, this may help you get a feel for your candidate's chances. Below, for example, the numbers give us an idea of whether the Montgomery County Board of Education results might change in the District 2 race.

SPOTLIGHT: 3,000+ ABSENTEE BALLOTS IN MOCO: One initial thing I've noted is that there appear to be well over 3,000 absentee ballots that have not yet been counted in Montgomery County. That means that the close result in the countywide Board of Education District 2 Primary *could* flip. The second and third place finishers are currently separated by a margin of 451 votes. You can think of a few scenarios why this result could change. For example, a candidate could be doing exceedingly well with absentee voters within a certain strong absentee demographic, or there could be a mundane scenario where a candidate simply didn't target absentee voters. Even still, I think a reversal is not terribly likely, given that there was a crowded field of strong challengers in the D2 race. That means for one candidate to gain 451 votes, they would have to do disproportionately well compared to their rivals. We'll know soon enough! See the pre-absentee results in the MoCo school board D2 race below. The absentees results will hopefully be out soon.

MOCO BOARD OF EDUCATION DISTRICT 2 (Results Without Absentee Counts)

1. Fred Evans - 16,495 (24.8%) - MCEA Endorsed
2. Rebecca Smondrowski - 14,938 (22.4%) - Washington Post Endorsed
3. Jeanne Ellinport - 14,487 (21.7%) - MCEA Endorsed
4. Susan Byrne - 13,828 (20.8%)
5. Saqib Ali  - 6,878 (10.3%)

Maryland Absentee Ballots Sent and Received - April 2012 Primary

MoCo Board of Education Primaries Bring Mixed Results for Washington Post & Teachers Union Endorsed Candidates

BACKGROUND: Only the most demented among Maryland politicos could enjoy following the longstanding endorsement rivalry between The Washington Post and Montgomery County's teachers union (aka MCEA). If you happen to be one of these deranged politicos, note that last night's Board of Education results in Montgomery County are a mixed bag for both The Washington Post and MCEA.

In both the Board of Education District 2 and At-Large races, voters were asked to choose only one candidate in each race. These "primaries" are non-partisan, and so in both the District 2 and At Large races, the top two finishers will appear on the November General Election ballot.

Board of Education District 2 (Vote for One): For the District 2 race, MCEA endorsed two candidates: Fred Evans and Jeanne Ellinport. Meanwhile, The Washington Post endorsed Rebecca Smondrowski. This skirmish will continue into November, as Fred Evans and Rebecca Smondrowski are the top two finishers in the unofficial vote totals. The 2nd MCEA-backed candidate Jeanne Ellinport trails Smondrowski by 451 votes, which represents over half of a percentage point difference between the two candidates.

1. Fred Evans - 16,495 (24.8%) - MCEA Endorsed
2. Rebecca Smondrowski - 14,938 (22.4%) - Washington Post Endorsed
3. Jeanne Ellinport - 14,487 (21.7%) - MCEA Endorsed
4. Susan Byrne - 13,828 (20.8%)
5. Saqib Ali  - 6,878 (10.3%)

Board of Education At Large (Vote for One): In the Board of Education At Large race, MCEA-backed incumbent Phil Kauffman dominated the primary election, winning over 60% of the vote. His nearest challenger, The Washington Post-backed Morris Panner, was over 42 points behind. Nevertheless, the At Large school board race is another race where MCEA and The Washington Post-backed candidates took the top two spots. That means this skirmish will also continue into November.

1. Phil Kauffman - 38,722 - (60.3%) - MCEA Endorsed
2. Morris Panner - 10,897 - (17.0%) - Washington Post Endorsed
3. Lou August - 7,649 - (11.9%)
4. Aryeh Shudofsky - 6,947 - (10.8%)

More on the MoCo Board of Education races soon!

MCEA Sends Direct Mail for Jeanne Ellinport Featuring Sen. Rich Madaleno and Delegates Bonnie Cullison & Heather Mizeur

UPDATE #2:  Rival Board of Education candidate Rebecca Smondrowski emailed to highlight that Delegate Heather Mizeur has endorsed both herself and Jeanne Ellinport for the District 2 seat. She forwards an email blast from Delegate Mizeur, which we excerpt below:

HEATHER MIZEUR: For the Montgomery County Board of Education (a non-partisan race), there is an open seat in District 2 where county-wide votes will be tallied to advance the top two vote getters for the general election. I recommend you consider supporting either Jeanne Ellinport or Rebecca Smondrowski.  Both bring considerable passion for and experience on educational issues in the County and would make fine additions to the Board of Education.

UPDATE: In the comments section below, MCEA political director Jon Gerson explains the omission of Fred Evans from the direct mail pieces below:

JON GERSON: While Maryland Juice chose to post recent direct mail pieces sent out by MCEA in support of Board of Education candidate Jeanne Ellinport, with commentary recognizing the organization's recommendation of both Ellinport and Fred Evans in the D-2 BOE race, and noting only one candidate was featured ("interesting"), the blog/author failed to mention that MCEA provided similar support to Evans (who used the direct campaign contribution to also fund an extensive direct mailing). In addition, MCEA provided comparable resources to their recommended At-large BOE candidate, Phil Kauffman. While posting (only one of) the candidates pieces might be of interest to Maryland Juice followers, it is important to provide the full account of MCEA's support to avoid misperception by those relying on the site for information.

Montgomery County's teachers union (MCEA) is sending out three postcards in support of Board of Education District 2 candidate Jeanne Ellinport. Each postcard features a state legislator, and coincidentally, all of the endorsers are from the LGBT Caucus: State Senator Rich Madaleno (D18), Delegate Bonnie Cullison (D19) and Delegate Heather Mizeur (D20).

It is worth noting that MCEA has endorsed two candidates in the BOE District 2 race, Fred Evans and Jeanne Ellinport. Evans is not mentioned on these mail pieces. Interesting!

MCEA Direct Mail: Board of Education District 2 Candidate Jeanne Ellinport

Democratic Leaders Campaign with Senator Ben Cardin // Ike Leggett & Donna Edwards to Appear in Closing Days of Primary

Maryland Juice today received a media advisory announcing U.S. Senator Ben Cardin's campaign schedule for the final few days before the Democratic Primary on Tuesday, April 3rd. It appears as though Democratic officials from across the state are hitting the trail in support of Senator Cardin in the closing days of the campaign.

Officials ranging from Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett to Rep. Donna Edwards will be campaigning with Senator Cardin. See a few examples from his campaign schedule below.

WHAT: PRECINCT LITERATURE DISTRIBUTION WITH IKE LEGGETT AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION (MCEA).

WHAT: NEIGHBORHOOD CANVASS WITH U.S. REP. STENY HOYER AND VOLUNTEERS

WHAT: SENATOR CARDIN AND U.S. REP. DONNA EDWARDS GREET COMMUTERS AT NEW CARROLLTON METRO STATION

More on the 2012 U.S. Senate race soon!

Montgomery Teachers Union (MCEA) Releases Newspaper Ad for Board of Education Primary - Tuesday, April 3

MCEA, the labor organization representing Montgomery County teachers, released the following newspaper advertisement for the upcoming April 3rd Board of Education Primary. The ad will run in The Courier/Gaithersburg, Voice/Silver Spring & Takoma Park and Washington Jewish Week. According to MCEA, "No candidate contributions were solicited or used in connection with these ads." MCEA Newspaper Ad // Board of Education Primary

Montgomery County Teachers Union Issues School Board Endorsements // MCEA Picks Two Candidates in Saqib Ali's Race

The Gazette recently reported that Montgomery County's teachers union (MCEA) has issued endorsements in the Board of Education Primary election. Voters across Montgomery County will weigh in on three school board races this year. The April Primary Election will feature an At Large race and a District 2 race. The District 4 race only has two candidates, so both will automatically advance to the November General Election.

Notably, MCEA endorsed incumbents in the At Large and District 4 races. The District 2 seat is being contested by former Delegate Saqib Ali, but the teachers union has endorsed two different candidates in that race. See The Gazette's commentary below:

Incumbents Christopher Barclay (Dist. 4) of Takoma Park and Phil Kauffman (At-large) of Olney received backing. In the race for District 2, Fred Evans of Rockville and Jeanne Ellinport of Gaithersburg received backing. Current District 2 member Laura V. Berthiaume of Rockville has announced she will not seek re-election.

The recommendations are for the primary election only.