2016 Preview: Newt Gingrich & Newsweek Comment on Gov. Martin O'Malley White House Run // PLUS: "MoM" on Gambling

Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley (aka "MoM") has been under the media spotlight this weekend. Below, Maryland Juice highlights commentary about a future 2016 White House bid by Mr. O'Malley. Additionally, we print an excerpt from a unique Washington Post article that digs into MoM's thoughts about a special gambling session in Maryland. Notably, Newsweek now calls marriage equality "the new Democratic litmus test." Perhaps that is because the issue is now one of my generation's most obvious civil rights issues. Repeat after me: I told you so.

JUICE #1 - NEWSWEEK'S HOWARD KURTZ WEIGHS IN ON O'MALLEY WHITE HOUSE BID (excerpt below):

NEWSWEEK: ...[Obama] hasn’t exactly groomed a successor for 2016, either. He expresses occasional exasperation with his vice president, Joe Biden, who would be 74 upon taking office. His formerly fierce rival, Hillary Clinton, is stepping down as secretary of state and insists she won’t mount another White House campaign. The upshot is a gaping void for the post-Obama era, a space that two ambitious governors untainted by the mess in Washington are quietly moving to fill....

CD6: Robin Ficker Kicks Off Frederick, Maryland Campaign Visit from GOP Presidential Candidate Newt Gingrich

Maryland Juice is surprised at the amount of craziness going on in the 6th Congressional District Democratic and Republican Primaries. With only hours left before voters cast ballots in the Tuesday, April 3rd elections, the scene on the ground is looking downright surreal.

In the latest example of strange campaign news, who would've ever imagined we'd see the photo below? CD6 GOP candidate Robin Ficker posted the following image of himself with Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich in Frederick, Maryland today. Gingrich is trying to squeeze some RNC convention delegates out of the Free State, while his rival candidates are campaigning in Wisconsin.

Robin Ficker's photo came with the following caption:

Robin Ficker was chosen to be the lead-off speaker at the Newt Gingrich rally this morning in Frederick. Then, when Newt was late, Robin was chosen to speak again. He presented his plan for energy independence and lower gasoline prices. Robin is shown here with Callista and Newt Gingrich at the rally! — in Frederick. — with Callista Gingrich, Robin Ficker and Newt Gingrich.

More on the CD6 race soon!

TOMORROW: Mitt Romney is Coming to Maryland // GOP Delegates Are in Play! - Who Did MD Officials Endorse?

Maryland is apparently going to be a contested state in the heated battle for the Republican Presidential nomination. The GOP Primary is Tuesday, April 3rd -- but early voting starts this Saturday! Mitt Romney is going to be in town tomorrow to rally the troops and round-up votes. Details below:

Join Mitt and Team Maryland on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. for a town hall meeting at American Legion Post 109 at 1610 Old Sulphur Spring Road, Arbutus, MD 21227.

The Washington Post had a quick synopsis on the state of the GOP presidential race in Maryland. See an excerpt below:

In the delegate contest, Maryland offers 37 this year; 24 will be awarded based on the winners of each of the state’s eight congressional districts, 10 will go to the statewide winner and the last three are controlled by state party leaders....

“I’d have to say it’s a strong case for Mitt Romney,” said Louis Pope, the Republican National Committeeman for Maryland and co-chairman — along with former governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. — of the Romney campaign in the state....

Santorum, whose campaign did not respond to requests for comment, makes no mention of Maryland on his Web site....

The presidential campaign of Rep. Ron Paul (Tex.) also did not respond to a request for comment about his efforts in Maryland’s GOP primary.

As for former House speaker Newt Gingrich (Ga.), campaign spokesman R.C. Hammond said “plans are underway to visit the state soon.”

Gingrich has the backing of Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), who is co-chairing Gingrich’s Maryland campaign along with Del. Warren E. Miller (R-Howard)....

Harris said Gingrich has a fighting chance in the state, because “we have a grass-roots network” and because Maryland Republicans aren’t a clear ideological fit with Romney....

Several members of the General Assembly and a handful of state party officials, including vice chairwoman Diana Waterman and then-executive director Justin Ready, endorsed Texas Gov. Rick Perry in the fall, before his candidacy fizzled out.

Bartlett, who is neutral, said he couldn’t pick a favorite among Romney, Santorum and Gingrich. “I don’t think it leans toward any of those three,” he said. 

If you are curious, I have copied below the list of Romney's key Maryland endorsers:

Fmr. Governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.

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

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

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

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

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

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