Things are heating up in the Maryland Governor's race. The candidates are discussing the number of debates they should have, with both candidates suggesting multiple debates in September and October. (
Ehrlich, O'Malley offer debate series) Both candidates also agree that the debates need to be more respectful than those in 2002.
No details have been worked out, but Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. and Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley appear intent on more face-to-face encounters than voters got in the 2002 campaign, when Ehrlich and Democrat Kathleen Kennedy Townsend appeared together only once before the election.
Ehrlich said in his letter that he wants "a series of general election debates in September and October," but O'Malley was more specific, suggesting five debates between the gubernatorial candidates and two between their running mates. O'Malley also listed several candidates forums he has already agreed to attend and suggested that the governor join him.
The one debate in 2002, which was sponsored by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and took place at Morgan State University, was a raucous affair. The auditorium was packed with Townsend supporters - many of them union members bused in from out of state - who booed and jeered so loudly at Ehrlich that then-NAACP head Kweisi Mfume had to interrupt the debate to beg for calm.
Both sides said they want a more civilized atmosphere this time.
I can't help but rub my hands gleefully at the thought of seeing Martin O'Malley and Bobby Haircut on stage together. The contrast between the two is quite stark. O'Malley would win hands down on just the hair alone, let alone on the actual substance. LOL.
"What's so fascinating about this particular election is that it's so competitive that I don't think that the typical kind of underdog-overdog generalization applies here," said James Gimpel, a professor of government at the University of Maryland, College Park. "The underdog in this case, Governor Ehrlich, is not behind by much, and you have Martin O'Malley, the challenger, immediately sending back the letter saying, 'Let's go all-out.'"
This differs from the Baltimore Sun poll that kos posted a week ago that had O'Malley leading Ehrlich by a sizeable margin:
Baltimore Sun. 7/6-10. Likely voters. MoE 2.8% (No recent trend lines)
Eherlich (R) 38
O'Malley (D) 46
(yes, kos spelled Ehrlich wrong......)
In related news, it appears Martin O'Malley is set to receive the Maryland State Teachers endorsement. While the Republicans and even Doug Duncan cast aspersions on Martin O'Malley due to the continued problems in Baltimore City Schools, the teachers feel O'Malley will do better by them then Mr. Ehrlich has done. Teachers pensions have been on their minds, given that Maryland teachers have one of the worst pension programs in the country coompared to other state teacher pension programs.
One final note on the governor's race: the real star of the TV ads race has emerged -- 8 year old William O'Malley.
Over the past two weeks, William O'Malley has emerged as the (baby) face of his father's bid to unseat Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., with a starring role in the mayor's latest television campaign ad.
Using children and family in campaigns is an old political maneuver. Ulysses S. Grant, a two-term Republican president from 1869 to 1877, used his children to greet visitors during whistle-stops. The strategy wasn't as successful for President Jimmy Carter, who was lampooned for saying in 1980 that he had discussed nuclear policy with his daughter, Amy.
"It is almost always advantageous to the campaign to showcase children," said Doug Wead, best-selling author of All The Presidents' Children and The Raising of a President.
O'Malley aides say two 30-second television spots that have been airing since last week in the Baltimore region - one starring William and another featuring O'Malley's mother - are meant to display the middle-class roots that the mayor says he would champion as governor and are aimed at building support with female voters.
I actually prefer the commercial with his Mom.....
The commercials have drawn barbs from critics who view the ads as shameless, sentimental ploys.
"I think the mayor using his children as a political prop is not only disingenuous but a little too politically opportunistic for people to handle," said Audra Miller, spokeswoman for the Maryland Republican Party.
Ehrlich - whose 7-year-old son Drew is familiar to the public limelight - isn't in a position to criticize the mayor. Drew has appeared in taxpayer-financed public service announcements and major events, and his frequent athletic drills on the front lawn of the governor's mansion have made for much media fodder.
"Drew and Kendel just cut a commercial for tax-free shopping in Maryland in August. ... Drew's 7, and he's in the commercial," Ehrlich said during a WBAL radio show over the weekend.
"So I guess I could be accused of that as well. That's a call that only an elected official and his family can make, how much you want to expose or not expose your children, how it is going to be played out in the course of a campaign. ... So I'm not going to criticize the mayor and his decision."
So the GOP is going to try to criticize O'Malley while trying not to mention the Drew Ehrlich was featured in commercials as well....except his were payed for by MD taxpayers! Typical GOP.
You can see O'Malley's commercials online here: http://www.friendsofomalley.org/
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Finally in other Maryland news.......
Improper fundraising alleged:
Lawmakers say aide to Hollinger offered illicit payback deal
It appears that in the race to succeed Ben Cardin in MD-03, Paula Hollinger's campaign is said to have offered financial support to Assembly members who contribute to her campaign.
A campaign consultant for state Sen. Paula C. Hollinger, who is running for Congress, solicited donations from at least two General Assembly members with the promise of contributions from her state committee in exchange, two lawmakers said yesterday.
Federal law prohibits congressional candidates who are state officials from transferring campaign money from their local accounts to their federal accounts. When a candidate receives a contribution to a federal account and reimburses the contributor from a separate state account, it is akin to a transfer, the Federal Election Commission has said in an advisory opinion.
Hollinger, a Baltimore County Democrat who is running in an eight-way primary for the 3rd Congressional District seat, denied directing campaign staff to offer money from her state account in exchange for a donation to her federal account - or making such offers herself.
On a voice mail message left for one of the legislators, who asked to remain anonymous, a woman identifies herself as a member of the Hollinger campaign and asks for a contribution from "your state account."
"Paula will certainly send you money from her state account if need be," the woman says on the message, which was played for The Sun yesterday. The lawmaker who received the message did not return the campaign's call, according to the legislator.
The voice mail message was left by a woman named "Maureen" who left a phone number registered to O'Connor Public Relations Associates. The company was paid $9,150 in "public relations consulting fees," according to Hollinger's most recent congressional campaign finance filing. Hollinger said Maureen O'Connor managed her 1994 Senate campaign.
I hope to God this isn't true, because you know that the GOP will use this to attack the Dems this fall. While the state is quite blue, the GOP will do anything it can to tilt it far enough their way to win the Governor's race.....stay tuned as this story unfolds......