Andy "Mad Hatter" Harris, Republixite candidate for Congress from MD-01, hasn't been very noisy since the primary in February.
However, rumblings among Eastern Shore Republicans and independents who helped keep the very moderate Wayne Gilchrest (MD-01) in office for 9 terms seem to have been heard across the Bay in Harris-o-vania, or Towson, or wherever he lives.
You see, people from the Eastern Shore don't want some Baltimore suburbanite representing them in Congress. Even more than they care about political affiliation.
The first week of March saw a meeting of "Republicans for Kratovil" in Chestertown. The breakfast drew about 48 people.
Frank Kratovil is the Dem candidate in MD-01, who lives on the Shore in Queen Anne's County.
It was on the No BS Zone blog that I noticed Harris' idea.
Harris poses as a "Reagan Republican" but is actually an anti-environmental, anti-immigrant (etc.) Red wingnut of the finest sort. He won the primary through vitriolic negative media attacks financed largely by out-of-state winger dollars.
Republican incumbent Gilchrest has not, and will not endorse Harris -- saying recently that the choice was between "the Republican party, or my immortal soul ... let me see ..."
So it seems that Harris has decided he needs "farm cred" and is talking about buying property in Cambridge, MD. The Salisbury paper explains it more in a short article that appeared on March 19: Harris may buy Cambridge condo.
In the story, Harris' flack says: " ... this is not a calculated campaign move to appeal to Eastern Shore voters. Throughout the campaign, the Harris family has considered this purchase, ..." and then trots out that Red-nut evergreen excuse:
"I hope it doesn't look like a (campaign move). It isn't," Meekins said. "He just wants more time to spend with family."
Harris is an anaesthesiologist; teaches at Johns Hopkins; and is running for Congress.
I wonder which job he's going to quit if he wins the seat; and which other job he'll quit so he can "spend more time with his family." After all, many Republicans whose only job has been Congressman have found it necessary to resign to ... "spend more time with my family."
One thing is certain: if he buys the condo and wants to take the family there in the summer, he will be spending more time with 'em -- in his car, in the usual 10-mile weekend traffic backup eastbound on the Bay Bridge.