It appears that Rep. Ben Cardin is
getting flack for being the so-called anointed one:
(AP) Baltimore, MD Some black elected officials and activists say they are troubled by the swift support that prominent Democrats gave to U.S. Rep. Benjamin Cardin's candidacy for the U.S. Senate, and their feelings may breathe new life into the campaign of Kweisi Mfume, the only black candidate in the Democratic primary.[...]
Four of Baltimore's six state senators and Prince George's County Executive Jack Johnson have all recently endorsed Mfume, and they tell The Post there is a perception that white Democratic leaders are conspiring to deliver the nomination to Cardin.[...]
A little more below...
For those not in the know, PG County is the second largest county in Maryland after Montgomery. That makes Jack B. Johnson's endorsement worth noting in Maryland political circles. Whether the other 90% of Maryland listens is another story, which include his own constituents who don't have such fair views of him
As to the complaints: Cardin is being elevated because of his name recognition and his ability to raise money. Lots of money. I don't like it, but that's how it is. Cardin has a lot of friends in the HoR who want him to stay in the Congress. Mfume's campaign has been stalled for a long time, which hasn't helped him at all. Hopefully these endorsements will give him a good boost and make this race much more interesting.
The last fundraising report on December 14 showed Cardin holding a vast lead in money raised over Mfume (1.9M to 390K). With the end-of-the-quarter fundraising ceasing yesterday, those numbers will certainly change with the influx of cash into each campaign. But it still looks like an uphill battle for Mfume.
