- Black vote no longer a lock for Democrats.
- Times, 2 Mar 2006 (by Jon Ward, The Washington Times).
Black voters' loyalty to the Democratic Party is no longer a certainty in Maryland, especially among young independent voters, several black leaders say.
[. . .]
Rep. Albert R. Wynn [Rep.Wynn] of Prince George's County warns his party's leaders that "black voters can no longer be taken for granted."
[. . .]
• Prince George's County, a mostly black jurisdiction with the state's highest concentration of registered Democrats, has become the focus of attention since low voter turnout in 2002 is believed to have contributed to Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s Republican victory in the governor's race.
[. . .]
"Last time for governor, I voted for Michael Steele for lieutenant governor," says Hubert "Petey" Green, president of the Prince George's County Black Chamber of Commerce and a lifelong registered Democrat
[. . .].
- Commentary:
- Answer: Probably not.
Maryland Republicans seem to be doing very little to take advantage of this potential oppertunity.
We had a record 173 murders last year. Our schools are lousy and not getting better.
EVERY state and county elected official is a Democrat. The majority are African-American. The Gazette story about the planned March 4 community meeting on fighting crime says "For starters, elected officials are not invited." It seems clear that Prince George's County's incumbent Democratic officials are not delivering on their promise of being "The Party of the American Dream."
What is Maryland’s Republican Party doing to provide an alternative to the failing Democratic incumbents?
Nothing!
The only Republican efforts in the county are for the reelection of Gov. Ehrlich and the Senate candidacy Lt. Gov. Steele. No Republicans have filed to run for state or county offices, none have announced their candidacy, and based on recent history, there is no reason to believe that the the state Republican Party would actively support Republican candidates for county office.
Given the growing dissatisfaction with Democratic incumbents, and the lack of any serious alternatives, many local voters are likely to stay home.
While it is very unlikely that any Republican candidates could actually win in the county, Republican candidates on the ballot, especially African-American or Hispanic ones, could provide a visible alternative failed Democratic incumbent, and bring out some protest votes from those who are fed up with the incumbents but currently see no altermative to the Democratic machine. Ehrlich and Steele might well benefit from turning out more voters protesting our crime and poor schools.
The Republicans now have an opportunity to start down the road to rebuilding their county party by giving voters an alternative and a choice. Will they? No, because electing Ehrlich and Steele is important to their party; as with Maryland Democrats, fixing Prince George's County's crime and school problems is not. Neither party really cares.
- Democrats to push Steele-Katrina link.
- Times, 3 Mar 2006 (by Jon Ward, The Washington Times).
Maryland Democratic leaders are aiming to tie Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele to the federal government's response to Hurricane Katrina to dampen his appeal among black voters in his U.S. Senate bid.
[. . .]
Rep. Steny H. Hoyer [Rep.Hoyer] , Maryland Democrat and House minority whip, said: "I don't think the African-American community is going to want to give a stamp of approval to the Bush administration."
[. . .]
"You might have a crossover of black Democrats voting for Steele. That's what everybody is really worried about. It's what we call a legacy vote," says state Sen. Gloria Lawlah , [Sen.Lawlah] Prince George's Democrat and member of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland.
[. . .].
- Comment: I'd rather have our local Democrats address what, if anything, they can or will do to solve our local crime and school problems, rather than have them blather on attacking Michael Steele on issues completely unrelated to either our problems or Steele's record or candidacy.
- Dean briefs local community on public safety and development.
- Gazette, 2 Mar 2006 (by Lester J. Davis, Staff Writer).
During a meeting with residents from the Winterset community Councilman Samuel H. Dean [Council.Dean] (D-Dist. 6) of Mitchellville addressed questions on public safety, development and the new regional high school set to open in the fall.
[Full story].
- Miller: Dems would block Flanagan’s reappointment.
- Gazette, 3 Mar 2006 (by Thomas Dennison, Staff Writer).
Transportation Secretary Robert L. Flanagan needs to look for a new job if Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. is re-elected, the Senate president warned Thursday.
Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. [Sen.Miller] . . . threatened to require that Ehrlich (R) re-nominate him to serve a second term.
[. . .]
Miller admitted that he was not sure if the governor is required to renominate Cabinet secretaries for a second term.
‘‘If that’s not the rule now,” Miller promised, ‘‘it will be the rule next year.”
[. . .]
Not surprisingly, Miller’s requirement did not apply to the second terms of the state’s two previous Democratic governors — William Donald Schaefer and Parris N. Glendening — which Ehrlich (R)noted.
[. . .]
Doreen Riggin, deputy secretary of the state’s Appointments Office, who has worked under Schaefer, Glendening and Ehrlich, said she did not recall Cabinet secretaries being resubmitted for confirmation under previous multiple-term governors.
[More].
- T-shirts to athletes earns Vallario an ethics complaint.
- Gazette, 3 Mar 2005 (by Douglas Tallman).
A Prince George’s County Republican has filed an ethics complaint against Del. Joseph F. Vallario Jr. [Del.Vallario], claiming that his giveaways of campaign T-shirts to a high school football team violate rules prohibiting electioneering in state buildings.
‘‘It speaks to the mentality of the monopoly the Democrats have enjoyed in this state, flouting their own laws and rules in their effort to maintain power,” said Audra Miller, spokeswoman for the Maryland Republican Party.
[. . .]
The GOP provided photos of team members with the shirts that read ‘‘Vote Thomas V. ‘Mike’ Miller [Sen.Miller] [for] Senate [and] Proctor [and] Vallario [for] House of Delegates.”
[. . .]
Handing out the T-shirts was a mistake, conceded Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Dist. 27) of Chesapeake Beach.
[. . .].
- Police and AOBA Officials Support More Apartment Security.
- County Press Release, 2 Mar 2006.
Prince George’s County Police Colonel Darrin Palmer testified before the House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday in support of House Bill 1128, a bill that would provide a one-time tax credit for apartment owners who make security enhancements to their properties.
Introduced by Prince George’s County Delegate Anthony Brown [Del.Brown] , the bill was proposed by County Executive Jack Johnson [Jack.Johnson] in an effort to continue reducing crime at apartment complexes in the county. Johnson’s Apartment Complex Initiative has already reduced calls for police service at 17 of 22 complexes he cited last year.
[More].
- Delegates look to reduce traffic around U of Md. campus.
- Gazette, 2 Mar 2006 (by Dennis Carter, Staff Writer).
The University of Maryland opposed a recent house bill introduced by District 21 delegates that would require the university to research ways to reduce traffic on Route 1.
Dels. Pauline Menes [Del.Menes] (D-Dist. 21) of College Park, Barbara Frush [Del.Frush] (D –Dist. 21) of Calverton and Brian Moe [Del.Moe] (D – Dist.21) of Laurel introduced House Bill 659 in late February, hoping to force the university to examine ways to reduce traffic along Route 1 by reducing cars on campus.
[More].
- Council unraveling concept of TDR bill.
- Gazette, 2 Mar 2006 (by Judson Berger and Tiesha Higgins, Staff Writers).
- "The County Council will review a proposed zoning bill this month that could dramatically help or harm the balance between development and preservation, depending on whom you ask."
- Mentions or quotes council members Dean [Council.Dean], Dernoga [Council.Dernoga], and Peters [Council.Peters].
- E-mail to Del. Vaughn [Del.Vaughn] is bouncing, 2 Mar 2006
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