MoCo Dems Back O'Malley
Anyone who watched the unmitigated disaster that was the 2002 gubernatorial race knows that Bob Ehrlich didn't win that election, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend lost it. She lost it for a whole host of reasons, but one of them was that she took the base for granted, and as a result received what can be best described as tepid support in the DC suburbs. This time around, things are looking up. Yesterday, most of MoCo's influential political leaders endorsed Martin O'Malley's campaign. One can say that they were there more for show than anything, that they were more interested in the photo op than in actually supporting O'Malley. But talk to Democratic activists in MoCo, and however they felt about Duncan, their primary goal was always to get rid of Ehrlich. Very few bear ill will from the primary, and they are willing to fight to make sure a Democrat controls the reins of government.
So it's no surprise that a huge O'Malley sign now stands at the intersection of Georgia Avenue and University Boulevard in Wheaton, and that smaller signs are popping up all over the place.
The truth is that the only thing proved by the 2002 election is that if turnout is low enough in the Democratic strongholds, a Republican who makes himself look like a moderate and runs a good campaign against an absolutely inept Democratic campaign can win. The chances of those very specific factors being repeated are slim. A lot of people are pointing out that the lead O'Malley has over Ehrlich is almost exactly the same as the lead Townsend had over Ehrlich. But trailing by 11 points behind O'Malley/Brown is a lot different than trailing by 11 points behind Townsend/Larson. This is not to say that O'Malley can take it easy, but MoCo at least seems to be behind him.
Originally posted at Mocopolitics.
So it's no surprise that a huge O'Malley sign now stands at the intersection of Georgia Avenue and University Boulevard in Wheaton, and that smaller signs are popping up all over the place.
The truth is that the only thing proved by the 2002 election is that if turnout is low enough in the Democratic strongholds, a Republican who makes himself look like a moderate and runs a good campaign against an absolutely inept Democratic campaign can win. The chances of those very specific factors being repeated are slim. A lot of people are pointing out that the lead O'Malley has over Ehrlich is almost exactly the same as the lead Townsend had over Ehrlich. But trailing by 11 points behind O'Malley/Brown is a lot different than trailing by 11 points behind Townsend/Larson. This is not to say that O'Malley can take it easy, but MoCo at least seems to be behind him.
Originally posted at Mocopolitics.
posted by MoCoPolitics at 3:25 PM
2 Comments:
Your assessment of the relative lack of rancor over the almost-primary sounds true -- too many are sick of Ehrlich to be all that caught up in continuing to worry about Duncan/O'Malley.
I think a lot of folks liked both men, and are happy not to have them tear each other apart. If the situations had been reversed, and Duncan the remaining candidate, you would see the same reaction in the Baltimore Area, I believe, in coming behind Duncan.
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