Politicker Staff's blog

Ed Boyd, the 2006 Green Party nominee for governor, died last Monday, Aug. 11, of lung cancer. He was just shy of turning 47 years-old.

Boyd was the Green's first gubernatorial candidate, as well as the first African American to appear on a general election ballot for the office. He ran on a platform of taking state control of utility companies. He was excluded from participation in the debates.

Sen. Barbara Mikulski, upper left at the June 7 concession speech, was with Hillary Clinton to the very end.: FlickrDespite Hillary Clinton's name being placed into nomination at next week's Democratic National Committee Convention, U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Baltimore) will vote for Barack Obama on the first nominating ballot.

Obama and Clinton, who fought a drawn-out battle for their party's nomination, announced last Thursday, Aug. 14, that her name would also be part of the roll call in Denver.

In the statement, Obama said he was “convinced that honoring Senator Clinton’s historic campaign in this way will help us celebrate this defining moment in our history and bring the party together in a strong united fashion.”

The decision immediately raised the question of how many votes Clinton would receive during the first roll call, and which prominent supporters would make the symbolic gesture.

U.S. Representatives Chris Van Hollen (D-Kensington) and Eric Cantor (R-Va.)This Sunday, U.S. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Kensington) will go on CNN in his capacity as Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman to face off against his Virginian colleague Eric Cantor, Chief Deputy Whip of the House Republicans and a potential vice presidential candidate for U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). The two will debate late in Sunday's episode of 'Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer.'

Cantor became a dark-horse vice-presidential prospect early this month when news leaked that the McCain campaign had asked him to submit to vetting. He is the highest ranking Jewish Republican in Washington and from what may be a critical swing state this November.

Van Hollen last appeared on Late Edition in June.

Kratovil emphasizes 'independence' in new adPositive Ad Seeks Subtle Contrast With Harris

Queen Anne’s County State’s Attorney Frank Kratovil (D-Stevensville) released the first television ad in his campaign for Maryland’s 1st Congressional District, touting his political independence.

The 30-second commercial highlights Kratovil’s background as an “Eastern Shore prosecutor” and features his wife and four children while he stresses his commitment “to protect our families.” He sums up his campaign with a pledge to “cut wasteful spending, free us from Mideast oil, crack down on illegal immigration and always protect the Bay.”

The spot is currently airing on Salisbury broadcast stations and will be seen in the Baltimore market soon. The 1st District comprises all of the Eastern Shore and parts of Anne Arundel, Harford and Baltimore counties.

As the Democratic Party gathers in Denver for their national convention in two weeks, the Frederick County GOP is hoping to get some fired-up Republicans out to a training session for registering new voters.

The Frederick County Republican Central Committee and partnering clubs will host a voter registration volunteer training by County Board of Elections Election Director Stuart Harvey and the board's GOP member, Mary Lou Green, on Aug. 26.

Voter registration remains a top priority for Republican activists in Frederick County," said event organizer and Republican Central Committee member Katie Nash.  "Outreach and a strong Republican message of lower taxes and energy solutions will continue to grow the GOP."

It's Maryland's Winners and Losers for August 15, 2008. CLICK HERE.

Maryland Alliance of Retired Americans President Bruce Dunton outside the Social Security Administration HQ today: Camapign PhotoThis afternoon, state Democrats gathered at the national headquarters of the Social Security Administration in Woodlawn for a birthday: the landmark New Deal program was signed into law by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt 73 years ago today.

Yet much of the event was focused on someone born a year later: Republican presidential nominee and U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).

“John McCain collects about $2,000 every month from a system he wants to destroy by giving our money to his wealthy friends and contributors," Maryland Alliance of Retired Americans President Bruce Dunton told the media and 33 people assembled for the rally.

James Frost: News4 PhotoNBC/News4 reports that the Maryland State Police have arrested a 64 year old man in connection with threats against Gov. Martin O'Malley (D-Baltimore) and U.S. Senators Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Barbara Mikulski (D-Baltimore), as well as their "family and friends."

James Frost was arrested at around 10:30 a.m. yesterday at his home in Gaithersburg, a Washington D.C. suburb. He is currently being held at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility on charges of threatening to injure a public official.

According to NBC/News4, the state police learned of Frost's threats from the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office. His home is undergoing further searches.

Baltimore Co. Exec. Jim Smith (D)Baltimore County Executive James T. Smith, Jr. (D-Reisterstown), underwent a successful emergency triple-bypass open heart surgery this morning.

He checked into the St. Joseph Medical Center in Towson on Tuesday morning for "minor chest pain," and cardiac specialists decided to upon surgery this morning to correct blockages.

"I want to thank everyone who has been so supportive," his son, Michael Paul Smith, said in a statement. "Knowing my father, he will be running circles around the rest of us in a matter of weeks."

The current president of the Maryland Associations of Counties, Smith will spend the next few weeks in recovery and will not be able to attend the annual summer convention in Ocean City. His campaign committee, Friends of Jim Smith, has a reception scheduled for Thursday evening there.

Maryland's 1st Congressional District is on a list of the most-competitive U.S. House races in the country, a new Politicker.com report shows.

The race, between Republican state Sen. Andy Harris and Democrat Frank Kratovil's in the Eastern Shore-based district, ranks as the 51st most-competitive House race of the 435 taking place this year.

"Andy Harris's impressive primary win over incumbent Republican Wayne Gilchrest demonstrated he knows how to win," said Politicker.com Managing Editor James Pindell, author of The Pindell Report. "And understandably Democrats in the state, particularly Chris Van Hollen see this seat as an opportunity," referring to the Kensington lawmaker who chairs the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.