Barbara Mikulski

Congressional candidate Frank KratovilState's Attorney Frank Kratovil (D-Stevensville) will be fundraising in Washington this afternoon for his campaign for the 1st Congressional District with the help of the state's Democratic congressional delegation. Guests include U.S. Sens. Barbara Mikulski (D-Baltimore) and Ben Cardin (D-Baltimore), U.S. Reps. Elijah Cummings (D-Baltimore), Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Cockeysville) and John Sarbanes (D-Towson) plus U.S. Reps. Steny Hoyer (D-Mechanicsville), the House majority leader, and Chris Van Hollen (D-Kensington), the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Baltimore) called on his colleagues to immediately act to lower gas prices during a speech on the Senate floor today.

"Americans are frustrated about the high cost of energy," Cardin said. "They remember that, when President Bush took office nearly eight years ago, a gallon of regular gas cost less than $1.50; today it's at an all-time high of $4.02 per gallon."

"Rising costs at the pump are having a direct, negative impact on families and particularly small businesses that rely on their cars and delivery trucks for their livelihood," he added. "Many are on the brink of going out of business because they cannot absorb the price hikes. I join with the majority of the American public and say the status quo is not acceptable."

Barack Obama's folks are asking Majority Leader Steny Hoyer what he'd like to see in a vice presidential candidate, among other things, but will any other elected officials from Maryland have their say heard by Obama's vetting team? Or John McCain's?

Chris Van Hollen will likely get a word in. Gov. Bob Ehrlich could talk a bit about Rudy Giuliani's performance on the trail or, better yet, Michael Steele's. No doubt Obama's people will want to hear from Barbara Mikulski on winning with women and ethnic whites.

What other Marylanders will have their opinions heard at the highest echelon of vice presidential vetting?

Obama and Mikulski: In 2006Will Campaign For Him This Summer

U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Baltimore) officially endorsed Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) this afternoon, pledging to cast her vote for him at this summer's Democratic National Convention following the concession speech of her first choice, Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY).

An ardent supporter whose early endorsement came over 13 months ago, Mikulski served as a national co-chair of the Clinton campaign.

"The respect and admiration I had for Hillary before this process has only increased," she said in a statement. "Today, I am equally proud to join Hillary in my enthusiastic endorsement of Barack Obama for President."

On Wedneday, Mikulski told PolitickerMD.com that she expects Democratic Party unity "within the next few weeks." Today she pledged to "lend my voice and energy to his campaign" long before she officially votes for him at the August convention.

Ehrlich in oilIt's time for PolitickerMD.com's Winner and Losers, and as Barbara Mikulski could attest lately, you win some, you lose some. Also: scandals account for two losers, while Al Wynn cashes in and Bob Ehrlich takes his place in history.

All in Maryland's Winners and Losers for June 6, 2008. | CLICK HERE

This afternoon, Sen. Barbara Mikulski, one of Sen. Hillary Clinton's staunchest supporters, offered some thoughts on the developments in the presidential race.

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin endorsed presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama today saying he was confident that U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski and Governor

Martin O'Malley, who both threw their support to Hillary Clinton, would also rally around Obama's candidacy.

"I have no doubt that Senator Mikulski will be aggressively working on behalf of the nominee," Cardin said at a Washington press conference, where he announced his endorsement. "I am equally confident Governor O'Malley will be supporting the nominee."

With Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) undergoing surgery today and spending the week in recovery, his Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee colleagues Barbara Mikulski and Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) will help shepherd bills on mental health parity and higher education.

"Senator Kennedy turned to them because he didn't want his absence to slow progress just as these bills are nearing completion,” a Kennedy aide told The Hill last week.

Last night, U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri) told the Colbert Report (at 3:15 in) what Maryland already knows: you don't mess with the Mikulski.