Maryland Democratic Party

U.S. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Kensington) the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) issued a congratulatory statement today in honor of U.S. Rep.-elect Donna Edwards (D-Fort Washington), who was elected to represent the people of Maryland's 4th Congressional District, yesterday.

"On behalf of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, I congratulate Congresswoman-elect Donna Edwards on her victory and look forward to welcoming her to the House," Van Hollen said.

Bartlett Press Secretary Says Debate Will Occur

Sixth district Democratic nominee Jennifer Dougherty (center)State Democrats distributed a release yesterday to more than 3,000 people on their e-mail list, demanding that U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-Frederick) participate in a debate against his Democratic opponent, former Frederick Mayor Jennifer Dougherty.

"Jennifer Dougherty, Democratic candidate for the 6th Congressional District, has asked Roscoe Bartlett to a debate in every county in the 6th Congressional District - Allegany, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Montgomery and Washington Counties," the release declares. "It's a big district and Jennifer wants voters to have the chance to make their own choice, rather than relying on what the media might cover."

It continues: "Since February, Jennifer has asked five times for a debate in each county, but Roscoe's team says ‘NO,'" adding, "Why won't Roscoe debate in every county?"

Today, Bartlett Press Secretary Lisa Wright told PolitickerMD.com that "voters expect (Bartlett) will debate, and he will."

Responding to our interview earlier today with Maryland Republican Party Chairman Jim Pelura, state Democratic Party Chairman Michael Cryor told PolitickerMD.com that Sen. Ulysses Currie (D-District Heights) should not succumb to GOP pressure to step down as chairman of the Budget and Taxation Committee.

"That would be a punitive action that I just don't think is warranted at this point," Cryor said. "We have no idea what the facts are."

He added, "What if (the FBI) got the wrong guy? How do you restore (Currie) after that?"

Speaking with PolitickerMD.com this morning, Maryland Republican Party Chairman Jim Pelura reaffirmed his belief that Sen. Ulysses Currie (D-District Heights) should step down as chairman of the powerful Budget and Taxation Committee at least until the investigation into the FBI raid of his home on Friday is complete.

The party chair said he was "not calling on (Currie) to resign from the Senate," and said, "He is innocent until proven guilty."

"This investigation has now expanded," Pelura said. "It is my understanding that (authorities) are now looking at his legislative records along with his personal records."

Speaking with PolitickerMD.com over the weekend, Maryland Democratic Party Chairman Michael Cryor said many of the state party's 500 volunteer coordinators would spend a significant portion of their time and energy working to elect State's Attorney Frank Kratovil (D-Stevensville) in Maryland's 1st Congressional District.

"The race is becoming increasingly more competitive," Cryor said, calling Kratovil "a proven candidate" who can "work with the delegation."

The party chair said as many as 200 people attended a recent Kratovil volunteer session, and said state Democrats would continue to make their presence felt along the Eastern Shore.

Tuesday's Democratic victory in Mississippi's special congressional election, the party's third national victory in two months and second in 10 days, has Maryland Democratic Party officials confident that the trend could continue in Maryland, where Republicans hold the 1st and 6th district seats.

"Throw out the rules of political conventionality," state Democratic Party Chairman Michael Cryor said in a statement. "There are very few safe Republican seats in America anymore; not in the Midwest, not in the deep South and certainly not in a blue Mid-Atlantic state such as Maryland. It doesn't matter how long a Republican has held the seat. It doesn't matter how many votes George Bush got in 2004, America is voting for change in 2008. America is voting Democratic."

Johnson stumps for Clinton in February: Politicker PhotoPrince George’s County Executive Jack Johnson's decision to leave Hillary Clinton for Barack Obama rasies the question of how pledged is a pledged delegate?

Johnson told The Washington Post today he could not “in good conscience” go to the Democratic National Convention and continue to support Clinton.

Johnson is one of 28 so-called pledged delegates committed to Clinton within the state. In the Maryland primary last February, Obama defeated Clinton by a margin of 61 to 36 percent.

So, could Johnson legally support Obama at the convention if so desires? If so, could he do it on the first ballot? According to the Democratic National Committee (DNC), the answer is yes.

Maryland Republican Party 2008 Spring ConventionANNAPOLIS-- The Maryland Republican Party finalized their delegation to the Republican National Convention during the party's spring convention at the DoubleTree Hotel in Annapolis, today.

A total of ten at-large and ten alternate delegates were selected by the Republican State Central Committee.

Those elected were largely representative of the so-called "unity team" that a group of state Republican leaders and activists who supported various presidential candidates early in the primary process formed as a suggested fusion slate. The effort was lead by Chris Cavey, the first vice chairman of the state party.

Of those ten at-large members suggested by the unity team to represent the state, eight were selected by the state central committee; Senate Minority Leader David Brinkley and Howard County Central Committee Chairwoman Joan Becker were not elected.

In the aftermath of Sen. Barack Obama's (D-Ill.) convincing victory over Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) in the North Carolina primary and narrow defeat in Indiana, Maryland Democratic Party Chairman Michael Cryor told PolitickerMD.com that the Democratic contest is "for all intensive purposes, over."

"It makes it a lot easier for the American people to appreciate the inevitability of where this contest is headed," Cryor, an Obama superdelegate, said of the results.

With 99 percent of the precincts reporting, Obama secured 56.2 percent of the vote in North Carolina, compared to 41.5 for Clinton. He won 890,723 popular votes; Clinton garnered 657,997.

U.S. Sen. Barack Obama: Photo by Getty ImagesMaryland Democratic Party Chairman Michael Cryor told PolitickerMD.com today that he hopes his decision to publicly endorse Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) will "sway" other superdelegates to the same conclusion. Cryor and state party Vice Chairwoman Lauren Dugas Glover, also a superdelegate, announced their endorsement for Obama yesterday at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Cryor, who has privately been an Obama supporter for some time, said he and Dugas Glover "committed to not endorsing until we had set aside all our requirements as a party."

The Maryland Democratic Central Committee finalized the state's delegation to the Democratic National Convention on Saturday.

"I thought it was important to do now," Cryor said, citing the completion of the delegation, the fact that the Maryland primary has long since passed, the importance of today's primaries in Indiana and North Carolina and Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean's encouragement of superdelegates to make a decision.