Mitchellville

Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) has yet to determine when a special general election in Maryland’s 4th Congressional District will be held, according to his communications director, Rick Abbruzzese.

“He still has to make that announcement,” Abbruzzese told PolitickerMD.com, saying the governor would “continue to talk to local jurisdictions” before making a final decision.

Abbruzzese said he did not know when the governor would set a date for the election.

The General Assembly passed emergency legislation last weekend to allow O’Malley plans to bypass a special primary election and hold a special general election.

Under the new law, the governor has the right to decline a special primary, while local and state central committees shall have the power to nominate a candidate if the governor refuses a primary.

Former Gov. Parris Glendening would hold a special election to fill Maryland’s 4th Congressional District seat if he were in office today, he told PolitickerMD.com.

“It’s not an easy yes or no question,” Glendening, who served as governor from 1995-2003, said. “I don’t envy Governor (Martin) O’Malley on this.”

Despite the fact that a special election could cost the state “several million dollars,” Glendening said, “I wouldn’t want to see the district without representation.”

O’Malley has yet to say if he will hold a special primary and general election to fill the remaining seven months of Rep. Al Wynn’s (D-Mitchellville) term when he resigns in June.

It is expected that Donna Edwards (D-Fort Washington), who defeated Wynn in the Feb. 12 Democratic primary, would win a special election.

Last week, Rep. Al Wynn (D-Mitchellville) announced that he would resign his position in June, leaving seven months before Donna Edwards (D-Fort Washington), the presumptive next representative in Maryland’s Fourth Congressional District, is to be sworn-in.

The resignation set off speculation as to whether Gov. Martin O’Malley will declare a special election to fill the remainder of Wynn’s term.

According to the Maryland State Code, Election Law, subsection 8-710- Congressional vacancy - Governor's proclamation, “If there is a vacancy in the office of Representative in Congress, the Governor shall issue a proclamation, within 10 days after the date that the vacancy occurs or becomes known to the Governor, declaring that a special primary election and a special general election shall be held to fill the vacancy.”

House Minority Leader Anthony J. O’Donnell (R-Lusby) said this afternoon that Gov. Martin O’Malley might be thinking twice about calling a special election in Maryland’s 4th Congressional District because of the possible implications for the Democratic Party’s presidential contest.

“The governor might not be inclined to call for a special election,” O’Donnell told PolitickerMD.com. “He is a Clinton supporter.”

Donna Edwards (D-Fort Washington), who beat Rep. Al Wynn (D-Mitchellville) in this year’s primary and would be the presumptive winner of a special election, is a supporter of Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and would cast her superdelegate vote for Obama at the Democratic National Convention in late August. O’Malley, also a superdelegate, has pledged his support for Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.).

O’Donnell’s remarks come one day after Wynn announced his intention to resign his seat in June. His term was scheduled to expire January 3. Edwards is expected to easily win November’s general election.

Senate Minority Leader David Brinkley (R-New Market) told PolitickerMD.com today that a special election in Maryland’s Fourth Congressional District was necessary to ensure that residents have “congressional representation until January 3.”

Yesterday, Rep. Al Wynn (D-Mitchellville) announced his intention to resign his seat in June to join a law firm. Wynn lost his reelection bid to Donna Edwards (D-Fort Washington) in the Feb. 12 Democratic primary. His term was scheduled to expire January 3.

“The procedure is proscribed in state law,” Brinkley said, reaffirming his support for a special primary and general election.

According to the Maryland State Code, the governor has the right to declare a special election or leave the seat open.

Donna Edwards (D-Fort Washington) issued a statement this afternoon in response to the resignation of Rep. Al Wynn (D- Mitchellville), which will become effective in June.

“First and foremost, I salute Congressman Wynn for his many years of public service on behalf of the people of Prince George's County and in the United States Congress representing the people of the 4th Congressional District,” Edwards said.

“In the spirit of a dedicated public servant, Congressman Wynn is looking out for the interests of his constituents and I commend him for that,” she added. “I wish Congressman Wynn all the best in his upcoming endeavors, and I deeply appreciate his willingness to work together to ensure a seamless, smooth transition of representation and constituency services for Maryland's 4th District.”

David Paulson, the communications director of the Maryland Democratic Party, responded to Rep. Al Wynn’s (D-Mitchellville) decision to resign his seat in June.

“Were trying to figure out what the procedure is,” Paulson said when contacted by PolitickerMD.com.

“I believe the governor has to issue a proclamation for a primary and a general election,” after Wynn leaves office, Paulson said.

Wynn was defeated in his bid for reelection by Donna Edwards (D-Fort Washington) in the Feb. 12 Democratic primary. His term was scheduled to expire January 3.

Paulson said the prospects of a special election would be “costly and unfortunate.”

Theresa Dudley (D-Kentland) has been a social studies teacher for 11 years. She has served on the board of directors of the teacher’s union for the past three years. Now, Dudley is seeking to fill the open District 5 position on the Prince George’s County Council, which she has unsuccessfully sought three times before.

“It feels different,” Dudley said about this election. “People are really looking at this race.”

Dudley will be one of seven Democrats competing in next Tuesday’s special primary election. Her opponents include Mayor Adam Ortiz of Edmonston, Adrion Howell, a Glenn Dale resident and former liaison to Prince George’s County Executive Jack Johnson, and Andrea Fletcher Harrison, the deputy chief of staff for the District 5 council office.