Year of the African American?

1992 was much touted as the "Year of the Woman" in American politics. 2006 may be the "Year of the African American" in Maryland politics.

Despite Maryland's reputation as a progressive state, it has not been at the forefront in electing black politicians. Lt. Gov. Michael Steele is the first black politician to hold statewide office in Maryland. However, Steele was elected with Ehrlich rather than in his own right and over the opposition of the vast majority of black Marylanders. The share of blacks in the in the state legislature lags farther behind the black share of the population than any other non-southern state besides Delaware.

This year may be different. And I'm not even thinking about the marquee Senate race which features both Steele and former U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume, though both face a tough battle to get past U.S. Rep. Ben Cardin.

If Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley become governor, Prince George's Del. Anthony Brown will become the first African-American Democratic Lt. Governor. Like Steele, Brown would be elected on a ticket but O'Malley-Brown in 2006 will almost certainly get the lion's share of black support unlike Ehrlich-Steele in 2002. Even if Brown loses this race, it is hard to imagine that this popular Harvard Law School graduate and Army reservist who served in Iraq in 2005 does not have a very bright political future.

Former Baltimore State's Attorney Stuart Sims, also African American, is in a three-way fight with Montgomery State's Attorney Doug Gansler and Montgomery Councilman Tom Perez for the Democratic nomination for Attorney General. As his lack of a campaign website shows, Sims entered the race relatively late due to his earlier commitment to run as Lt. Governor on Montgomery County Executive Doug Duncan's ticket. However, that race introduced Sims in Montgomery and linked him to the county's most popular politician. Sims is the also only candidate from the Baltimore area while both of his opponents hail from the same county. However, Gansler and Perez are experienced and hungry politicians so Sims certainly does not have the nomination locked up.

Though African Americans compose only 12 percent of Montgomery County residents, Ike Leggett stands an excellent chance of becoming the next County Executive of Maryland's most populous county. This likeable politician was elected four times to an-large seat on the Montgomery County Council before becoming Chairman of the Maryland Democratic Party. Leggett faces a tough primary opponent in two term at-large Councilman Steve Silverman.

Silverman may have an advantage in his campaign warchest but I think Leggett may have the issues on his side. Silverman is routinely tagged by his detractors as "in the pocket of developers" at a time when developers have attracted reams of negative press due to the Clarksburg scandal and rising concern over McMansions. Not a good political image to have at a time when placid Chevy Chase just defenestrated of one of the incumbent members of the town council over these issues (and another incumbent with over 20-years experience ran behind two newcomers). Leggett's reputation as a moderate should help him win votes from those who want to address these issues but don't want growth in the County to grind to halt.