Full Moon Shines Over District 4

There have been so many strange twists and turns in this election that we are now convinced a full moon is shining over District 4 at least through primary day. Consider the following.

County Executive Ike Leggett and County Council Member Duchy Trachtenberg, both of whom ran as slow-growth candidates in 2006, are supporting a self-financing "developer" (District 19 Delegate Ben Kramer).

Former End Gridlock County Council slate members Nancy Floreen, George Leventhal and Mike Knapp are opposing said developer and supporting School Board Member Nancy Navarro.

Navarro, who was criticized for accepting developer money last year, opposes the ICC.

Navarro, who was supported by unions last year (including my own) and this year, has taken credit repeatedly in debates for negotiating the elimination of the school unions’ cost-of-living adjustments.

Leggett and the career Fire Fighters, who are battling over the union’s contract, both support Kramer.

The volunteer Fire Fighters, who are waging jihad against Leggett’s proposed ambulance fee, are teaming up with Leggett and the career Fire Fighters, who back the fee, to support Kramer. Given that curious alliance, we would like to know Kramer’s position on the fee.

The career Fire Fighters are supporting Kramer despite the fact that he has the lowest ranking on labor issues as scored by Progressive Maryland of any Montgomery Delegate.

Duchy Trachtenberg, who fought hard to cut union raises a year ago, is on the same side as the career Fire Fighters in supporting Kramer.

East County blogger Dan Reed wonders how a Rockville resident (Kramer) could represent East County on the County Council.

Kramer, who says he has "nobody's agenda but yours," now says he will be a "conduit" for Ike Leggett on the council. I’ll bet Kramer wishes he could have a do-over on that latter quote.

Kramer beat Cary Lamari, an electrician by trade, to the "conduit" metaphor.

Lamari, a veteran slow-growth activist, has received no backing from county incumbents who ran on a slow-growth platform in 2006.

All of the above makes Robin Ficker’s move into the district look normal. After all, he has changed residence to run for office before.

So raise your heads and howl at that full moon while it lasts, people! ARRROOOO!!!