Montgomery leaders at today's rally for the bills on marriage equality and gender identity anti-discriminationon:
Senate Majority Leader Rob Garagiola (District 15)
“As we celebrate Valentine’s Day, no one can argue that the capacity and bond of love is any different between heterosexual and same-sex couples. It is time that Maryland not stand in the way of love and commitment, by providing the right of marriage for all couples, regardless of gender and sexuality.
The opposition knows that we are getting closer to achieving this civil right, so their voice is rising. We must continue to be louder, as we demand marriage equality in 2011.”
House Majority Leader Kumar Barve (District 17)
“I think it is absolutely vital for our community that all people be treated equally, the LGBT community in our state is no exception. Gay and lesbian citizens of our state should have all the rights and privileges that everyone else has.
I am very proud to be a sponsor of this legislation and SB 116/HB 175 is a testament to what it means to be an American and what it means to be free and equal in our society. It is important that there be no distinction to the rights, responsibilities, and privileges that we all have. For that reason, I think marriage equality it vital to our state, our country, and to our society.”
Delegate Ariana Kelly (District 16)
“I support this bill (HB235 on gender identity anti-discrimination) because it is a common sense measure that will protect Marylanders from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity just as you cannot discriminate based on religion or race. Montgomery County has had an anti-discrimination law since 2007. It has been implemented successfully, with no problems. It is time for all residents of our state to be treated fairly and equally under the law. I am glad the bill’s supporters will be in Annapolis tonight to speak with their legislators and show how strongly people believe in this measure.”
Attorney General, Doug Gansler
“Our nation began with multiple forms of exclusion and discrimination. Dismantling this final barrier to full citizenship for gays and lesbians is a moral imperative and a logical historical inevitability. This equalization of the marriage right is long overdue.”
Monday, February 14, 2011
Rally for Equality in Annapolis
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Thursday, October 07, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Ariana Kelly Joins District 16 Democratic Team
Ariana Kelly, who won the Democratic primary for the District 16 House seat, has now joined the incumbent slate of Senator Brian Frosh and Delegates Susan Lee and Bill Frick. The four will campaign together against the Republican candidates in the general election. Following is an email sent by Kelly to her supporters yesterday.
Ariana Kelly Welcomed to District 16 Democratic Team
Delegate Nominee Joins Forces with Incumbents in Show of Democratic Unity
Ariana Kelly has joined the District 16 Democratic Slate, marking the end of a close primary election season in which she defeated 10 other candidates to secure the third nomination on the Democratic ticket. Ariana Kelly will be joining the Democratic slate with District 16’s incumbent Democratic team: Senator Brian Frosh, Delegate Susan C. Lee and Delegate Bill Frick.
Senator Brian Frosh said, "We are pleased to welcome Ariana to the slate. We know that her policy experience and concern for Maryland's families will make her an outstanding delegate in Annapolis."
Kelly had this to say about her victory, “I am very happy to be joining the District 16 Democratic team. I look forward to working closely with my friends Delegate Susan Lee, Delegate Bill Frick, and Senator Brian Frosh on the upcoming general election campaign. I appreciate the warm welcome and I am eager to work cooperatively with them in Annapolis on behalf of District 16 residents.”
Delegate Susan Lee said, “We congratulate Ariana in running a successful campaign and look forward to her joining our District 16 team. She will contribute much through her hard work, expertise, and energetic group of volunteers and supporters." Delegate Bill Frick added, “I’m thrilled to be working with my good friend Ariana Kelly on this campaign. Ariana is a fierce advocate and will be a tremendous force in Annapolis.”
Kelly will join Delegates Frick and Lee in facing Republicans Jeanne Allen, Carol Bowis, and Meyer Marks in the November 2 General Election. Democrats in Maryland’s District 16 enjoy a nearly three-to-one voter registration advantage over Republicans. Frosh, Frick, Kelly and Lee have opened a joint campaign office in Downtown Bethesda from which they will be running their general election campaign and supporting Governor O'Malley and the rest of the Maryland Democratic team.
Ariana Kelly is a nonprofit executive who has worked for more than a dozen years on issues important to Montgomery County, including public health, education, small business issues and the environment. Kelly was born and raised in Maryland's District 16. She and her husband Barak live in Bethesda with their two children.
##
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Absentee Ballot Counts
One of our informants forwarded the following absentee ballot counts by legislative district. These counts have implications for a number of close races.
Democratic Absentee Ballots, as of 10am this morning...
D14: 636 requested -- 320 returned so far
D15: 692 requested -- 312 returned so far
D16: 1735 requested -- 868 returned so far
D17: 814 requested -- 461 returned so far
D18: 1266 requested -- 599 returned so far
D19: 925 requested -- 528 returned so far
D20: 731 requested -- 297 returned so far
D39: 430 requested -- 208 returned so far
The spy notes, "If the absentees returned don't increase dramatically, Rona Kramer would have to take 60% of them, Kyle Lierman would need 65% and Cheryl Kagan would need 80%."
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Buy Kyle Lierman a Watch
This is just a brutal Google ad purchased by House 16 candidate Ariana Kelly targeting Google searches on her rival, Kyle Lierman.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Kelly Takes a Risk
The conventional wisdom in round-robin races is that candidates should not go after rivals because that creates opportunities for third parties to go up the middle and win. But District 16 House candidate Ariana Kelly has rolled the dice with this bold new contrast mailer.
Kelly is now saying through the mail what she has said online twice: she believes she is better qualified to go to Annapolis than Kyle Lierman. An independent poll of which your author has become aware shows that Kelly and Lierman are virtually tied for the district’s third Delegate seat. Perhaps Kelly’s mailer is an attempt to move those numbers. But will it move them in her direction, Lierman’s direction or no direction at all? We’ll find out tomorrow night – unless this contest goes to absentees and provisionals.
Campaign Finance Fun Facts
Here’s a few tidbits from the immense State Board of Elections campaign finance database!
1. Marc Elrich has long disavowed development industry contributions and Duchy Trachtenberg told Progressive Neighbors that she was also turning them away. But Elrich took $3,000 from the Maryland Realtors PAC on 8/13/10 and Trachtenberg took $3,000 from them on the same day. Aren’t realtors part of the development industry since someone has to sell all those buildings the developers put up?
OK, reasonable people can disagree on that question, but Trachtenberg also took $1,000 on 5/11/10 from HBW Group of Rockville, a “commercial real estate and construction company.”
Now that is indisputably development money. So Trachtenberg snowed Progressive Neighbors and got away with it since they endorsed her. Do they have the balls to retract their endorsement or are they just going to lie down and get played?
2. Our informants are baffled by Duchy Trachtenberg’s spending. She started the year with $289,198 – far more than any other candidate and mostly raised out-of-state in four-digit checks. Since then, she has spent more on tracking polls and consulting ($35,000) than she has on printing, direct mail and postage ($33,817). Contrast her printing, mailing and postage total to those of Senator Mike Lenett ($129,378) and Delegate Saqib Ali ($104,876), each of whom is running in a district that is one-eighth of the county. Trachtenberg’s ads in Bethesda Magazine, Washington Jewish Week, Leisure World News and Takoma Park Voice – purchased for a combined cost of just $7,230 – have been no substitute for the robust mail program she could have afforded. She has done just one mass mailing and was, incredibly, beaten to the mailbox by Becky Wagner.
As of August 29, Trachtenberg was sitting on $209,629 with just sixteen days left to spend it. Television could consume that amount of money rapidly, but we have seen no sign of any such ads. And it’s getting late – VERY late. Some sources are speculating that she is so sure of victory that she is saving the money for a County Executive run. Unless she has a grand strategy that has not shown up in her finance reports, she could very well be the richest loser in MoCo history.
3. County Executive Ike Leggett and Marc Elrich have long been political allies even if they have had occasional disagreements. So Ike kicked in $2,500 to his campaign account on 8/19/10.
Well, just twelve days later, Elrich filed an affidavit to help 9:30 Club owner Seth Hurwitz obtain a temporary restraining order against Ike’s pet project, the Fillmore in Silver Spring. The Executive Branch was blindsided and immediately began investigating whether Elrich broke the ethics law by aiding a lawsuit against the county.
How’s that for gratitude? Is it too late for Ike to get his money back?
4. Speaking of the County Executive, he may not have a Democratic primary opponent or a slate, but he has given money to a number of candidates this year. They are:
Vanessa Atterbeary: $300 on 4/21/10 (given as an individual)
Bo Newsome: $6,000 on 7/8/10
Craig Rice: $3,000 on 7/12/10
Judy Docca: $1,000 on 8/2/10
Jay Hutchins: $1,000 on 8/3/10
Martin O’Malley: $4,000 on 8/10/10
Pat O’Neill: $1,000 on 8/11/10
Bonnie Cullison: $1,000 on 8/15/10
Marc Elrich: $2,500 on 8/19/10
Craig Rice: $250 on 8/22/10 (from Catherine Leggett)
Rona Kramer: $3,000 on 8/23/10
Mark Winston: $2,500 on 8/27/10
Bo Newsome: $250 on 8/29/10 (from Catherine Leggett)
One curiosity: A month after contributing to Atterbeary, Leggett endorsed the District 18 Democratic Team.
Another curiosity: Bo Newsome contributed $600 in “rent” to Leggett on 8/19/10.
5. Kyle Lierman reported having just $6,298 in the bank on 8/29/10. Ariana Kelly, his principal rival for the District 16 open Delegate seat, reported having $51,025. (That’s what self-financing can do for you!) Lierman had to replenish his coffers somehow, and we won’t find out how until after the election.
6. Senator Nancy King (D-39) paid $8,000 to Momentum Analysis of Washington, DC, the same polling firm that worked for Big Daddy’s tobacco-financed slate, on 8/12/10 as a “consulting fee.” The timing is interesting since the payment was made about two weeks before King launched her attack website against Ali. If this payment was indeed for a poll, did it say something that prompted King to go negative?
7. Here are the biggest recipients of campaign contributions (excluding loans) this year in MoCo.
Council Candidates
Hans Riemer: $171,392
Nancy Floreen: $146,838
George Leventhal: $111,338
Marc Elrich: $87,435
Craig Rice: $84,173
Senate Candidates
Nancy King: $116,105
Saqib Ali: $76,866
Brian Frosh: $54,623
Roger Manno: $53,769
Jamie Raskin: $51,251
Delegate Candidates
Kyle Lierman: $106,191
Mark Winston: $62,580
Hoan Dang: $56,723
Heather Mizeur: $55,718
Craig Zucker: $49,054
8. Here are the biggest spenders of campaign money this year.
Council Candidates
Becky Wagner: $126,119
Hans Riemer: $122,241
George Leventhal: $112,418
Nancy Floreen: $105,047
Duchy Trachtenberg: $94,709
Senate Candidates
Saqib Ali: $180,591
Mike Lenett: $174,185
Rob Garagiola: $134,139
Cheryl Kagan: $87,152
Nancy King: $84,322
Delegate Candidates
Vanessa Atterbeary: $129,780
Kyle Lierman: $99,893
Dana Beyer: $98,825
Hoan Dang: $89,195
Craig Zucker: $69,906
9. Here are the biggest self-funders of the cycle. This statistic includes contributions and loans to self from 2007 on, but does not include self-funding for the 2009 special election.
Council Candidates
Becky Wagner: $95,000 (from husband)
Hans Riemer: $50,000
Robin Ficker: $22,358
Jane de Winter: $17,115
Ilaya Hopkins: $12,500
Senate Candidates
Mike Lenett: $200,713
Rich Madaleno: $30,000
Michael Griffiths: $6,200
Delegate Candidates
Vanessa Atterbeary: $107,250
Ariana Kelly: $85,381 (includes $6,266 from husband)
Dana Beyer: $75,000
Charlie Chester: $55,000
Jay Hutchins: $47,772 (includes $2,635 from wife)
We’re sure there is a WHOLE lot more, but it’s time to go back to posting negative mail!
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Monday, September 06, 2010
Saturday, September 04, 2010
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Kelly Kicks Lierman Again
District 16 House candidate Ariana Kelly has gone negative against rival Kyle Lierman again. Here's a post on her website, to which she is steering traffic through ads on Facebook.Kyle Meets a Voter
The following is an actual email our campaign received from a previously undecided voter in Wyngate recounting Kyle Lierman's attempt to "persuade" her to vote for him. Though amusing, the email also shows how nominating Kyle would hurt the Democratic ticket in the November election (which, lest we forget, we still have to win.) To read Ariana Kelly's blog on how her nomination will help the Democratic ticket, click here.
To: info@kellyfordelegate.com
From: XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Re: "Stop Kyle Lierman" ad on facebook
Your "Stop Kyle Lierman" ad on facebook that links to "Washington Post Exposes Forces Behind Lierman Campaign" is excellent!
That punk kid showed up in my front yard on XXXXXXXX in the Wyngate neighborhood and disgusted me with his arrogance. He's a jerk. Turn him loose to act like a know-it-all with the over-50 crowd, and he might shoot himself in his own foot despite the money from his daddy's old buddies.
I tend towards being quite conservative. I did not like the left-wing ideas he was spouting as he stood in my yard, and I told him so. Now, I'm no fool: I realize that most Democrats in this district are quite liberal, but I am allowed my opinions also. And if the kid standing on my property asking for my vote can't hear me out and can only say, "You need to leave the Democratic party," then the little jerk sure as the heck is not going to listen to my opinions once he is elected.
Ariana Kelly is more liberal than I would want if I were designing the world, but she has a good lot of experience, is well connected to this neighborhood, did not grow up as a spoiled rich kid, and understands what it's like to be a grown up. I expect to vote for her, and it was the "Stop Kyle Lierman" ad that drew me to Kelly's column.
Lierman is a punk kid who deserves to have his butt kicked. Someone should tell him to get a job and support himself for two or three years before he runs for public office. He's arrogant, offensive, inexperienced, and doesn't deserve to be elected as dog-catcher.
Cordially,
XXXXXXXXXXX (Name Withheld at Voter's Request)
So here's a question. Are these attacks going to stay online or is Kelly going to put them in the mail?
Wednesday, September 01, 2010
Primaries to Watch V, Part Three
By Marc Korman and Adam Pagnucco.
Here are races Six and Five!
6. District 16 Delegate Open Seat
Previous Rank: #6
Marc
The chaos continues in District 16. At times, this has started to shape up as a race between Obama campaign staffer Kyle Lierman and Ariana Kelly from MomsRising. Both have the resources to run competitively and the mail house does not care if it was loaned to the campaign or only raised as a result of family connections. On the other hand, Kelly has not been able to consolidate as much support against Lierman as it appeared she would early on, when she picked up the Apple Ballot and SEIU.
Lierman and Kelly are still the most likely new Delegates, but there are nine other challengers in the race and they are all making waves in their own ways. Hrant Jamgochian can try to leverage the Post endorsement into political victory. Mark Winston and Charlie Chester can still convince voters that their experience is what is needed. Scott Goldberg can make good use of his combination of personality and policy smarts to connect. Bill Farley has demonstrated at least through lawn signs (which cannot vote) a presence far beyond his political base of Somerset. One thing holding back the pack is a serious lack of resources compared to Kelly and Lierman.
Incumbents Bill Frick and Susan Lee are also working really hard to keep their seats, which seems pretty certain but it is never a bad thing to see incumbents work.
Full disclosure, I have volunteered for the incumbents and donated to Bill Frick.
Adam
It’s a pity that Hrant Jamgochian, Scott Goldberg and Mark Winston do not live in District 39 as all of them could very well win the open seat up there. Unfortunately for them, they are competing with Kyle Lierman and Ariana Kelly.
Our spies say that Lierman is running the best campaign. He has tons of outside money without resorting to big self-funded loans (as has Kelly), has good mail and has a sophisticated voter outreach operation. None of this is a surprise given the work he did for Barack Obama in 2008. If Lierman was not a candidate, he would be an excellent campaign manager. Kelly has two important advantages: her endorsements (including the Apple) and her status as the only female challenger. She also has enough money to compete with Lierman.
The fact that the Post did not go with Lierman helps Kelly, but the teachers have more critical races than this one to which to devote poll coverage. Since the mail is crazy in this district, that puts a premium on other ways to reach voters. Lierman’s skill set will help in that regard. I still see this as a two-way race, but one interesting new wrinkle is that Kelly has gone negative against Lierman. If the two of them start slugging it out, there is a tiny chance that another challenger could squeeze past them for the open seat.
5. District 19 Delegate Open Seat
Previous Rank: #7
Marc
You have to hand it to Bonnie Cullison. If she is half as convincing with District 19 voters as she must have been with the Post to get their endorsement, she should do well on September 14th. But that only works if she is out there hustling as much as the other candidates working for District 19’s two open seats including fellow Apple Ballot endorsee Jay Hutchins, fellow Post endorsee Sam Arora, as well as Hoan Dang and Vivian Scretchen.
The teachers will likely be out in force in District 19, which will benefit Jay Hutchins since he shares their endorsement. Sam Arora has plenty of money and work ethic, but it is probably time to start spending some of it on mail.
Full disclosure, I donated to Arora and have volunteered for him.
Adam
Ben Kramer is the only incumbent in the race and is certain to come back. That leaves two seats for three quality candidates: Sam Arora, Bonnie Cullison and Jay Hutchins.
Lots of sources in the district are picking Arora to finish second. He started early, has the most money, has been working the hardest and has performed well in candidate forums. He does not have the Apple Ballot, but he does have the Post endorsement, and this may be one district where the Post is as, or maybe even more, important than the Apple. Arora has been all over Leisure World and his signs sprouted first around the district, but Hutchins has nearly caught up in the sign war. Arora has problems: he started as a complete unknown, has little history in the district before running for office and some say his campaign has petered out a little bit. But most of our informants say that he has run the best campaign of any Delegate candidate and that could get him to Annapolis.
If Arora wins, Cullison and Hutchins will square off for the remaining seat. Cullison scored a huge win by getting the Post endorsement, and her supporters can point to that as a sign that she is not merely a creature of MCEA. Hutchins is hustling and is liked by nearly everyone who meets him. Cullison’s campaign gets low marks for execution and Hutchins has more money, but Cullison benefits from being the most viable woman in the race. Our sources are flipping coins on this one, but the Post could make the difference for Cullison in the end. The result could easily depend on absentees and provisionals.
More tomorrow!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Kelly Lights Up Lierman
District 16 House candidate Ariana Kelly has posted the following item on her website about the Post's article on fellow candidate Kyle Lierman's fundraising.The Washington Post today exposed the forces supporting Kyle Lierman's campaign for delegate. The Post reports the 23-year-old's bid is bankrolled by wealthy friends and patrons of his father Terry -- the former state party boss and drug company lobbyist who is now Chief of Staff to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer. Only Ariana Kelly has the credentials and support to stop Terry Lierman from bullying and buying a delegate seat for his son, and to give Montgomery County the representation it deserves in Annapolis. To see Ariana Kelly's track record and list of supporters, click here.
On the one hand, there is some truth to Kelly's charges. Terry Lierman is intensely involved in his son's campaign. Kyle's donor list is full of Terry's friends and supporters and we have heard MANY stories of Terry making fundraising calls, complaining to organizations that failed to endorse his son and even getting involved in designing campaign materials. And the participation of ethics-challenged Congressman Jim Moran in Kyle's campaign (a story that went national) is problematic at best. If Kyle Lierman was instead named Kyle Jamgochian, Kyle Farley or Kyle Winston, he would probably not be a front-runner in this race.
But candidates in round-robin elections like Delegate contests usually avoid going negative against a rival for fear that a third candidate will go up the middle and win. Could that happen in District 16?
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Kelly Tweaks Lierman on Finances
District 16 House candidate Ariana Kelly has sent out an email on her finances that is obviously directed at open seat rival Kyle Lierman. Without naming him, Kelly makes clear that she has raised as much money (although including a loan), spent less and has more cash on hand than Lierman. The conventional wisdom has been that Kelly would have more endorsements, but Lierman would have more money. It appears that that is not the case at the moment, although another finance report is due in early September. Following is Kelly's email.
Delegate Candidate Ariana Kelly Brings In More, Spends Less
$106,994 of Inflows Since May, $77,024 Cash on Hand in Competitive Maryland House Race
Ariana Kelly, candidate for the open House of Delegates seat in Maryland's District 16, has brought in $106,994 for her campaign committee since May. In addition to a loan from the candidate, Kelly’s campaign raised funds from nearly 200 donors, including numerous donations from people who have worked with Kelly over her career. Kelly reported no contributions from corporations, PACs, or other campaign committees. Her parents together gave $421. Her grandmother gave $33.
Kelly, a non-profit executive and seasoned manager, is running an efficient campaign. Including in-kind contributions, Kelly has spent only $29,970 as of August 10, leaving her with $77,024 cash on hand heading into the last four weeks of the campaign.
Ariana Kelly is a fiscally responsible and socially progressive candidate who will continue her track record of making responsible budget decisions in Annapolis.
Kelly has been endorsed by a wide range of public interest organizations, as well as current and former elected officials. Her supporters include the Montgomery County Education Association, Maryland State Education Association, NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland, Sierra Club of Maryland, Maryland League of Conservation Voters, Montgomery Women, Equality Maryland, SEIU Local 500, Montgomery County Public Schools Retirees Association, and Women's Campaign Forum. She has also been endorsed by Maryland Delegates Jeffrey Waldstreicher (D-18) and Kathleen Dumais (D-15), and by former Maryland Senators Sharon Grosfeld and Mary Boergers.
Kelly currently directs the Environmental Health Campaign for MomsRising,org, a million member advocacy organization working to build a more family-friendly country. She is also the former Executive Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland and former Executive Producer for PBS' weekly news program To The Contrary.
Kelly was born and raised in Maryland's District 16. She and her husband Barak live in Bethesda with their two children.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Notes and Observations in District 16
By Marc Korman.
The race for District 16 is heating up with 13 candidates and 100 degree temperatures. Here are a few random notes and observations from the front, combined with some free advice to the candidates.
For those not living and breathing the race, the 13 candidates are: Incumbents Bill Frick; and Susan Lee; Attorney and former District 19 Democratic Club Officer John Adams; Attorney and repeat candidate Charlie Chester; Attorney Peter Dennis, also the son of Civic Federation President Peggy Dennis; Town of Somerset Councilman Bill Farley; Real estate management business owner and Montgomery County Young Democrats President Scott Goldberg; Attorney Craig Herskowitz; Attorney and health policy strategist Hrant Jamgochian; Former NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland Executive Director and MomsRising’s Director for Environmental and Workplace issues Ariana Kelly; Former Obama campaign staffer Kyle Lierman, also the son of local political bigwig Terry Lierman; Common Cause Board Member Michael Sriqui; And attorney and former Housing Opportunities Commission Chair Mark Winston. Whoa, that’s a lot of candidates.
The District 16 Democratic Club hosted a forum for all of the Delegate candidates at the Bethesda Library last week. Twelve of the candidates, including the two incumbents, attended. Craig Herskowitz was out of town for work but had a statement read.
The consensus among the individuals I spoke to were that the big winners were the two incumbents, Bill Frick and Susan Lee, and challenger Scott Goldberg. Other candidates had high points, but these three were consistently great. Frick and Lee were essentially endorsed by all of the other challengers during a question about what legislator you would like to emulate, cementing the impression that the 11 challengers are fighting for one open seat. Goldberg’s one two punch of strong and humorous delivery plus real policy proposals stood out even to those in the capacity crowd supporting other challengers. The funniest moment of the debate belonged to the moderator, who gave the field a grand total of 15 seconds to explain how they would solve the budget deficit.
The Bethesda-Chevy Chase Breakfast Club is also working its way through the challengers. The first installment featured Bill Farley, Craig Herskowitz, Ariana Kelly, and Kyle Lierman. Also in attendance was District 18 Challenger Dana Beyer. The moderator was kind enough to grant the candidates a grand total of 30 seconds to explain their approach to the budget.
Herskowitz has staked his campaign on speed cameras and constituent service, pretty much declining to comment on other issues and referring individuals to his website. Although no one loves the speed cameras, my own view is that he cannot mount a successful campaign in a crowded field on these narrow issues alone and should talk about some of his other ideas along with these passions.
Kelly and Lierman seem to view the race as between them, at least when they appear together. That thinking is understandable given that MPW and others have consistently cited them as the frontrunners. They both have a strong ground game and the resources to win. But I would just remind them that a race with two perceived frontrunners often creates opportunities for Trojan horse candidates (Just ask Howard Dean and Dick Gephardt about Iowa in 2004). With so many candidates in the field, there are plenty of places for voters to turn besides Lierman or Kelly.
Bill Farley is a Town of Somerset Councilmember, making him the only challenger with elected office experience and giving him a stronghold in one of the top performing precincts in the primary. I have no idea if he is working the doors or has money for mail, but he has a good candidate profile. However I am not sure what his message is and his approach to the Purple Line should also be explained. He supports starting over with some type of trench or cut and cover approach. That is an unrealistic option at this stage and in practical terms means Farley opposes the Purple Line.
If you care about the lawn sign primary, which does not win elections but is fun for bloggers, Lierman, Jamgochian, and the incumbent team have a strong start in Bethesda with a sprinkling of other candidates as well. I have not been to the northern or western portions of the district lately to see the signs there. So far the only mass mail I have received is from Mark Winston and Michael Sriqui.
Based on my conversations and impressions in the district, candidates are distinguishing themselves in many ways. Hrant Jamgochian is impressing people with his smarts, nice guy approach, and health care background. Winston is picking up what I view as strong endorsements including Ike Leggett’s and the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chamber of Commerce. Many long time District 16 residents I speak with think highly of Charlie Chester and his experience.
My advice to the candidates? Keep knocking on doors and stay hydrated.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Ariana Plays the Woman Card
District 16 Delegate candidate Ariana Kelly, the only Democratic woman in a huge field other than incumbent Susan Lee, is using that fact to her advantage. Following is the text of a blog post on her website.
Did I Walk Into the Men's Locker Room?
Last Tuesday was the political candidate filing deadline. We now know there are eleven candidates running for the open Delegate seat here in Maryland’s District 16. Two incumbents (Del. Susan Lee and Del. Bill Frick) are also running for re-election, making a total of thirteen candidates for three seats.
Interestingly, I am the only woman in the field competing for the open seat. That’s right, it’s me and ten guys. Here in Bethesda, this is shocking. Our community has a tremendous number of well-educated and accomplished women who would make excellent legislators. That’s why, historically, Montgomery County has been a leader in electing women.
Unfortunately, we are no longer leaders. We have seen a significant decrease in the number of women serving in our House of Delegates in the last eight years years. Delegate Marilyn Goldwater retired after a tremendous career in 2007, the same year Nancy King was appointed to the Senate, leaving her House of Delegates seat. Beloved Delegate Jane Lawton passed away while in office in 2008, and the late Delegate Jean Cryor, a moderate Republican and woman's rights advocate, was defeated in 2006.
Our Montgomery County House Delegation in Annapolis now has seventeen men and only seven women. In other words our delegation is now only 29% women, down from 46% (11 women) in 2002. 1
I have worked in Annapolis, and seen first hand how the scarcity of elected women impacts public policy. I know women’s voices are needed in the halls of Annapolis, and that’s one of the reasons I decided to run.
No, I don’t think you should support me simply because I am a woman. You should support me because I am a qualified woman, with extensive experience working on the issues that matter to Montgomery County families. I also have strong values, good judgment, coalition building skills, and a track record of fiscal responsibility.
But I do think everyone supporting this campaign, from volunteers to donors and voters, can also be proud that we are working to increase the representation of women in Annapolis. With our success, I hope we will also inspire little girls and grown women to jump into future races so we can rebuild a critical mass of women in Annapolis.
----
Footnotes:
1 These numbers do not include Delegate Karen Britto, who was recently appointed to temporarily fill the seat of Delegate Bill Bronrott. Del. Bronrott stepped down after the legislative session to join the Obama Administration. Delegate Britto is not running for election this fall- I am running for the seat vacated by Del. Bronrott.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Primaries to Watch IV, Part Three
By Marc Korman and Adam Pagnucco.
Here are races Six and Five!
6. District 16 Open Seat
Previous Rank: #7
Marc
Chaos is the order of the day in District 16. There are thirteen candidates vying for three Delegate seats. Perhaps that should not be a surprise since eleven ran for one seat in 2007 when Delegate Frick was appointed. It is an odd race. One of the incumbents has never run before, one of the challengers has run five times, and the district has little to drive turnout at the top of the ticket.
Obama campaign staffer Kyle Lierman, business owner and Montgomery County Young Democrats President Scott Goldberg, and former NARAL Executive Director Ariana Kelly have been the most active thus far. But Mark Winston is coming out strong with Ike Leggett’s endorsement and Hrant Jamgochian has been carpet bombing the district with signs and campaign frisbees.
Bill Frick and Susan Lee have been canvassing with teammate Brian Frosh and few have anything bad to say about them. Frosh has really stepped up for Frick and Lee, spending lots of time door knocking despite not having a primary and being the heavy favorite in November. Most people think the real fight is for the third Delegate slot. With a race this crowded with a low turnout, it could be anyone’s for the taking.
A fun little note is that one of the three Republicans waiting in the general will be Prince Arora, who ran as a Democrat for the appointment in 2007.
Full disclosure, I am a member of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee from District 16 and have supported Bill Frick.
Adam
There are too many candidates in this race. Most of them will get lost in the shuffle and District 16 residents will learn to get very acquainted with throwing out mailers. This greatly helps incumbents Susan Lee and Bill Frick, who should win solidly by racking up institutional support and cash and running with Senator Brian Frosh.
So for the challengers, how do you stand out? There are usually two ways to do so: endorsements and money. Ariana Kelly is the early endorsement leader, collecting support from MCEA, NARAL, NOW and SEIU. There could be more to come. Kyle Lierman will rely on his famous last name and his Obama connections to raise great heaping gobs of cash. Kelly is the only female Democratic candidate other than Lee and Lierman’s campaign experience is unparalleled. All of these factors make these two stand out.
The others are all white males who will probably wind up agreeing on most issues. As the deluge of literature begins to swamp mailboxes, voters will have a hard time telling them apart. These candidates must figure out a way to break out from the pack. Could it be Mark Winston, who was endorsed by Ike Leggett? Could it be Young Dems leader Scott Goldberg? Could it be someone else? Or will this be a Kelly-Lierman race? It’s too early to tell.
5. District 14 State Senate Challenge
Previous Rank: #5
Marc
Karen Montgomery is knocking on doors and talking about progressive issues. Rona Kramer has slated up with incumbent Delegate Anne Kaiser, and Delegate candidates Craig Zucker and Bo Newsome and is talking about Montgomery missing the 2007 Special Session. Absenteeism is an old, effective campaign favorite and Kramer will make a big deal out of it. Both candidates are out working but given Kramer’s money this is a real uphill climb for Montgomery. Progressives are happy to have a champion talking about issues such as the death penalty, but it may not be enough against the entrenched Kramer.
Adam
Jamie Raskin toppled Ida Ruben in 2006 in part by tapping into a wave of progressive activism in Silver Spring and Takoma Park. One of the questions in this cycle has been where those progressives would wind up. A school of thought held that many of them would head up US-29, New Hampshire Avenue and Georgia Avenue to help a credible liberal defeat Rona Kramer. So where are they?
This race is behaving rather predictably so far. Montgomery is racking up endorsements from unions and environmentalists. Kramer has assembled a slate for self-defense and will soon be spending lots of money on mail. If Montgomery’s endorsements are accompanied by real live boots on the ground, she has a chance. Otherwise, Kramer is going to win.
More tomorrow!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Sharon Grosfeld Endorses Ariana Kelly
Former District 18 Delegate and Senator Sharon Grosfeld has endorsed Ariana Kelly for a District 16 House seat. Following is former Senator Grosfeld's statement.
Ariana possesses the rare combination of talent, intelligence and compassion that inspires people to listen closely to her ideas and believe in her. She has demonstrated strong leadership in her past efforts to secure legislation important to Maryland families, and I am convinced that as a state delegate representing District 16, she will take her passion and negotiating skills to even greater heights. Ariana is exactly the person anyone would want to advocate for their interests.
