Rales doesn't talk as much about his own history-- at least in this Democratic primary. You see, Rales was a Republican not too long ago. He toyed with the idea of challenging Democratic Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski as a Republican in 2004, and he and his wife, Debra, have been major donors to GOP candidates, campaign finance records show. They have given $10,250 to Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R), most recently in September 2004. They gave $4,000 to President Bush in 2003.Hard to imagine that many Democratic primary voters would knowingly cast a ballot for someone who gave money to Bush and Ehrlich. As usual, Senate President Mike Miller doesn't pull his punches in his assessment of Rales:
At the Accokeek festival, campaigning for his own reelection just a few yards away from Rales, state Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) dismissed the candidate as a "spoiler."
"He's going to force Cardin to open up his bank account and spend money he needs in the general against [GOP candidate] Michael Steele."
Ben Cardin is not on television but I am now getting what seem like almost daily calls from his phone banks. I am tempted to either say I support Cardin or that I am voting for my AU colleague Allan Lichtman, who unlike Rales has a long history as a committed Democrat, to get them to stop calling. Still, Cardin supporters should be glad that his campaign is now systematically rallying support in a part of the state where he is not well-known. Perhaps if I say I am considering Kweisi Mfume, Cardin's campaign will start sending flowers?