Showing posts with label Jay Hutchins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jay Hutchins. Show all posts
Monday, October 18, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
MCEA/Sierra Club Mailer, District 19 House, 2010
Here's a joint independent mailer sent by MCEA and the Sierra Club on behalf of District 19 Delegate candidates Bonnie Cullison and Jay Hutchins this past summer. Both candidates were endorsed by both groups, making the collaboration possible.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
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!
Monday, August 30, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Jay Goes to Leisure World
Following are two ads run by District 19 Delegate candidate Jay Hutchins in Leisure World News. Never before has this publication been so watched by bloggers!
Friday, August 13, 2010
Nancy Navarro Endorses Jay Hutchins for Delegate
County Council Member Nancy Navarro has endorsed Jay Hutchins in the District 19 Delegate race. Navarro's East County district has a substantial overlap with the state legislative district. Following is Hutchins's press release.
CONFIDENCE IN JAY HUTCHINS’ LEADERSHIP EVIDENCED BY MORE THAN TWENTY ENDORSEMENTS
SILVER SPRING, MD – With just over four weeks until the September 14th primary, Jay Hutchins has earned more than 25 endorsements from local and state organizations and political leaders throughout District 19 and the State of Maryland. Most recently, Jay received an endorsement from Councilmember Nancy Navarro.
Expressing her confidence in Jay’s leadership, Councilmember Navarro said, "Jay is an experienced progressive voice with deep community ties. District 19 will be well served by Jay in Annapolis. He has my full support."
Jay’s deep ties to District 19 are reflected in his long-standing involvement with several community organizations and boards. He serves as a Commissioner for the Montgomery County Commission on Landlord-Tenant Affairs; is a member of the Montgomery County Executive’s African-American Advisory Group; belongs to the Northwood-Four Corners Civic Association and the PTA at his son’s schools. Jay is also on the executive boards of both the District 19 Democratic Club and the African-American Democratic Club (he is on hiatus from both boards while campaigning for Delegate) and is a Precinct Chair in District 19.
Jay has also received endorsements from three key education organizations - the Montgomery County Education Association, Maryland State Education Association, and the Montgomery County Public Schools Retirees Association. Jay said, “As a father of two young boys in Montgomery County Public Schools, and with a spouse who is a University of Maryland law professor, I truly understand the importance of having teachers, staff and volunteers who take part in the development and nurturing of every student’s learning experience.”
For months, Jay has been out knocking on doors and continues to meet voters all over the District. Jay said, “I go out every day, personally talking to as many voters as possible, talking with them about their concerns or issues. I want to give each voter the confidence that, if elected, I will work hard to be a strong voice on the many issues that are so important to the voters I have met.” Jay continued, “The positive response I receive from voters is very encouraging and motivates me to keep working hard. I know there are many voters who fully believe in me and my campaign.”
Jay’s endorsements, which come from a variety of organizations, are evidence of widespread confidence in Jay’s experience with, and knowledge of, the pertinent issues. As a result of his extensive professional experience, Jay has the depth and breadth of knowledge that will be needed to take on the diverse issues that come up in Annapolis. In addition to the teachers’ unions mentioned above, Jay has been endorsed by unions that support working families (AFL-CIO, SEIU, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689, Progressive Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council of Carpenters), environmental groups (Sierra Club and the Green Democrats), and organizations that support civil rights issues (Montgomery County National Organization for Women, NARAL, and Equality Maryland). In addition to the support of Councilmember Navarro, there are several political and community leaders, including Montgomery County Executive, Ike Leggett, who have all stated their strong confidence in Jay and his ability to be an effective leader in Annapolis.
Jay stated, “I am honored by all of the endorsements I have received, and am very happy to know that these organizations and political leaders have great confidence in my ability to be a leader in Annapolis. They know I will work with other elected officials to make changes that will improve the quality of life for so many working families and individuals in District 19.” He continued, “But, I also understand that in the next four weeks and beyond, there is much work that needs to be done. I want each voter I come in contact with to know that I will continue to work hard every day to earn their confidence and support. The work doesn’t end on September 14th, it is really just beginning.”
A full list of the endorsements Jay Hutchins has received is available on his web site, www.jayhutchins.org.
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Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Courting Jay Hutchins
Suppose you were Senator Mike Lenett or his challenger, Roger Manno, and you were thinking of putting together a slate. You would want a teammate who was likable, had great endorsements, had a great bio and had an excellent shot to win. So who would you pick?
Your author would tell either of them to go get Jay Hutchins.
There are four candidates with a shot at going to Annapolis. Incumbent Ben Kramer comes from one of MoCo’s great families, has a lot of money and may have better name recognition than either of the Senate candidates. But Kramer keeps his own counsel and will do what is in his own best interest. Most critically, Kramer does not need either Lenett or Manno to win. Bonnie Cullison has terrific endorsements and has been one of the county’s most prominent non-elected leaders in recent years. But because she is the former President of MCEA, she will almost certainly be targeted by the Washington Post. No candidate in a close race wants to antagonize the Post. Sam Arora has huge money and huge work ethic but he is still fairly unknown. He also has almost no meaningful endorsements. That leaves Jay Hutchins.
Look at this guy, folks. Do you think you can smile like this?
No you can’t, unless your name is Cheryl Kagan. Check out his endorsement list. Check out his sparkling history of working for the state’s Department of Labor, Goodwill and the Peace Corps. And after our sources questioned his work ethic, Hutchins has responded by busting his butt on the campaign trail. No one can say that he is not working hard enough now. Finally, District 19 is rapidly changing its demographic mix. It’s helpful to have a top-flight person of color on the team.
So here’s what Mike Lenett thinks of Hutchins.
And here’s what Roger Manno thinks of Hutchins.
Will Hutchins pick sides or not? If he stays neutral, it won’t be for lack of trying by the Senate candidates.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Jay Hutchins: They Are Stealing My Signs
District 19 House candidate Jay Hutchins has sent out a mass email to supporters claiming that his signs are being stolen, including one at his house. The district has a history of sign-stealing, with several candidates butting heads over the practice in 2006. Jay is one of the nicest candidates on the campaign trail, so if he is being targeted, that is truly a disgrace.
Following is his email.
Friends,
With just 53 days to go until the election, the race here in District 19 has taken a nasty turn. Several days ago, a supporter informed me that a young man in a pick-up truck pulled in front her house, where he sat for several minutes talking on his cell phone. She watched in dismay as he looked around, jumped from the cab, ran to pull my lawn sign from her yard and threw it in the back of his truck. She ran from her house yelling at him to stop, but he sped away.
A lawn sign from in front of my house was removed the day before yesterday. Whoever took it left only the wire frame.
And then again last night, attendees at an event in the district reported that my campaign signs were being destroyed by people who were there with another political group.
I think democracy works best when the voters are allowed to make their minds up on the merits. Thug tactics and the strong-arming of elections are antithetical to democratic ideals.
Please go to my website and make a donation right now to send the message that political vandalism and intimidation are not democratic values. The shameful tactics of a desperate few will not prevent the voters of District 19 from learning about the vibrancy of the Hutchins for Delegate campaign.
We continue to make progress and move ahead. I have been endorsed by the local and state education associations (MCEA and MSEA), the Sierra Club, the Montgomery County Chapter of NOW, SEIU, Progressive Maryland and the Amalgamated Transit Union. The County Executive Ike Leggett has endorsed my campaign; as have Council Members Marc Elrich and Valerie Ervin. I have the experience and the judgment to be a most effective representative in Annapolis. And, I am out knocking doors every day connecting with the voters to tell them how I wil make Maryland better for them.
But, I’m not in a fair fight. Every lawn sign that’s taken or destroyed will need to be replaced… and that costs money. Please donate what you can, but do it right now. I will win this fight on September 14th… but I need your help today.
Jay
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Ike Leggett Endorses Jay Hutchins
County Executive Ike Leggett has endorsed Jay Hutchins for a Delegate seat in District 19. Following is the press release from the Hutchins campaign.
Contact: Pamela Long
pamela@jayhutchins.org
For Immediate Release
JAY HUTCHINS’ CAMPAIGN RECEIVES ANOTHER MAJOR ENDORSEMENT
SILVER SPRING, MD – District 19, House of Delegates candidate Jay Hutchins has added another major endorsement to his already impressive list of supporters, by garnering support of Montgomery County Executive Isaiah “Ike” Leggett. This endorsement comes at a timely point in the Hutchins for Delegate campaign, as the voter outreach efforts are being ramped up.
In his endorsement of Hutchins, County Executive Leggett said, “Jay has proven himself to be an effective advocate for working families during difficult economic times. He is deeply involved in the community, including serving on the Montgomery County Landlord-Tenant commission. His legislative skills, commitment to the community and his history of helping others will serve Montgomery County well, which is why he has earned my endorsement and full support.”
After officially filing with the Maryland Board of Elections last month and holding a successful campaign launch in front of District 19 friends, families and a diverse group political and community leaders (including both State Senate candidates), the Hutchins campaign is capturing very broad support. In addition to Mr. Leggett’s endorsement, Jay has received endorsements from the Montgomery County Education Association (Apple Ballot), SEIU, Progressive Maryland, and recently, the Montgomery County Chapter of National Organization of Women. Additionally, he has the support of other county leaders including, Council members Valerie Ervin and March Elrich.
As voters get to know Jay, they learn he has the needed legislative experience to make real progress on other important priorities like education, transportation and the environment. During the first candidate forum held by the Silver Spring Democratic Club and the Democratic Club of Leisure World, Hutchins clearly connected his professional background to his campaign platform of fighting for working families.
Jay said, “My firm commitment is to support working families in District 19; it is my intention to provide a strong, thoughtful and capable voice for each of them while I am in Annapolis.” He continued, “I have chosen to use my law degree to help people and I have spent my professional career doing just that; I plan to continue these efforts if elected to be a Delegate.”
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For more information about Jay Hutchins, the issues he supports and a full list of his endorsements please visit his web site, www.jayhutchins.org. You can also follow Jay on Facebook and Twitter.
Primaries to Watch IV, Part Two
By Marc Korman and Adam Pagnucco.
Here are races Eight and Seven!
8. District 14 Delegate Open Seats
Previous Rank: #8
Marc
The dust is still settling in District 14 where eight candidates are running for three seats. The safe money seems to be on two term incumbent Anne Kaiser returning to Annapolis. She even worked hard in 2006 when there was little primary suspense. Confidence is high for Craig Zucker as well, who is slating with Kaiser and State Senator Rona Kramer.
As I wrote previously, there has been a strong push for an African American candidate in District 14 (Ike Leggett’s home district). Kramer, Kaiser, and Zucker are adding 2006 County Council candidate Bo Newsome to their team. Newsome received 7.56% of the vote in District 14 when he ran for Council, a distant sixth. Though he did do better in District 14 than he did Countywide, where he registered 5.91%. However, Newsome did get the Washington Post endorsement and ran what was considered a credible campaign. Being on the slate will be a big boost for Newsome, but it does not give him a free pass by all of the other candidates in the field.
Those other candidates are led so far by Eric Luedtke. Luedtke has been running hard for months, bringing home endorsements, and most importantly knocking on lots and lots of doors. Others in the field include Jodi Finkelstein, Vanessa Ali, Neeta Datt, and Gerald Roper.
Full disclosure, I donated to Kaiser, Luedtke, and Zucker. Neeta Datt’s son and I attended high school together.
Adam
Kaiser and Zucker are going to win, so the question in this race applies to the remaining Delegate seat. I am a bit puzzled about why Kaiser and Zucker chose to align with Newsome. It makes sense for Rona Kramer, who would like to have African-American votes in her race against Karen Montgomery. It also looks like payback by Kramer against Eric Luedtke, who briefly explored a run against Kramer last fall. But Kaiser and Zucker do not need Newsome, or even a slate of any kind, to win. And since Luedtke is a favored son of many parts of the county’s progressive community, there has been pushback against what is perceived by some as an attempt to keep him out of Annapolis.
But in the end, the slate’s actions probably don’t matter all that much. Luedtke has the endorsements and is doing the work necessary to win. The other third-seat Delegate candidates have not put together solid campaigns yet and it’s getting late – maybe too late.
7. District 19 Delegate Open Seats
Previous Rank: #6
Marc
With Delegate Ben Kramer opting for reelection, District 19 had to settle for two open seats. Most of the five non-incumbents running have been hustling for months. Hustle is what they will have to do from now until September 14th. There is no favorite in this race and each candidate brings their own strengths and weaknesses.
If I had to give one candidate the edge, it would probably be Sam Arora due to his resources and door knocking thus far. I do not live in District 19, but I have not heard of any of the challengers doing as much as Arora yet. That said, Cullison and Hutchins have the Apple Ballot and Hoan Dang has been out and about for months. If you live in District 19, expect to hear your doorbell a lot.
Full disclosure, I donated to Sam Arora.
Adam
Ben Kramer will go back to the statehouse because of his name recognition from last year’s special election, his twin base in Leisure World and Kemp Mill, his famous surname and his family fortune. That leaves three competitive candidates for two seats.
Bonnie Cullison has lots of endorsements, is the only woman in the race other than late filer Vivian Scretchen and is a good speaker with a personality that should appeal to voters. She is the only candidate in the district who can claim to be a leader on the county’s number one issue – education. Her campaign took a long time to come together but we hear she is now out on the doors. Additionally, MCEA will be heavily invested in sending its former President to Annapolis. Jay Hutchins is a very likable person with a good biography and lots of endorsements, including the Apple Ballot. But some think he is not yet working hard enough to fend off Sam “Hunk of the Hill” Arora, who is coming on with a real head of steam. Arora has bundles of money, a whole bunch of campaign savvy and is out-hustling everybody. Any two of these three could win. One question still lingers: how will the intensely competitive Senate race affect the Delegate race?
More tomorrow!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Jay Hutchins and Eric Luedtke on "Political Pulse" on Ch. 16 TV
Jay Hutchins, who is running for MD State Delegate in District 19, and Eric Luedtke, who is running for MD State Delegate in District 14, will be on the "Political Pulse" TV political show on:
Thurs, July 1st at 9 p.m.
Fri-Sun, July 2nd-4th at 6:00 p.m.
and Tues, July 6th at 9:30 p.m.
Political Pulse is on Montgomery Municipal Cable in Montgomery County.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Primaries to Watch III, Part Three
By Marc Korman and Adam Pagnucco.
Here are races Six and Five!
6. District 19 Delegate Open Seats
Prior Rank: #5 as “District 19 Madness”
Marc
With Hank Heller’s retirement, the first of what could be as many as three open Delegate seats has emerged. Many of the candidates in the mix have been running for at least a year, with Sam Arora, Bonnie Cullison, Hoan Dang, and Jay Hutchins leading the way. Interestingly, thus far none of the non-incumbent candidates ran in the crowded 2006 race where eight Democrats ran. Tom DeGonia recently announced his intention not to run.
It is too early to determine all of the dynamics of this race. Cullison is a shoo-in for the Apple Ballot and has the support of Doug Duncan. Sam Arora’s cash on hand of over $100,000 should frighten his opponents because that translates into a lot of mail and he has already knocked on hundreds of doors. This will be a horserace that is won at the mailbox and door step.
Adam
With Delegate Roger Manno moving up to challenge Senator Mike Lenett, Ben Kramer is the only incumbent Delegate left. Kramer may just run for County Council. If he stays put, he will almost certainly win re-election. He is a self-funder, has run for office four times and wiped out Nancy Navarro in Leisure World last year. A Manno-Kramer team in District 19 would be troublesome for Lenett.
The other candidates have strengths and weaknesses. None of them are well-known in the district. Cullison and probably Hutchins will get the Apple Ballot, but neither reported a lot of money in January. Sam “Hunk of the Hill” Arora has LOADS of money and energy but may not have a lot of institutional support. Hoan Dang has some money but needs to market himself to the entire district. The good news for all of them is that a growing number of open seats creates more opportunity to snag one of them.
Finally, Cullison’s campaign is memorable for the reason that it has had the worst website rollout in this cycle, bar none. MPW has had an active link to her site for a more than a week and here is what the voters have seen.
5. District 14 State Senate Challenge
Prior Rank: None
Marc
Delegate Karen Montgomery seems to have adopted the Herman Taylor attitude of move up or move out (the political ladder). She is challenging her district’s senator, Rona Kramer, from the left. Many left leaning interests have shopped for a challenger to Kramer, finally getting one with Montgomery after being turned down by several others and seeing Luedtke withdraw.
While Montgomery’s views are distinct from Kramer’s on issues like the death penalty, it remains to be seen how hard Montgomery is ready to run. She had a respectable $58,000 cash on hand in January, but she will need a lot more to keep up with Kramer. This could be a barn burner if Montgomery is willing to put the work in and draw some sharp distinctions from her opponent.
Adam
Liberals despise Senator Rona Kramer for her labor, environmental and business/regulatory records and have finally found someone to run against her. Montgomery is a credible challenger. She has served in the district just as long as Kramer. She will have plenty of progressive support. And our sources tell us that she has made the rounds of the district more than Kramer and has knocked on more doors than her in the past.
But this is Rona Kramer we’re talking about. She is one of the toughest members of a rich and ruthless family that has bullied its way through county politics for decades. Rona will chew on asphalt just to spit out the chunks at her enemies. And she has already previewed her campaign message to the Gazette, which will be, “I was fighting for you during the special session while Karen Montgomery was in China and missed every vote.” You can write this down in blood: Rona Kramer will fight like hell and spend more money than you can imagine to keep her seat. Montgomery and the liberals will have to bring it – HARD – if they want to have a chance at beating her.
We’ll have races Four and Three tomorrow.
Friday, March 05, 2010
Hutchins Gets Started in District 19
State Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (DLLR) staffer Jay Hutchins is off and running for a District 19 Delegate seat. He joins a crowded field that may be the biggest we have seen trying for an open seat that is not yet open.
Hutchins has a number of things going for him. First, he is one of the nicest people you will meet on your doorstep. He has an engaging, laid-back and unpretentious style that is a bit unusual in MoCo’s hyper-ambitious political world. Second, he has an appealing biography that includes stints at the Peace Corps and Goodwill in addition to the service on Capitol Hill that is common among many young MoCo politicians. Third, because of his experience at DLLR in multiple roles, he will probably attract some labor support. Fourth, he has campaign experience having run (and lost) in a state legislative race in New Jersey. And fifth, he is known to be on good terms with Delegate Roger Manno (D-19), a popular incumbent who finished first in the 2006 primary.
Out of respect for the incumbents, Hutchins has held back on overt campaign activity, but that has changed. In the last couple weeks, he has established a website and a Facebook group. Hutchins immediately attracted 578 Facebook fans (an impressive number for a Delegate challenger) including Council Member Valerie Ervin, Council at-large challenger Hans Riemer, Council District 2 challenger Sharon Dooley, Prince George’s Delegate and County Executive candidate Gerron Levi and even fellow District 19 challenger Hoan Dang. He has also spoken out for collective bargaining rights for graduate students at the University of Maryland last month.
Hutchins’s biggest problem is that the District 19 Delegate race is VERY crowded. None of the incumbents are leaving yet and we count five active challengers so far, including former MCEA President Bonnie Cullison, 2006 candidate Tom DeGonia, civic activist Hoan Dang, Sam “Hunk of the Hill” Arora and Hutchins. Some of the other challengers have big advantages: Cullison has a lock on the Apple Ballot, DeGonia has experience from running last time, Arora has a hunk of money and Dang outraised both Cullison and DeGonia last year. If everybody stays in until the end, this will be an exciting race.
We are going to be watching MCEA. If the teachers have an endorsement available after backing Cullison and one of the incumbents, they might take a hard look at Hutchins. As a demonstrably pro-union African American with campaign experience, he fits the profile of the kind of candidate they have been looking for. He also has a FAR better chance to win than 2006 District 19 Apple candidate Melodye Berry, who squandered MCEA’s support by raising no money and finishing seventh out of eight. Hutchins should also draw support from the LGBT community since he openly supports gay marriage. LGBTs need to get more backing from African American politicians because that would make life easier for them in Annapolis.
Now that the challenger field is absolutely overflowing, it’s reasonable to ask: what are the incumbents going to do?
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