The race for the next governor of Maryland may prove to be one of the biggest political showdowns in the state's history. Maryland's hometown boy, U.S. Representative Robert Ehrlich, (R), formally announced his candidacy last week on the stoop of his childhood home in Baltimore County. Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, (D), has used her name and political clout to raise more than $5 million without formally announcing that she will run. Not to be left out is Baltimore's popular mayor, Martin O'Malley, also a Democrat, who has hinted at a run for the governor's office while scheduling a slew of fundraisers.
O'Malley has said that he will announce his decision after the legislative session, which ends April 8, and he may even wait until closer to the filing date of June 10. Townsend is expected to announce her candidacy shortly after the legislative session. If both Townsend and O'Malley run, the Democratic primary may be the liveliest part of the campaign. Tensions between the two politicians have mounted in recent months as O'Malley has criticized the lieutenant governor for her lack of leadership during the legislative session.
Townsend, the eldest daughter of the late Robert F. Kennedy, has served as Maryland's first female lieutenant governor for the past seven years. She has garnered support for a gubernatorial bid from many of the state's Democrats and recently received an endorsement from Emily's List, a national organization that supports pro-choice women in their bids for public office. If she is elected, she will become Maryland's first female governor and the first Kennedy to ever hold the office of governor.
During her tenure as lieutenant governor, Townsend spearheaded the Maryland HotSpots Community Initiative to focus state and federal funds on targeted high-crime neighborhoods across the state. She also developed a statewide initiative that made Maryland the first state to require community service as a condition to graduate from high school.
As good as her achievements have been, Townsend will have to focus on other issues to win this race. On the political scoreboard this year is the inter-county connector, an east-west highway that will connect Prince George's and Montgomery County. Current Governor Parris Glendening has not provided support for the project, though last week Townsend announced that she was in favor of the highway. With Montgomery County being the most populous jurisdiction in the state, the issue will be an important one.
Ehrlich reiterated his longtime support for the highway project when he formally announced his candidacy last week. Ehrlich is running to be the first Republican governor in Maryland since Spiro T. Agnew in 1966.
Ehrlich further distinguished himself last week when he announced his support for the legalization of slot machines at the state's racetracks. Ehrlich said the revenue would be used for education. He explained that Maryland has already legalized gambling through the state lottery and that slot machines are a logical source of additional revenue.
Townsend has opposed gambling, and supported Glendening when he adopted the slogan of "No slots, no casinos, no exceptions," following his own election.
Support from the gaming industry could prove helpful to Ehrlich, who faces the daunting task of running against the powerful Kennedy political machine whose fundraising abilities are unmatched.
The Kennedy name, long associated with politics and power, will be both an asset and a liability for Townsend. There is no doubt that the family name will help Townsend curry favor with the African-American population and Democratic loyalists.
This year is a big year for the Kennedys, with four of them on the ballot in three states. U.S. Representative Patrick Kennedy is seeking re-election in Rhode Island; Max Kennedy is seeking election to the U.S. House in Massachusetts; Mark Shriver, Townsend's cousin, is seeking to oust U.S. Representative Connie Morella in the 8th congressional district in Maryland.
Kennedy-in-law Andrew Cuomo is also running for governor in New York.
While many love the Kennedys, some are resentful of their privileged background. This year, the Kennedys will have to hope that having so many of them on the ballot doesn't hurt their chances.
But Townsend isn't the only one with family political connections. O'Malley's father-in-law is four-term Maryland Attorney General Joseph Curran.
Recent polls show Townsend slightly ahead of Ehrlich and O'Malley, but with formal candidacy announcements from Townsend and O'Malley expected, the race is sure to heat up soon.
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