Friend describes Kessler as a wonk who does politics

After unknown Bill Frick emerged out of a large field to become the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee's choice for replacement delegate in District 16 lat September, some are wondering whether it could happen again.

With five in the race to replace Jane Lawton in District 18, a friend of Rick Kessler describes a policy wonk with political instinct - and someone who could break out of Sunday night's candidate forum as the sleeper candidate.

Jeff Carroll, chief of staff to New Jersey Congressman Frank Pallone, got to know Kessler while working on Pallone's 1998 re-election campaign. That year, Pallone faced a serious challenge from Republican Mike Ferguson (who would go on to win a seat in another district) and Kessler took some time off from work to show Carroll the ropes.

"He taught me how to do GOTV," Carroll told PolitickerMD.com.

Pallone's suburban central New Jersey district was an ideal training ground for someone who would go on to do races in Montgomery County, where Kessler knows a thing or two about politics. He managed GOTV for the 2002 campaign of fellow Pallone alum, state Sen. Rob Garagiola - who was the only Democrat to unseat a Senate Republican that year.

But he's also established bona fides on policy. Kessler has listed "environmental protection, smart growth and clean, affordable energy" - issues he has extensive experience with - as his legislative priorities.

"From a policy standpoint, his real expertise relates to energy issues," Carroll said. "He was talking about climate change long before it became the hot issue it is now."

Another Kessler strong suit on the environment is his wife, Cindy Schwartz. Now the executive director of the Maryland League of Conservation Voters, Schwartz is a past Senior Vice President for State Outreach at the National League of Conservation Voters where she ran the 2004 field campaign and has lots of credibility with state and federal activists.

"What I bring to the table are my years of legislative experience, first-hand knowledge of environment and energy policy, and my success at bringing diverse interests and people together to solve difficult problems," Kessler tells PolitickerMD.com.

"But, what it really comes down to, is that Montgomery County has been my home for over a decade, I love it, and this is a chance for me to make a positive difference"

Carroll agrees that Kessler's ability to balance a political knack with policy insight makes him "a perfect fit for elected office."

"Rick does both and enjoys both, which is very rare."

Now he has to prove it to Montgomery's Central Committee.