Maryland for Obama plans Ohio trips

Michael Buckley, the Communications Director of the group Maryland for Obama, told PolitickerMD.com today that the organization will provide Maryland supporters with the opportunity to join the campaign on two separate bus trips to Ohio this weekend and next weekend. The Buckeye State is the sight of the crucial delegate-rich March 4 primary.

Obama, who currently leads Sen. Hillary Clinton by approximately 150 pledged delegates, trails his rival in recent Ohio polls, though the gap is narrowing. The two are in a statistical dead-heat in the Texas primary, also being held on March 4.

Buckley said the campaign was “very excited” about their large victories across the Potomac on Feb. 12, but said the “focus” is now on Ohio.

He said the organization would commit time and effort on the “surrogate and grassroots level” in Ohio. Rep. Elijah Cummings and Attorney General Doug Gansler co-chair the group. Comptroller Peter Franchot is also a prominent state supporter of the senator from Illinois.

The communications director also said that if the contest was still competitive leading up to the Pennsylvania primary, scheduled for April 22, the Maryland for Obama team would “take advantage of our geographical proximity,” and campaign hard for the senator.

In Ohio, Buckley said traditional door-to-door canvassing and phone-banking operations would take place. He also said those citizens staying in Maryland would “make a lot of phone calls” leading up to primary day.

Hellmut Lotz, an Obama organizer in Prince George’s County, is helping to plan the bus trips. He can be reached at 301-226-8673.