Former Gov. Parris Glendening's son, Raymond, was named the national political director of the Democratic Governor's Association on Thursday.

"I am honored to serve America's Democratic Governors and future Democratic Governors," Raymond Glendening said in a statement. "Our candidates are winning in every corner of the country because they share with voters common-sense values and know how to get results. We had many successes this year, and I am looking forward to helping the DGA continue its winning streak."

CENTREVILLE -- State Sen. Andy Harris (R-Cockeysville) said Monday he'll be running for Maryland's 1st Congressional District seat again in 2010, according to Queen Anne's County Republican Central Committee member Diana Waterman.

"Andy said Monday night he's gonna run again," Waterman said at Wednesday's Central Committee meeting at the Centreville Public Library.

CENTREVILLE -- The chair of the Republican Environmental Alliance PAC, Jay Falstad, filed a complaint with the State Board of Elections on Wednesday morning against the Queen Anne's County Republican Central Committee, arguing a robocall it sent out this month was in violation of its own bylaws.

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Chris Van Hollen

WASHINGTON - While prognosticators argue that House Democrats will have trouble winning seats for a third consecutive cycle, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen (D-Kensington) is articulating a plan to fellow Democratic Members that focuses both on defense and offense in the 2010 cycle.

On Thursday morning, Van Hollen convened the DCCC's recruiting team for its first meeting following the Nov. 4 election, which saw Democrats win at least 20 seats and expand their majority to around 260 seats. Several members present at the gathering said today that Van Hollen was determined to begin work on the upcoming cycle and that the planning process for retaining incumbents and targeting seats, including candidate recruitment, had already begun.

"This is going to be a mix of offense and defense," said U.S. Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.), one of the Members present at the meeting. "The brilliance of Chris Van Hollen's strategy is to play both."

Good morning Maryland, here is your Wake-Up Call. Each morning PolitickerMD.com sifts through the day's news and commentary to find the stories you need to read. We scour the web for Maryland's top political stories to pull together the important headlines in one place. Like the Wake-Up Call? Sign up to have it emailed to your laptop, Blackberry or phone. It's free and easy!

Mike Geppi stepped down as chair of the Harford County Republican Central Committee's on Wednesday, opening the door for the committee's new chair Kim Wagner.

"I feel it's time for others to step up to lead the Harford County Republican Party so that I may explore other ways in which to serve the citizens of Harford County," Geppi told PolitickerMD.com. Geppi will remain involved in the central committee by serving as communications chairman and immediate past chairman.

Frank Kratovil

Incoming U.S. Rep. Frank Kratovil (D-Stevensville) began freshman orientation this week. The new member orientation for the 111th Congress consisted of various seminars - briefing the incoming members on a number of matters including getting around Capitol Hill, House rules and procedures,  and staffing, according to the Kratovil campaign.

Kratovil also attended his first meeting with the conservative Blue Dog Democratic caucus this week, which endorsed Kratovil during the general. Kratovil called the experience "invaluable" and said it will allow him "to handle all of the paperwork and procedural stumbling blocks ahead of time so that we can get right to work fixing our economy, securing our middle class, and protecting the environment."

U.S. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Kensington) isn't ruling out a bid for Senate in 2010, according to Roll Call. Van Hollen told reporters on Wednesday that if a Senate seat became vacant in Maryland, "it's something I would have to take a look at," but added, "there's no indication there's going to be a vacancy."