At odds with his own party, Brochin could face 2010 primary challenge

ANNAPOLIS- Sen. James Brochin (D-Towson) often finds himself at odds with the state’s Democratic leadership. From his support for the death penalty, to his opposition to tax increases brought about by the governor’s plan to balance the budget, Brochin is often courted by Republicans, and his willingness to cooperate might be hurting him within his own party.

Brochin told PolitickerMD.com that his views on several key issues make him “more of a Democrat than a Republican,” calling himself a “moderate to conservative” Democrat.

“I’ve always believed in things like choice and stem-cell research,” Brochin said, adding that he was “very anti-war” and “very liberal on the environment.” He also described himself as “pro-union.”

But Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, for whom Brochin once worked as a legislative analyst, actually moved his colleagues’ seat to the back row of the Senate chamber after Brochin sided with Republicans during last fall’s legislative special session in their attempt to filibuster Gov. Martin O'Malley's plan to balance the budget, which raised taxes by $1.3 billion

“There’s more room back there,” Brochin joked about the new seating arrangements.

“It is what it is,” he added, in a more serious manner.

At the time of his decision to move Brochin’s seat, Miller told the press he did so “just to send a little teeny message,” adding, Brochin "wouldn't give us a single vote on anything, and we had to move the state forward.”

The GOP led effort eventually failed.

Brochin said he had a “decent working relationship” with the Senate president but defended his crossing of party lines, saying “I earned my seat the same way he did.”

“Mike and I have a different view of what moving the state forward really means,” Brochin responded, saying his decision to “reject raising taxes” was a plus for the state.

Rumors have swirled that Democratic insiders, including O’Malley, are recruiting wealthy businessman Martin G. Knott, who owns Knott Mechanical, a commercial heating, ventilating and air conditioning service, to run against Brochin in the 2010 Democratic primary.

“You always have a concern that you leave yourself exposed to a liberal challenge in the primary,” Brochin said about fighting off another Democrat in the next election. “You hear a lot of rumors down here.”

Rick Abbruzzese, the governor’s communications director, recently denied O’Malley’s involvement, telling The Baltimore Sun that his boss “has no interest in seeing someone run against Senator Brochin.”

Knott could not be reached for comment.

Despite conflicts with party leaders, Brochin said Democrats in the 42nd District of Baltimore County have “very similar viewpoints to mine.”

“I’m going to run on my record,” Brochin said of the possible 2010 primary campaign, adding that he would continue to knock on doors throughout the district because there is “nothing like” face-to-face interaction.

The senator said he had an “OK” relationship with O’Malley, adding, “I wish it were better.”

He also said he thought O’Malley was “better” than his predecessor, Republican Bob Ehrlich, and said the governor’s staff was “twenty times better” than Ehrlich’s.

Talking about the issues on which he differs from his party, Brochin said he supported the death penalty because “people like Steven Oken,” who was executed in 2004 after being convicted of the 1987 rape and murder of Dawn Marie Garvin, “deserve to die.”

“I don’t want them to hurt another person,” Brochin said.

The senator also said the state “does not need to give aide to private colleges the way we do,” saying it was one of the programs he viewed as unnecessary.

On marriage rights, Brochin said he supported civil unions because gay couples “deserve the same benefits” as heterosexual couples, and said they “raise good families.”

“Whether it needs to be called marriage—I don’t think were there yet,” Brochin said.