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U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Mechanicsville) easily won re-election to the House Majority Leader post on Tuesday after a closed door huddle in the Cannon caucus room on Capital Hill.

Hoyer, who is serving his 14th term in Congress, was elected to the position in 2006 after Democrats won control of the U.S. House.

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."

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."

WASHINGTON -- Laying out his plans for the 111th U.S. Congress on Tuesday, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Mechanicsville) made it clear the economy was at the forefront of his agenda.

Hoyer's address at the National Press Club often mentioned fiscal responsibility and discipline at a time when Republican soul searching has left many observers pointing to out of control spending as a significant reason their party brand took such a hard hit.

"The economy will be the first item on the agenda," Hoyer told reporters just hours before he's expected to be re-elected to the House Majority Leader post. "In the long run, fiscal responsibility can and must be a watchword of our majority. For eight years, the administration lived by the proposition summed up by vice president Cheney, who said, 'Reagan proved deficits don't matter.' Businesses, consumers pursued that siren song to the brink of financial destruction - and some, of course, have gone over that brink. We are now experiencing

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.

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."

SAVAGE -- Former Lt. Gov. Michael Steele (R-Prince Georges County) told Maryland Republicans Monday that he was optimistic about the state party's future, but said the they will only move forward if Republicans "shut up and listen."

"In case you haven't noticed, there's been an election. And in the infamous words, 'The people have spoken. Damn them,'" Steele said at Savage Mill during a fundraiser for the state Senate Republican caucus."The reality is the people have spoken and they've said a lot to us."

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."

Outgoing U.S. Rep. Wayne Gilchrest's (R-Kennedyville) son, Kevin Gilchrest, blasted former Gov. Bob Ehrlich (R-Baltimore) in a letter sent to The Baltimore Sun on Tuesday.

Kevin Gilchrest accused Ehrlich of endorsing state Sen. Andy Harris (R-Cockeysville) for all the wrong reasons. Harris knocked off Gilchrest in the 1st Congressional District's February primary, but Gilchrest endorsed Democrat Frank Kratovil, who ultimately won the race.

"The idea of a Kratovil victory was treated as a joke by his opponent, Sen. Andy Harris, during the campaign. Kratovil's victory, though, which included a sweep of all nine Eastern Shore counties, is glaring evidence of the utter and complete dysfunction of the Republican Party in the state of Maryland," Kevin Gilchrest wrote in a letter to the Sun, which was posted on the paper's Maryland Politics blog. "Standing atop the ruins of the dilapidated GOP is former Governor Bobby Ehrlich, who heartily endorsed and campaigned for Harris, against incumbent Republican Wayne Gilchrest."

The dust has barely settled on the 2008 elections -- in fact, in a few Senate and House contests, ballots are still being counted -- but possible presidential contenders are already building foundations they will need to put them ahead of the pack in time for the 2012 Iowa caucuses, a scant 38 months away. For Republicans, the early key to success is holding a governorship, and at least half a dozen chief executives are expected to at least consider a bid for president.

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.

Prince George's County state's Attorney Glenn Ivey (D) isn't ruling out a potential bid for U.S. Attorney in the district of Maryland, but he's also making clear that it's far from the top of his agenda.

"I'm enjoying being state's Attorney in Prince George's County," Ivey told PolitickerMD.com, but said he was flattered to hear his name being kicked around. "I'm not expecting to do anything in the administration besides some transition assistance."

Michael Steele

SAVAGE -- Former Lt. Gov. Michael Steele (R-Prince George's County) continued his campaign to lead the Republican Party, saying Monday his worst fear would be giving Democrats an upper-hand on redistricting in 2010.

"It's my biggest fear. It's the fourth part of their ultimate strategy," Steele told PolitickerMD.com, following a fundraiser for the state's Senate Republican caucus at Savage Mill. "Take back the House, take back the Senate, grab the White House and the way you lock it -- they talk about a permanent majority -- the way they lock that in is by drawing lines in which you start having Republicans knock each other off and the seats have been open to the Democrats."

Steele, who is currently running for the chairmanship of the Republican National Committee, suggested the scenario could mean a powerful and long lasting blow to the GOP.

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.

Two Annapolis aldermen looking to diminish the powers of the mayor's office through a charter amendment have been met with a counter proposal. Aldermen David Cordle (R) and Sheila Finlayson (D) -- both of whom are candidates for mayor -- are introducing their own version of a new charter amendment, according to The Capital.

Alderman Ross Arnett (D) and Richard Israel (D) have been working on a charter amendment which would diminish the powers of the mayor and change Annapolis into a council-manager style of government, reports the Capital. Cordle and Finlayson have proposed a plan that would shift more responsibilities to a city manager, but would allow the mayor to retain some clout.