Sluggish early at Wynn party

LANHAM - The polls were originally supposed to close over an hour ago, but at the IBEW building here where U.S. Rep. Al Wynn hopes to address his Democratic Party troops tonight with a victory speech, there are a handful of union men doubled over with laughter as one of their own regales them with his best recollections of the speeches of Abe Lincoln.

Scattered among empty seats and facing the podium are pressmen encumbered with cameras munching on food they've retrieved from the long catering hall style spread.

It's sound check time and dead in Lanham with rough weather outside, ice on the streets and ten minutes to go before the polls close in Maryland after being extended for an hour due to the sleet storm.

"He's going to win by 7,000 or 8,000 votes," one of the IBEW men tells reporters, referring to Wynn, who's been great to the IBEW, he says.

"He's better than Steny Hoyer - and we love Steny, and he's better than Chris Van Hollen - and we love Chris," says the union man.

Eight-termer Wynn is facing a tough challenge today from attorney Donna Edwards, whom he narrowly defeated to hold onto his 4th District seat in 2006.