2008 Special Election

Donna Edwards and son Jared, at a polling place on February 12.It's official (again): Donna Edwards is the Fourth District Democratic nominee.

Last night, the Prince George's County Democratic Central Committee met in Glenarden to recommend a candidate in the Special Election on June 17. Local activist Donna Edwards, who won the Feb. 12 primary, was the unanimous choice of the 17 members present for the vote.

The Fourth District seat will be vacated on May 31, when incumbent Rep. Al Wynn will step down to pursue a career in the private sector. As a result, Gov. Martin O'Malley and the state legislature created a bill allowing a party's central committee to select a nominee under certain circumstances, thereby proceeding directly to a special general election.

Since Edwards was selected earlier this week by the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee, the Prince George's Democrats' decision officially makes Edwards the party's nominee on June 17.

In a 22-1 vote, the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee selected Donna Edwards as the party's nominee in the June 17 special election. Jason Jennings received one vote.

Edwards won the Democratic nomination last February over incumbent Rep. Al Wynn, who is stepping down on May 31 for the private sector. In response to the vacancy, Gov. Martin O'Malley and the state legislature created a bill allowing a party's central committee to select a nominee under certain circumstances, thereby proceeding directly to a special general election.

The Prince George's County Democratic Central Committee will meet to select its nominee on Thursday night.

Under the new emergency legislation to bypass special primaries and head directly into the general elections, what would happen if the Prince George's County Democratic Central Committee and the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee disagreed on in their choice of nominee?

Dismisses Special Election Plan

Dr. Jim Pelura, Chairman of the Maryland Republican Party, stated his firm opposition to holding a special election for the soon-to-be vacant Fourth District House seat, instead calling on Rep. Al Wynn to “fulfill his commitment” and not “abandon his constituents for a lucrative job offer.”

“By leaving early, his constituents are either going to be left without representation or Marylanders are going to be left holding the $2 million price tag to fill the vacant seat,” Pelura said in a statement.

The Chairman also dismissed Gov. Martin O’Malley’s proposal to defer some of the cost save through emergency legislation eliminating the special primary election and going straight to a special general election, saying it would “deny Marylanders a chance to pick their Party’s candidate.”

David Brinkley and Anthony O’Donnell, the Republican Minority Leaders in the Senate and House, both expressed support for calling a special election last week.

At his afternoon press conference, Gov. Martin O’Malley announced that he will ask the General Assembly to amend the state code or grant a special order allowing the Fourth District to hold a special general election without a special primary.

O’Malley is seeking the exception in light of a primary being held in the district so recently. On Feb. 12, Donna Edwards handily defeated Rep. Al Wynn, who last week announced his resignation from Congress, effective in June. The cost of a primary and general special election – estimated at almost $1 million each – is weighing heavily on the Governor’s decision to call for a special election, or allowing the seat to remain vacant until January.

According to Maryland state law, the Governor has ten days within learning of the resignation or the resignation itself to call a special election. Wynn announced his resignation six days ago on Thursday, March 28.

The Attorney General and the Governor's office are still wrestling the options on holding a special election in the to-be-vacated Fourth District.