Jennifer Dougherty

ELDERSBURG – Former Frederick Mayor Jennifer DoughertyCongressional candidate Jennifer Dougherty (D) spoke to a crowd of about 25 people Wednesday at a reception for her campaign for Maryland’s 6th Congressional District. During her stump speech, Dougherty repeatedly told supporters to “vote your own interests.”

“Who is going to look out for your interests? Well I say ‘I will!’” she told the crowd.

COLUMBIA – David Paulson told a crowd of about 15 on Sunday at a Columbia Democratic Club PAC fundraiser that the party is committed to gaining control of all eight seats in the state's congressional delegation.

The state Democratic Party communications officer touched on topics like building the state party, the presidential election and former Gov. Bob Ehrlich (R-Arbutus), but focused on U.S. House races.

U.S. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Kensington) the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) issued a congratulatory statement today in honor of U.S. Rep.-elect Donna Edwards (D-Fort Washington), who was elected to represent the people of Maryland's 4th Congressional District, yesterday.

"On behalf of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, I congratulate Congresswoman-elect Donna Edwards on her victory and look forward to welcoming her to the House," Van Hollen said.

Bartlett Press Secretary Says Debate Will Occur

Sixth district Democratic nominee Jennifer Dougherty (center)State Democrats distributed a release yesterday to more than 3,000 people on their e-mail list, demanding that U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-Frederick) participate in a debate against his Democratic opponent, former Frederick Mayor Jennifer Dougherty.

"Jennifer Dougherty, Democratic candidate for the 6th Congressional District, has asked Roscoe Bartlett to a debate in every county in the 6th Congressional District - Allegany, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Montgomery and Washington Counties," the release declares. "It's a big district and Jennifer wants voters to have the chance to make their own choice, rather than relying on what the media might cover."

It continues: "Since February, Jennifer has asked five times for a debate in each county, but Roscoe's team says ‘NO,'" adding, "Why won't Roscoe debate in every county?"

Today, Bartlett Press Secretary Lisa Wright told PolitickerMD.com that "voters expect (Bartlett) will debate, and he will."

Hey, I love good spin anywhere I can find it. Democrat, Republican, Green, Libertarian, Ron Paul – anywhere. In the marketplace of politics the good stuff is interesting and educational.

But the worst is usually a product of what psychologists call “transference.”  That’s sort of like when you’re covered in mud and start pointing a finger at the other guy shouting in horror: “Look everyone, he’s dirty.”

Shout long and loud enough and someone will even believe it.

Chicago humorist Finley Peter Dunne coined the phrase “Politics ain’t beanbag” long ago. But, sometimes in politics no matter what you throw, beanbags in the dirt are all you get.

We don’t know what type of nasty Karl Rove/Newt Gingrich campaign to expect from our local GOP candidates this year. It’s possible they’ll change course. It’s possible they’ll grow up. It’s possible a wacky out-of-state third party will choose not to spend $500,000 or more in October. It’s possible they won’t have the money to do what they want.

But if it’s true that past performance is the best predictor of future behavior, we can expect the worst.

There are two very nervous Maryland Republicans today. Two very conservative, Bush-loving guys who look at their “safe” Republican districts right now and wonder how they can rescue their campaigns in the face of some really bad news, worse trends and outright voter hostility.

Roscoe Bartlett (R–MD6) and Roscoe Bartlett Jr., otherwise known as Andy Harris (R–MD 1 Wannabe), are two peas in a pod; two bizarrely ineffective lawmakers devoted to all things right-wing and virtually anything George Bush.

They see themselves as ideological lightening rods; angry, bitter and more comfortable pointing fingers than doing the hard work of serving their constituents.

Tuesday's Democratic victory in Mississippi's special congressional election, the party's third national victory in two months and second in 10 days, has Maryland Democratic Party officials confident that the trend could continue in Maryland, where Republicans hold the 1st and 6th district seats.

"Throw out the rules of political conventionality," state Democratic Party Chairman Michael Cryor said in a statement. "There are very few safe Republican seats in America anymore; not in the Midwest, not in the deep South and certainly not in a blue Mid-Atlantic state such as Maryland. It doesn't matter how long a Republican has held the seat. It doesn't matter how many votes George Bush got in 2004, America is voting for change in 2008. America is voting Democratic."

Democratic congressional candidate Jennifer DoughertyFormer Frederick Mayor Jennifer Dougherty (D) has repeatedly expressed frustration with Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-Frederick) for his refusal to debate his challenger in Maryland's Sixth Congressional District.

The latest instance came last Wednesday night, when Dougherty and Independent candidate Gary Hoover participated in a question and answer forum in Jarrettsville; Bartlett was not present.

"This does not serve the voters very well," Dougherty told PolitickerMD.com. "At least give them the courtesy of showing up."

Lisa Wright, the congressman's press secretary, said "there was no way" Bartlett could have attended the debate last week because "there were votes that night" in Congress.

Former Gov. Parris Glendening and former Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend were selected by the state Democratic Central Committee as un-pledged add-on delegates to represent Maryland at the Democratic National Convention, this morning.

Despite their titles, Kennedy Townsend and Glendening have endorsed candidates during the primary cycle; Kennedy Townsend has been a vocal supporter of Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) for several months, while Glendening endorsed Gov. Bill Richardson (D-N.M.) last December and has not officially endorsed another candidate since Richardson ended his campaign in January. Richardson, himself, endorsed Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) in March.

An additional 15 at-large delegates and another 9 delegates selected from party leaders and elected officials were selected. Of these 24 delegates, which are tied to the state's popular vote, which Obama carried in the Feb. 12 primary by 24 points, 15 are pledged Obama supporters and 9 are pledged Clinton supporters. Four additional pledged at-large alternates, three of which are Obama supporters, were also selected.