Joe Arminio

Earlier this month PolitickerMD.com reported on Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul's endorsement of First District Republican incumbent Wayne Gilchrest.

The endorsement, this reporter wrote at the time, "comes as something of a blow to Joe Arminio, a Republican candidate who is running on what his campaign has called the "Ron Paul Ticket."’

Perhaps now all is well between Mr. Paul and Mr. Arminio.

Today, representatives to Arminio released to reporters the full text of a letter from Paul to the former District 1 candidate.

Here is the full text:

A fundraising e-mail for Rep. Ron Paul’s Texas congressional primary invokes the defeat of Wayne Gilchrest to try to rally his national supporters to put money into his House campaign.

Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul's endorsement of First District Republican incumbent Wayne Gilchrest comes as something of a blow to Joe Arminio, a Republican candidate who is running on what his campaign has called the "Ron Paul Ticket."

Arminio, an author and co-founder of the National Coalition for Defense, joined the ticket on Dec. 1, Arminio's campaign says on its Web site.  read more »

Rep. Ron Paul endorsing fellow House member Wayne Gilchrest is somewhat of an appropriate fit in the sense that both are members of a small sect in the GOP supporting withdrawal from Iraq. (Paul is one of five House Republicans – including former Rep. Connie Morella – who opposed it from the very beginning).

But Paul’s endorsement has left one Gilchrest challenger out in the cold: Dr. Joe Arminio, who has been traveling the district, promoting the Texas congressman’s message and announcing himself to be “officially” a part of the “Ron Paul ticket” on Dec. 1.

Overall, the top fundraiser in the First District is state Sen. Andy Harris, raising nearly $1.1 million in his bid to unseat Rep. Wayne Gilchrest, who pulled in $567,000 - including $154,00 from 81 political action committees (PACs).

The 2008 cycle is the first time Gilchrest has accepted money from PACs, having told the Salisbury Daily Times in 2002, "[M]y vote can't be bought."

Harris received $83,400 in PAC contributions.

State Sen. E.J. Pipkin took in $600,000, but raised only $52,000 - loaning $548,000 to his campaign, and leaving himself the only candidate with major debt. Dr. Joe Arminio has $5,300 in debt, having spent $7,100.

First District Debate: In Wye MillsWYE MILLS - Democratic and Republican candidates competing in the race to serve Maryland in the First Congressional District participated in a debate this afternoon here at Chesapeake College.

Seven candidates, including Republicans Wayne Gilchrest, Andy Harris, and Robert Banks, along with Democrats Frank Kratovil, Christopher Robinson, Steve Harper, and Joseph Werner were present. GOP candidates E.J. Pipkin and Joe Arminio were absent.

The debate focused on a variety of issues, including the war in Iraq, illegal immigration, health care, the deficit, and the environment. Audience members posed questions to the candidates throughout the course of the event.

The main contenders in the First District primary are unloading their legislative clips in the run-up to Feb. 12.

Andy Harris and E.J. Pipkin's campaigns don't agree on much these days, but the opinion coming out of Thursday night's candidate forum was unanimous.

Dr. Joe ArminioIn the three-way heavyweight bout of Gilchrest-Harris-Pipkin, there’s almost absolutely no chance for any other Republican candidate to compete in the First District’s February 12th primary.

So it’s highly unlikely that Dr. Joe Arminio and the two other minor Republican candidates in this race will be heard over the millions of dollars the big three will spend in advertising over the next two months.

But Arminio might be able to get his message out - and maybe even peel off a fraction of the vote - due to a niche he has recently carved for himself.

The longshot candidate, who entered the race months ago, now tells PolitickerMD.com that he will run on the line of GOP presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul.