Karen Willis

The Baltimore Sun reports that U.S. Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-Kennedyville), who was defeated for re-election in February's GOP primary by state Sen. Andy Harris (R-Cockeysville), will break from his party and support the Democratic candidate, Frank Kratovil (D-Stevensville).

The two will stump in Annapolis and Easton today.

The Sun learned of the impending endorsement from a "senior member of Gilchrest's staff." Several of his staff members are now with Kratovil, including his chief of staff Tony Caligiuri, campaign aide Lynn Caligiuri, and longtime district director Karen Willis. 

Tony Caligiuri, the chief of staff to Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-Kennedyville), was among a crowd of approximately 50 guests at a breakfast gathering of the organization “Republicans for Kratovil” at the Kent Center in Chestertown, this morning.

Queen Anne's County State's Attorney Frank Kratovil (D-Stevensville) will face state Sen. Andy Harris (R-Cockeysville) in the November election in Maryland's First Congressional District. Harris defeated Gilchrest in the Feb. 12 GOP primary.

Other Republicans who attended the breakfast included Tony Caligiuri's wife, Lynn, who has also worked for Gilchrest. Karen Willis, a Gilchrest office manager, attended, along with Kent County Commissioner Roy Crow.

Kent County State's Attorney Robert Strong, a Democrat, was also present.

Frank Kratovil (D-Stevensville), the State’s Attorney for Queen Anne’s County and Democratic nominee in Maryland’s First Congressional District is a career prosecutor and political moderate. It is with that law and order background and independence that the 39-year-old begins his general election campaign against state Sen. Andy Harris (R-Cockeysville).

Steve Meehan, Kratovil’s campaign manager, told PolitickerMD.com that his candidates’ “skill at consensus building” would aide his effort to secure victory in a district that has not been represented by a Democrat since Roy Dyson in 1990.

“At the end of the day—it’s a pretty middle of the road place,” Meehan said in reference to the first district.

Karen Willis, a longtime District Office Manager/Senior Outreach Coordinator for Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-Kennedyville) told PolitickerMD.com that she “couldn’t possibly” vote for state Sen. Andy Harris (R-Cockeysville) in Maryland’s First Congressional District. Harris, the conservative GOP nominee, defeated Gilchrest, a nine-term moderate, in the Feb. 12 primary.

Willis also reiterated her support for Frank Kratovil (D-Stevensville), the Democratic nominee, saying his “positions on the issues are the closest to Wayne’s.”

The office manager said Kratovil’s moderate stances on issues ranging from tax policy, the war in Iraq, and illegal immigration, along with Harris’ “narrow-minded views” on the same issues led to her decision to join the organization “Republicans for Kratovil.”

She also predicted that the Democrat's support with Republicans would help his campaign “with the grassroots.”

When asked if he thought the organization would aide Kratovil, Chris Meekins, Harris’ Campaign Manager, simply said, “No.”

And thus commencing a list of high profile Republicans who won't be voting for Andy Harris?