Richard Colburn

ANNAPOLIS- Sen. Richard Colburn (R-Cambridge) would likely have voted against deregulating the electricity industry in 1999 “knowing what he knows now,” according to Jessica Stewart, the senator’s chief of staff.

Colburn, who voted for the 1999 bill, has received $7,615 in campaign contributions from the utility industry, the eighth highest among members of the current General Assembly, since deregulation, according to a report conducted by Progressive Maryland and Common Cause Maryland.

The senator chose not to comment when asked if the contributions created the appearance of impropriety or undue influence, as members of Progressive Maryland and Common Cause suggested.

Stewart said that if Colburn knew that electric rates would eventually be unfrozen, he “probably wouldn’t have voted” in favor of deregulation.

This afternoon, state Sen. Andy Harris picked up major endorsements from elected officials in Wicomico County in his bid to defeat incumbent Rep. Wayne Gilchrest and state Sen. E.J. Pipkin in the Feb. 12 Republican primary.

Sheriff Mike Lewis, Council President John Cannon, Councilwoman Gail Bartkovich and Councilman Joe Holloway all endorsed Harris in a press conference at the Salisbury Chamber of Commerce. Longtime state Secretary of Agriculture and Lower Shore resident Lew Riley also gave Harris the official stamp of approval.

The endorsements consolidate Harris' strength in the Lower Shore section of the First District, less than two weeks before the primary. Wicomico Senators Rich Colburn and Lowell Stoltzfus endorsed Harris last year.

Pipkin ad: An identical ad was placed against Sen. JacobsSen. Colburn Responds

On Friday, the congressional campaign of state Sen. E.J. Pipkin placed newspaper ads in the districts of Republican state Senators Richard Colburn and Nancy Jacobs to draw attention to their votes in support of Gov. Martin O'Malley's budget, which Pipkin also voted for.

Pipkin's budget vote has been repeatedly attacked by the campaign and allies of his GOP primary rival state Sen. Andy Harris. Colburn and Jacobs are supporters of Harris, who voted against the budget.

Both Harris and Pipkin are trying to unseat incumbent Rep. Wayne Gilchrest for the Republican nomination in the First Congressional District.

The purpose of the ad distribution, according to a press release from the Pipkin campaign, was to "highlight a problem with the Harris campaign."