Thomas V. Mike Miller

Ron MillerRon Miller (R-Huntingtown), who challenged Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller (D-Chesapeake Beach) in the 27th Legislative District in 2006, told PolitickerMD.com Monday that he has not decided if he will seek a rematch in 2010, one-week after the nine-term incumbent Democrat announced his plans to seek re-election.

"There are many factors that will determine whether or not I will run for office again in 2010, but Senator Miller's decision to seek a tenth term is not one of them," Ron Miller said.

The Republican, who lost to the Senate president by 41 points two years ago, serves as managing director for the Ambit Group, LLC, a technology and management consulting firm located in Reston, Virginia.

Senate Majority Whip Lisa Gladden (D-Baltimore) told PolitickerMD.com Thursday that she "suspected" Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller (D-Chesapeake Beach) "would seek re-election for quite a while"

"I think it was a long time coming," Gladden said of Miller's Wednesday announcement that he would run in 2010.

Sen. Brian Frosh (D-Bethesda) told PolitickerMD.com today that he is "still planning to succeed" Sen. Thomas V. Mike Miller (D-Chesapeake Beach) as president of the Maryland State Senate, one-day after Miller announced that he would seek re-election in 2010.

"He's a good guy and I think he helps the Democrats," Frosh said. "I'm supporting him for re-election."

Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller (D-Chesapeake Beach) described embattled Sen. Ulysses Currie (D-District Heights) as "a very dear friend" during his press conference in Annapolis yesterday, saying Currie is an example of "history living."

Discussing the FBI raid on Currie's home last week, Miller said, "As I hear more--I think this is lessening."

Senate President Mike Miller: Politicker PhotoANNAPOLIS-- Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller (D-Chesapeake Beach), the longest serving president in the state's history, announced that he will seek re-election in 2010 during a press conference in Annapolis, this afternoon.

Fighting back tears, the Senate president said, "I am indicating today that if the people have me I will run for state legislator in the 27th District."

ANNAPOLIS--Former Gov. Bob Ehrlich (R) and his wife Kendel had their official portraits unveiled tonight at a ceremony before an estimated crowd of more than 600 people at St. John's College in Annapolis.

Current Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) and First Lady Katie O'Malley were also in attendance, as was Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown (D) and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller (D-Chesapeake Beach).

The event, largely non-political and cordial, encompassed many former Ehrlich advisers and Republican lawmakers. Supporters of the former governor cheered with glee as he spoke during the 45-minute ceremony. One spectator, perhaps thinking about 2010, shouted "four more years," as Ehrlich spoke.

After coming to terms with the idea that state Senate President Mike Miller (D-Chesapeake Beach) would be in power well into the next decade, this past week's press swarm over influence-peddling his son's judicial nomination has raised the eyebrows of ambitious Democratic lawmakers.

A third member of the Anne Arundel County Judicial Nominating Commission has announced her plans to resign in protest over the nomination of Thomas V. Miller III and four other candidates for a District Court judgeship. Miller, the son of Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr., the president of the Maryland State Senate, was nominated by the 13-member commission last week. There are three open positions on the panel.

In the last six days, three commissioners, including Paula J. Peters, Eileen E. Powers and Marysabel Rodriguez-Nanney, all attorneys, have announced their intentions to resign. Peters, who was the first to announce her decision last Thursday, alleged that she had been lobbied by unnamed political insiders to support Miller's nomination.

"I decided to resign because of blatant political cronyism," Peters told PolitickerMD.com today. "This was something I had never seen in 20 years on the commission."

The advocacy group Common Cause Maryland is asking members of the General Assembly to refuse contributions from gambling interests through Election Day, when voters will decide if the state should legalize the release of up to 15,000 slot machines at racetracks and other locations throughout Maryland.

In a statement, the group's executive director, Ryan O'Donnell, said Common Cause would make the request because the slots referendum "must be a decision-making process untarnished by political contributions from interested parties."

The organization has not taken a stance for or against slots.

As horseracing fans waited to see Big Brown and his competitors in Saturday's Preakness Stakes, the debate over whether the state should legalize the release of 15,000 slot machines could be felt in the stands at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.

As the Associated Press (AP) reported Sunday, about 60 proponents of the November ballot referendum passed out 5,000 T-Shirts before the race that expressed support for slots. While the shirts may have been free, they were still nearly gone by noon.