Daily Kos

Former Gov. Bob Ehrlich (R-Baltimore) would like to have a conversation with his Democratic and independent friends about Republican Andy Harris.

"Andy Harris is an independent voice with sound fiscal ideas. A reformer we can trust. He'll make a great congressman," Ehrlich says in a new television ad launched this week by the Harris campaign.

Harris, a state Senator from Cockeysville, is currently competing against Democrat Frank Kratovil, the Queen Anne's County state's Attorney in a heated battle for the open 1st Congressional District seat.

The campaign's final two 15-second-spots, both being aired on broadcast cable throughout the entire 1st District, feature Ehrlich and appear to be geared towards independent and undecided voters.

Republican Andy Harris leads Democrat Frank Kratovil by 4 points, but within the margin or error, according to a new poll.
  
Harris, a state Senator from Cockeysville, is currently competing against Kratovil, the Queen Anne's County state attorney, for the open 1st Congressional District seat.
 
The poll was paid for by Daily Kos -- a liberal-leaning blog -- and conducted by Research 2000. It asked, "If the election for Congress were held today would you vote for Frank Kratovil the Democrat or Andy Harris the Republican?"
 
Forty-four percent chose Harris, 40 percent said Kratovil and 16 percent were undecided.

To view a larger version of this cartoon, click here.

To view a larger version of this cartoon, click here.

On Winning, Life Inside Congress & Lessons From Bill Clinton

U.S. Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Fort Washington)

On Saturday, July 19, U.S. Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Fort Washington) traveled to Austin, Texas to finally speak in person with those who were among the first to listen to her and a message that would oust an entrenched incumbent less than two years later.

Edwards was the keynote speaker at ‘Netroots Nation,’ a gathering formerly known as YearlyKos, based off the popular progressive blog, DailyKos.com. Netroots Nation is an annual gathering of the left-of-center online political community and attracts a ‘who’s who’ of Democratic politics. Former Vice President Al Gore and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) also addressed the gathering in person, while U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) addressed the conference by a taped message.

But few Party leaders have the stature Edwards maintains in that community. Like 2004 presidential candidate Howard Dean and 2006 U.S. Senate candidate Ned Lamont before her, she became an online icon for her ability to channel the power of the Internet into boots-on-the-ground action.