John Flynn

Former Lt. Gov. Michael Steele will help 1996 presidential candidate Bob Dole rally North Carolina Republicans on their state house steps this Wednesday.

The rally, titled 'Take Back Our State' is sponsored by the local chapter of Americans For Prosperity, who recently hired away GOP state director John Flynn to serve as counsel in their Washington D.C. offices.

Several sources report that Andy Harris’ campaign manager Chris Meekins is one of the top contenders out of fourteen candidates to succeed John Flynn as the state GOP’s executive director.

Corey Stottlemyer, the former political director of the Maryland Republican Party, confirmed his interest in replacing John Flynn as executive director of the state party, during an interview today with PolitickerMD.com.

“I did submit my resume and letter of interest,” Stottlemyer said. “I have a passion and interest in serving. I want to help Maryland become a two-party state.”

Stottlemyer served as the party’s political director from January-June 2007, leaving to take a job as a political consultant in Clear Spring.

Previously, he served as regional political director for Gov. Bob Ehrlich's (R) unsuccessful 2006 re-election bid, and as campaign manager for Del. LeRoy E. Myers, Jr. (R-Clear Spring) in his successful 2002 campaign

At least 14 candidates seek to become the next executive director of the Maryland Republican Party, according to state GOP Chairman Jim Pelura.

Pelura, who would not discuss the candidates by name, said those seeking to fill the position include ex-politicians, activists, Republican club members, and those with strong managerial skills, who are “all familiar with Maryland politics.”

The chairman said he would interview the candidates tomorrow, and would likely select a replacement early next week.

The opening comes after John Flynn, the current executive director, announced his decision to resign last week. Flynn will join the Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group Americans for Prosperity as a general counsel.

John Flynn, executive director of the state Republican Party, resigned his position last Thursday.

In an e-mail to party insiders obtained by Brian Griffiths of Red Maryland, chairman James Pelura says that Flynn will leave his position next week, and that candidates to fill it will be interviewed this Tuesday.

Flynn became executive director in the turbulent period following the 2006 elections.

As Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) spoke at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis this morning, representatives from the state’s Democratic and Republican parties were eager to discuss McCain’s chances of winning Maryland in November.

While Al Gore and John Kerry carried the state by a 15-point average in the last two election cycles, John Flynn, the executive director of the Maryland Republican Party, said this year’s presumptive GOP nominee has a “very good chance” of emerging victorious in the Free State.

“He has a connection to Maryland,” Flynn said, referring to the four years McCain spent as a student at the Naval Academy from 1954-1958.

“He prepared to serve his country in Maryland,” Flynn added.

Calling the senator a “tested leader,” Flynn said McCain’s “appeal with Independents and some Democrats” would make him “competitive” in Maryland.

David Paulson, the communications director of the Maryland Democratic Party, strongly disagreed, saying, “Maryland does not want four more years of George Bush through John W. McCain.”

John Flynn, the Executive Director of the Maryland Republican Party, and David Paulson, the Communications Director of the Maryland Democratic Party, reacted to the scandal surrounding the resignation of Del. Robert A. McKee (R-Hagerstown), during interviews this afternoon with PolitickerMD.com. McKee resigned after authorities conducted a raid of his home amid allegations that the delegate possessed material related to child pornography.

“It’s a black eye for Maryland,” Flynn said, adding, “It’s not good for the Republican Party.”

Franchot Spokesman On GOP Meeting

The 90-day session of the Maryland General Assembly began this afternoon in Annapolis, as elected officials including Gov. Martin O'Malley and House Speaker Michael Busch pledged to work on issues like reducing crime, expanding education, increasing transportation opportunities, and foreclosure reform.

Republican lawmakers and party officials began the day by looking back at the fall's special session, which produced tax increases designed to close the state's budget deficit.

"One of our priorities (for the current session) is to clean-up the mess created in the special session," John Flynn, the Executive Director of the Maryland Republican Party, said during an interview with PolitickerMD.com.

Flynn said the special session was "unnecessary" because there was "no deficit." He said the budget, which was projected to have a $1.7 billion deficit, was "balanced through the end of June."

"It could have been dealt with during the regular session," Flynn said.

Republican legislative leaders filed suit yesterday in Carroll County Circuit Court with the goal of invalidating all laws approved during the special session, particularly those related to tax increases, gambling, and spending reductions. The GOP contends that the Senate violated Article III, Section 25 of the state constitution by adjourning for a six-day period from November 9 to 15, without a vote of approval from the House of Delegates.

The clause in the constitution reads, “Neither House shall, without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, at any one time, nor adjourn to any other place, than that in which the House shall be sitting, without the concurrent vote of two-thirds of the members present.”

The GOP argued that this invalidates all measures adapted during the special session.

“I think we have a very good chance to win this argument,” David R. Brinkley, Senate minority leader, said during an interview with PolitickerMD.com. “The legislature ignored the constitution.”

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