Our best advice: focus on winnable General Assembly races . All politics is indeed local, and this is where you have the best opportunity to build a relationship with those who will decide state legislative priorities through the year 2010. Strategies that ask gunowners to bet the farm on winner-take-all top-ticket races overlook the reality that gun control is enacted by legislatures one vote at a time. If we all take care of business at home, big issues take care of themselves.
You deserve plain, unvarnished truth about what works, who's treated our issue right and where we have opportunities to make a difference. This voter guide is intended to help you not just fight hard, but fight smart . We want to help you get best bang for your political buck, for time you invest building relationships with elected officials and for effort you donate to educate others. Our news service's endorsements are based on candidate responses to our extensive survey; on our research of positions and history; on the role each candidate might play in achieving the community's goals for the coming term; and on incumbents' voting records and history of working either with or against community interests.
Team play is at least as important among legislators as it is among advocates at the grassroots. When we work together, we are stronger than when we work separately or at cross-purposes. The same is true among our friends in the legislature, and we take this into account when recommending this election strategy. We want the strongest team. We're delighted to endorse solid candidates, but in some districts we also suggest ‘smart picks' or protest votes you can cast – all part of tactics to best advantage our community. In cases where we suggest a ‘bullet vote,' it means vote for that candidate and no other . (This is so arithmetic will work to the advantage of a candidate as votes are tallied.)
CLICK HERE FOR PICKS IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY RACES, DISTRICT BY DISTRICT
Governor. No endorsement. We wish we could recommend a way to cast your vote for governor that will make a difference on behalf of our Second Amendment. We can't, because objectively there is no good option. A vote for Martin O'Malley is a vote for someone who will probably close ranges and initiate more gun control in Maryland; a vote for Bob Ehrlich is a vote for someone who has already closed gun ranges and needlessly taken the initiative in expanding gun control in Maryland. Ehrlich reneged on promises to his base - we can't advise that you reward that with your vote. CLICK FOR ANALYSIS
US Senate. No endorsement. Any candidate lacking a track record of his own needs to put his intentions clearly on the record in order to win community support. This is especially true for Mike Steele, who has yet to do that yet has a strike against him by having been an ostensible part of the Ehrlich administration. These are people who try to have it both ways on guns, and we just had four years demonstration of what happens when we give this crowd freedom to try to have it both ways. On the flip side, Ben Cardin has already gone on the record - the wrong way. CLICK FOR ANALYSIS
Attorney General. Doug Gansler shows every sign of being just as bad as ‘Poppa Joe' Curran, whom he will succeed. Unfortunately, while Scott Rolle would likely do a good job, his campaign has never really gotten off the ground. (It doesn't look like he campaigns far outside his western Maryland base, so we take this to mean that he's doing a favor to Bob Ehrlich – helping the governor look like he has a full slate at top of the ticket – in return for the expectation of help when he attempts another run for Congress.) Regardless…Vote for Scott Rolle, but don't divert resources to his race that might make a difference in winnable races. Sadly, this one will be a blowout, as will be …
Comptroller. Our community has not gotten involved with this office in the past, but it will likely sit higher on our radar when we see what an anti-gun activist can do in it. Peter Franchot, a gun abolitionist out of Takoma Park, is on his way to taking the comptroller's seat, which is of concern to us since the job comes with its own police force. You know all that liberal blather about trafficking in illegal guns on the eastern seaboard? Wait until one of the left wing's own is able to stage his own media ops, where (under guise of investigating failure to pay taxes) police run gun stings. While a political unknown, Anne McCarthy deserves your vote for no other reason than she is not Peter Franchot.
US House of Representatives. Gun owners in Western Maryland's Congressional District 6 should need no reminder that Roscoe Bartlett is a terrific friend of the whole Constitution and Bill of Rights. Let's be there for Roscoe like he's been there for us. Make this an all-hands drill – let's not just beat the opposition, let's crush it.
We endorse John White for Congressional 3 over John Sarbanes (kin to retiring stealth senator) and Charles McPeek. This seat opened as a result of Cardin's move up, and will likely represent the only change in the congressional delegation. Except for Roscoe, the rest of Maryland's existing delegation is not worthy of your vote – just pull against incumbents. (Make a special point of voting against fast taxing, big spending, gun grabbing Steny Hoyer, who is America's most expectant Democrat. If Congress flips control, Sten is in line to become majority leader.)
TRIPWIRE NEWS SERVICE ISSUES PRIMARY ENDORSEMENTS FOR 2006
We get to exercise our franchise just once every four years. It’s too good a chance to lose. We know we can make a difference because we have made a difference, and together we can do it again. The primary election is when proportionally we are strongest. It’s a numbers game we can win with a big turnout, affecting which candidates advance to even have a shot at the general. We have strong opportunities to change the shape of the General Assembly.
Remember: there’s always one more voter you can reach. Educate him! There’s always one more gun owner you can activate. Find him! There’s always one more street corner in a pro-gunner’s district. Put a sign up for him! There’s always another dollar you can squeeze for the PAC. Send it! Most important: vote in the 12 September primary.
Endorsement guide - What guides the process and how to use these recommendations.
Top of the ticket picks - Where we are in statewide and
key federal races.
General Assembly races - It's always in order to seek influence
in the People's House. If we send the wrong legislators to Annapolis, then we shouldn’t be surprised
when the wrong laws come back. It is at least as important to pay attention to our General Assembly.
The Democratic nominee to run for State Senate in Maryland's District 21 is Jim Rosapepe, who lists service in the State Department as one of his qualifications for the job. Voters should check those credentials closely before casting their ballots.
Jim Rosapepe was a back-bencher in Maryland's House of Delegates until President Bill Clinton tapped him to serve as Ambassador to Romania (probably reward for his service as a professional fund-raiser for Democratic candidates.) He arrived on the scene in February 1998. It wasn't long before the State Department Office of Inspector General (OIG) was on the scene sorting out reports of problems in the station. The OIG's September 1999 classified report paints a picture of ambassadorial incompetence. TItled Report of Inspection, Embassy Bucharest, Romania, ISP/I-99-29, much of this report has now been cleared for release to the public. The report's contents are reported below.
The release of this information was itself clouded by controversy. Though reference to the report is made in the press as early as December 1999 (by a Boston Globe article), the OIG stonewalled production of the report in response to a Freedom of Information Act request filed earlier this year. After statutory deadlines for responding to the request passed, the OIG illegally refused to give a mandated disposition on a request for expedited handling, filed on the argument that the press should be able to report a candidate's record so voters can make an informed choice. The OIG report was only made available on the afternoon of September 12 - the primary election, i.e., the very day when any information contained in the report could no longer factor in to a voter's decision. Apparently, the Bush State Department wanted to ensure damning information about a former ambassador would not detract from his electability.
So what was in the report? You can CLICK HERE to read for yourself. (It is a 76 page document we have scanned into 10.7MB PDF document. A higher resolution, print quality, scan is available on request.)