Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan was delivering his stump speech to an audience in Salisbury, recounting the benefits of public schools, when Chuck Lutz leaned over and asked his neighbors, "Is he a schoolteacher?"
Most of the members gathered for the Wicomico County Democratic Club meeting Wednesday evening knew that Duncan was a county executive and an all-but-declared candidate for governor of Maryland.
But Lutz's question highlights Duncan's difficulty as he gears up to take on the better-known Martin O'Malley, the mayor of Baltimore, in next year's Democratic primary.
"The challenge I have is, half the state doesn't know who I am yet," Duncan said in an interview before his speech on the Eastern Shore.
Duncan is hoping to expand his name recognition and build a grass-roots network of loyal supporters by spending a day campaigning in every Maryland county between now and Sept. 1. That commitment means Duncan will be out of Montgomery at least two days a week. The tour of 23 counties and Baltimore began Wednesday in Wicomico.
Besides the speech on education, Duncan visited with Eastern Shore newspaper editors and labor leaders, gave television interviews and shared a home-cooked meal of ham and macaroni and cheese with two dozen Democratic activists.
Duncan's state tour comes on top of a feverish schedule he plans to maintain this summer in voter-rich Prince George's County and the Baltimore area, where on average he already spends one day a week. Last night, he hosted a low-cost barbecue fundraiser in Mitchellville that drew as many as 500 people. He attends a Sunday church service in Prince George's nearly every week.
The county executive, who is putting the final touches on his campaign team, already has a staffer who spends his days trailing O'Malley with a camcorder. And yesterday, before the barbecue in Prince George's, Duncan took the train to New York to woo national labor leaders.
Duncan said his summer politicking is taking on greater urgency because he expects the Democrat-controlled General Assembly to move next year's primary up from September to June. Some Democratic leaders said the change would allow the party's nominee more time to recoup before taking on Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R).
"It's a year away, so I am moving full speed ahead," Duncan said of a June primary.
Democrats across the state said Duncan's face time with party activists -- such as his frequent visits to teachers union and parent-teacher association meetings -- may be paying off.
"A lot of people are trying to close the race down early, but I don't think it is over yet," said Greg Pecoraro, a longtime Democratic activist from Carroll County, who has yet to endorse either candidate. "Clearly, Doug has some challenges getting known around the state and broadening his base, but I think he has been working very hard at getting to know activists and party people -- the people you need to win primaries."
