Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D), who represents portions of Montgomery County in the U.S. House, may eventually decide to run for the Senate, but three dozen Montgomery residents are hosting a big-money fundraiser next week for a possible opponent in next year's race, Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin .
Cardin, who represents Maryland's 3rd District, which includes parts of Baltimore and Howard, Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties, announced his candidacy in April for the Democratic nomination to replace retiring Sen. Paul S. Sarbanes (D).
Kweisi Mfume , former head of the NAACP, also is a candidate for the Democratic nomination. Van Hollen, whose district includes about half of Montgomery and a small part of Prince George's County, also is considering entering the race.
But several elected officials and political donors, some of whom supported Van Hollen in his past races, apparently aren't waiting for him to make up his mind.
Jill Lesser , vice president for domestic public policy at America Online Inc., will host a fundraiser for Cardin next Thursday at her Chevy Chase home. Tickets range from $500 to $2,100.
Sponsors of the event include a who's who of leaders in Montgomery's business, political and Jewish communities, including Washington Wizards owner Abe Pollin , real estate developers James Cafrit z and Morton Funger , and Funger's wife, Norma Lee .
Several Washington lobbyists, including Bob Moss and his wife, Kate , John Orlando , Larry Harris and Mike Berman , also are listed as sponsors.
Annapolis lobbyist Larry Levitan also is a host, as is R. Scott Pastrick , former treasurer of the Democratic National Committee. Saul Stern , a retired Bethesda business executive, and June A. Rogul , both longtime Jewish activists, are also helping Cardin, who is Jewish, raise money in Montgomery.
Del. Sheila E. Hixson (D-Montgomery), chairman of the Ways and Means Committee in the Maryland House of Delegates, state Sen. Ida G. Ruben (D-Montgomery) and County Council member Michael L. Subin (D-At Large) also are helping sponsor the event.
Montgomery Del. Luiz R.S. Simmons (D) isn't one of the sponsors, but he says Cardin will have substantial support in Montgomery, even if Van Hollen gets into the race.
"He is a man of great humility and integrity, and right now it is not as if he needs to persuade people of his abilities," said Simmons, who is backing Cardin. "People know him to be an enormously able man, and I would say Cardin has a great reach and that reach extends into Montgomery County."
Fire Up the Grill
Montgomery County firefighters, who have been politically active for years, now have a new weapon in their political arsenal: food.
