Incumbents Gather As Competition Grows

Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, January 19, 2006

Are Montgomery County elected officials getting a little nervous about the influx of candidates challenging them in this year's Democratic primary?

Montgomery's Democratic caucus to the General Assembly has scheduled a meeting of all delegates, senators and council members Sunday at 1 p.m. at the headquarters of the Montgomery County Education Association in Rockville.

"We will be meeting with our senators and council members to discuss the upcoming elections," Del. Richard S. Madaleno Jr. (D-Montgomery) wrote to county Democrats in the House of Delegates this week.

Madaleno said the elected officials also wanted to talk to Karen Britto , chairman of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee, about the party's plans for choosing an endorsed slate of candidates as well "the role of Democratic clubs."

But the buzz among elected officials -- as well as angry challengers -- is that the meeting is actually an attempt to solidify support for all the incumbent Democrats seeking reelection. Madaleno said that's not true.

In several districts, challengers are taking on longtime incumbents. In a few races, some elected officials and party leaders are endorsing challengers, which rarely occurs.

"I was told some delegates and senators seemed to be expressing some concern about people endorsing in other races," said council member Steven A. Silverman (D-At Large), a candidate for county executive who has endorsed Saqib Ali's bid for a District 39 House seat.

Ali, 30, of North Potomac, is challenging three incumbents in the district that includes North Potomac, Germantown and Montgomery Village.

But some other elected officials played down the meeting, saying it's just a routine gathering of Democrats.

"This is nothing new. It's just long overdue," said Sen. Ida G. Ruben (D), who represents parts of Silver Spring and Takoma Park. Ruben is facing a primary challenge from Jamin Raskin , a law professor at American University.

"It is just continuing communication between all the Democrats in the county," Ruben said.

Raskin, however, had this message for the elected Democrats who will attend the meeting: "I'm sure most Montgomery County leaders understand voters are not interested in machine politics."

Strains of Succession

There are signs that the private discussions between two District 19 delegates over who should run for the Senate are not going so smoothly, opening up the possibility there could be a free-for-all for the seat held by retiring Sen. Leonard H. Teitelbaum (D-Montgomery).

The district includes parts of Aspen Hill, Colesville, Laytonsville and Olney.

Teitelbaum, citing health issues, announced earlier this month he wouldn't seek reelection. His announcement came as John Mahoney , a lawyer and former president of the Maryland Young Democrats, was pressing ahead with his bid for the Senate seat. Mahoney, 37, was running as an energetic alternative to Teitelbaum, 75.

With Teitelbaum out of the race, the incumbent House members from District 19 are trying to prevent Mahoney, who some view as running a nasty campaign, from winning.

"He is probably not the best candidate," said District 19 Del. Carol S. Petzold (D). "John Mahoney is working really hard to be the next senator. But there are those who think he doesn't have the best approach." But Petzold and Del. Adrienne A. Mandel (D) apparently can't agree which of them would be a better candidate.

"We had hoped only one of us would run, but I can't speak to that right now," said Petzold, who later added, "I think you are talking to the best candidate."

Mandel, meanwhile, maintains she would be the better candidate.

"I believe I am the strongest candidate to carry forward the strong legacy of Senator Teitelbaum, and I am encouraged by the support that has come forward urging me to run," Mandel said.

Stay tuned. Petzold and Mandel plan to continue their talks.

Michael G. Lenett , a lawyer from Silver Spring, is the other announced Democratic candidate in the race.

In Line for District 19

With Mandel or Petzold -- or both -- possibly giving up their House seats to run for the state senate, other Democrats are lining up to replace them.

Roger Manno , 39, said he plans to run for the Democratic nomination.

Manno, of Silver Spring, is a longtime Capitol Hill staffer. He works on Capitol Hill as legislative director for Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.). He's also worked for Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Tex.).

In 2004, County Executive Douglas M. Duncan (D) appointed Manno to the county's Criminal Justice Coordinating Commission.

Manno, a lawyer, said he plans to run on the issues of education, access to affordable health care and transportation.

"We got probably the worst gridlock in the country, maybe second worst," Manno said. "It's a problem that affects everything we do, and it is something that needs to be addressed."

The proposed intercounty connector, which would cut through District 19, has long been a hot political issue for residents.

Manno said he supports the ICC in theory but worries that state officials have proposed too many interchanges for the highway.

Counting His Grass Roots

Silverman should have at least 1,000 votes in his race for the Democratic nomination for county executive against former council member Isiah Leggett .

Last week, Silverman unveiled a diverse list of 1,018 supporters for his candidacy.

"Everybody always claims they have grass-roots support. I thought it was appropriate to provide some proof," Silverman said. Now that he's identified his base, Silverman could theoretically win the two-man race if each one of those supporters persuaded 50 neighbors or friends to vote for him.

In the 2002 race for county executive, 102,118 votes were cast in the Democratic primary.

Democrat to Declare

Roger Berliner will formally announce on Monday that he's running for the Democratic nomination for the County Council in District 1.

Berliner, who says he has raised $44,000, is trying to unseat Republican council member Howard A. Denis , who represents parts of Potomac, Bethesda and Chevy Chase.

Berliner, a lawyer, is a longtime Democratic activist who unsuccessfully ran for the council from District 1 in 2000.

Incumbent Democrats on the council are reluctant to campaign against Denis -- whom many consider an ally even though he's the lone Republican but Berliner is being supported by an array of Democratic leaders, including former county executive Neal Potter ; Susan Turnbull , vice chair of the Democratic National Committee; Daphne Bloomberg , a precinct official in Potomac; and Vic Weissberg , a member of the county's Democratic Central Committee.