Hardly a Conservative in the Bunch

Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, February 9, 2006

The ratings are in. And, not surprisingly, Montgomery County has among the most liberal legislators in the Maryland General Assembly.

A group calling itself the Maryland Accountability Project has developed rankings based on how all 188 lawmakers voted on 25 bills last year. The organization, which says it is nonpartisan, then assigned a 0 to 100 "conservative rating" based on those votes. The higher the rating, the more conservative the voting record, according to the group.

Based on the rankings, all of Montgomery's senators and delegates, including the delegation's lone Republican, Jean B. Cryor (District 15), are fairly liberal.

But it is Montgomery County, after all, and distinctions among Democrats can matter.

Dels. Ana Sol Gutierrez (District 18), Brian J. Feldman (District 15), Adrienne A. Mandel (District 19), Karen S. Montgomery (District 14), Susan C. Lee (District 16) and Richard S. Madaleno Jr. (District 18) scored a 16, earning them the title of the most liberal members of the county's House delegation.

Del. Charles E. Barkley (District 39), who scored a 28, was rated as the most "conservative" House member from Montgomery -- although moderate is probably a more appropriate term.

House Majority Leader Kumar P. Barve (District 17) and Cryor had the second-highest score, 24. Cryor' s ranking makes her the least conservative Republican in the General Assembly -- a trait that could help as she seeks reelection this year in an increasingly Democratic district.

In the Senate, P.J. Hogan (District 39) is ranked as the most moderate member from Montgomery County. Hogan, a former Republican who switched parties in 2000, scored a 28. Sen. Sharon M. Grosfeld (District 18), who scored 16, is ranked as the most liberal county senator.

Ratings for all General Assembly members and the votes used to assess their records can be found at http://www.marylandaccountabilityproject.org .

A Warning on Gay Rights

Former Takoma Park City Council member Heather R. Mizeur , a Democratic candidate for the House of Delegates, has put her party's leadership on notice that she and other gay and lesbian voters expect full marriage rights.

In a letter published in this week's Washington Blade, Mizeur scolded "some of the state's leading Democrats" for not taking a firm stance on the gay marriage issue.

"It seems the Democrats are simply afraid to take a stand on the issue,'" wrote Mizeur, a candidate in District 20, which includes parts of Takoma Park and Silver Spring. "This represents a cynical political strategy that dramatically underestimates the people of Maryland. "

Last month, a Baltimore Circuit Court judge ruled Maryland's ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional but stayed her ruling until the Court of Appeals can review it.

The Democrat-controlled House last week killed a proposed state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. But several Democratic leaders, including Sen. President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (Calvert), oppose gay marriage and worry that Republicans could use the issue against Democrats in this fall's elections.

Mizeur wrote that she and other progressives are "tired of such calculation and cowardice."

"These games have exhausted gay and lesbian voters," wrote Mizeur, who has exchanged vows with her partner. "Politicians who are too squeamish to stand with us when it counts must be put on notice that they will lose our financial and electoral support."

Mizeur is a Democratic National Committee member who also works for Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) on Capitol Hill. She is widely considered to be a leading contender for one of the three District 20 House seats.

Two incumbents -- Shelia E. Hixson (D) and Gareth E. Murray (D) -- are seeking reelection. Del. Peter Franchot is giving up his House seat to run for state comptroller.

If elected, Mizeur would be the third openly gay legislator from Montgomery County. Richard S. Madaleno Jr. and Anne R. Kaiser are also openly gay.

Mizeur, 33, stresses that her positions on the issues -- not her sexual orientation -- will be the focus of her campaign. She wants to improve access to health care, invest in public education, protect the environment and increase the supply of affordable housing.

Mizeur Stands Up for Dean

Mizeur also appears to be a prolific letter writer.

The same day her letter appeared in the Blade, Mizeur had a separate letter published in Roll Call, a newspaper that serves Capitol Hill.

A week earlier, the newspaper had reported that some party activists were unhappy with Howard Dean 's leadership because the party has been spending too much money.

Mizeur responded by saying Dean's leadership is "remarkably invigorating" because he's investing in state parties, which she says helps candidates "up and down the ballot."

"How refreshing it is to have a national party structure that is more than an extended fundraising arm for presidential candidates every four years," she wrote.

Mizeur's message to Dean: "Stay the course."

African Americans Gather

African American Democrats are vowing that this could be the year of the black candidate in Montgomery County.

African Americans make up 15 percent of the county's population, but there are no black members on the County Council and only two representing the county in Annapolis.

However, the recently formed African American Democratic Club of Montgomery County is gearing up to support a record number of black candidates.

On Feb. 25, the club will hold a fundraiser at the Inn at Brookeville Farm to salute "past, present and future" African American elected officials.

Besides U.S. Rep. Al bert R . Wynn (D-Md.), who represents the northern half of Montgomery, former council member Isiah Leggett will probably be the highest profile black candidate this year. Leggett is a Democratic candidate for county executive.

In the council races, three African Americans -- Robert "Bo" Newsome , an educator and community activist, Reginald M. Felton , a former county school board president, and Hugh Bailey , a county government program manager -- are running for at-large seats. The Rev. Donnell Peterman , a minister, is also considering running for the council.

In state House races, Craig Rice , a senior sales manager, is a candidate in District 15, which includes parts of Potomac, Poolesville and Barnesville. Guled Kassim , a title officer, is running in District 19, which includes parts of Colesville, Laytonsville and Aspen Hill.

Del. Herman L. Taylor II (D) is seeking reelection in District 14, which includes parts of Damascus, Laytonsville, Olney and Brookeville. And Gareth E. Murray (D) is running again in District 20.

"I know most of them, and I am excited to have a field of qualified African American candidates in Montgomery County running for office. It's been a long time coming," said Valerie Ervin of Silver Spring, who is one of two African Americans on the school board. "I think we are seeing a dynamic shift in the county in terms of how people look at candidates of color."

Schools Seek More Money

Montgomery County schools Superintendent Jerry D. Weast -- who in December proposed a $1.8 billion budget for fiscal 2007 -- is now asking for a wee bit more money.

Weast wants an additional $697,903 to fund a new magnet program at Poolesville High School and to pay for additional staff to work with non-English speaking students.

The magnet program at Poolesville will be the first such program for high school students, who in past years have had to travel downcounty if they wanted to take advantage of the special programs at Montgomery Blair or Richard Montgomery high school. But with the first group of students graduating from the middle school magnet program at Roberto Clemente, parents were eager to continue the magnet experience minus the horrible commute.

If the additional funding is approved, the Poolesville magnet program will open in the fall of 2006.

Staff writer Lori Aratani contributed to this report.