Teachers Union to Endorse Candidates

By Ann Marimow and Ernesto Londoño
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, June 8, 2006

The Montgomery County Education Association, the county's largest union, is scheduled to announce endorsements today for this year's local contests. Union representatives from each of the county's schools were set to meet Wednesday and were expected to embrace the following recommendations by board members and leaders of MCEA's political action committee:

For County Council, newcomers Marc Elrich , a member of the Takoma Park City Council, and Duchy Trachtenberg , president of the Maryland National Organization of Women (NOW), for at-large positions.

The group is likely to back school board member Valerie Ervin for the District 5 County Council seat being vacated by Tom Perez (D-Silver Spring). Although Ervin has not officially announced she is seeking the seat, union officials said that she has made her intentions clear to them.

The leadership declined to endorse four incumbents: Phil Andrews (D-Gaithersburg-Rockville), Marilyn Praisner (D-Eastern County), Michael L. Subin (D-At Large) and Nancy Floreen (D-At Large).

That decision, said MCEA president Bonnie Cullison , was based on their support in 2003 for delaying by one year planned cost-of-living adjustments for teachers when county revenue fell short of projections.

"Our members take it very seriously when members of any body make a move to cut a contractual agreement," she said.

For the State House, the MCEA leadership threw its support behind all but three incumbents: Del. Gareth E. Murray of District 20, Del. Joan F. Stern of District 39 and Sen. Rona E. Kramer in District 14.

"We've looked at incumbents with more than just the voting record as the criteria," Cullison said, explaining that communication and a presence at MCEA events were critical to the group's decision.

Among the newcomers, the recommendations include:

· Elbridge James , the former chairman of the state NAACP, in the District 17 Senate race.

· Del. Richard S. Madaleno Jr. for retiring Sen. Sharon M. Grosfeld's seat in District 18, and, for delegate in that district, Jeff Waldstreicher , the legislative chair of NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland.

· Mike Lenett , a lawyer who worked on the Senate Judiciary Committee, for retiring Sen. Leonard H. Teitelbaum's District 19 seat. For delegate, community activist Melodye Berry and Roger Manno , legislative director for the Congressional Black Caucus.

· Heather Mizeur , former director of domestic policy for Sen. John Kerry, and Tom Hucker , the former head of Progressive Maryland, for delegate in District 19.

· Saqib Ali, a party activist and software engineer, for delegate in District 39.

Courthouse Compatriots

Two of them are running unopposed, and the other two are widely perceived as the front-runners in their races.

But Montgomery County Deputy State's Attorney John McCarthy , Sheriff Raymond M. Kight , Deputy Clerk Loretta E. Knight and Register of Wills Joseph M. Griffin , all Democrats, decided this week to brand their races under one slogan: "Your Courthouse Team."

"This is the best-run courthouse in Maryland," McCarthy said Tuesday afternoon during the announcement of the alliance. "Ladies and gentlemen, that is not by accident."

McCarthy, a veteran prosecutor, is running for state's attorney now that his boss, Douglas F. Gansler , is running for attorney general.

McCarthy will run against Tom Fox (D), who previously worked as a gang prosecutor in California. Kight, who has been in office almost 20 years and is the county's longest-serving sheriff, wants to keep his job for another four years. He is running against Robert Moroney (D), a retired sergeant with the Maryland State Police.

Knight (D) is running for her boss's seat, now that County Clerk Molly Q. Ruhl has announced she will retire. Griffin wants to keep his job. Neither has an opponent yet, but the filing deadline isn't until July 3.

"This is the team," County Council member Michael Subin (D) told a crowd of a few dozen in front of the courthouse. "This is the best of the best."

After the candidates took to the podium, the crowd sang Happy Birthday to Subin.

It became evident why the candidates are calling themselves a "Courthouse Quartet."

"I can't carry a tune," the sheriff admitted later.

Browning Announces Run

James Browning , former executive director of Common Cause Maryland, announced his candidacy this week for the House of Delegates in District 18. Until last month, Browning led the American Cancer Society's effort to pass statewide and local restrictions on smoking.

"I've been fighting the tough fights against big tobacco, organized gambling and the culture of corruption for five years in Annapolis," Browning said in a statement.

If elected, Browning said he would press for more state funding for education and mass transit and work to reduce health care costs and to change the way campaigns are funded.

Candidate Forums

· Democratic candidates running for county and state seats in District 20 have been invited to discuss issues at a forum from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Monday, June 19, at Takoma Park Middle School, 7611 Piney Branch Rd. in Silver Spring. The event is sponsored by the District 20 Democratic Caucus.

· Candidates for county executive will participate in a debate at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 21, at the Universities of Shady Grove Conference Center Auditorium, 9630 Gudelsky Dr. in Rockville. The event is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Montgomery County and the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations.