Earlier Primary Schedule Pushes Wynn Into Fundraising Circuit Faster
Rep. Albert R. Wynn (D-Md.) formally kicked off his bid for reelection at a fundraiser attended by about 1,000 people at a Prince George's County banquet hall Friday morning.
Wynn survived a tough challenge in the 4th District from community activist Donna Edwards in September's primary. Now, because of the quirks of the presidential primary calendar, a rematch between Wynn and Edwards is already heating up.
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That's because when Maryland decided to move its presidential primary up a month to Feb. 12 next year, primaries for other offices, including Congress, were pushed up.
That might be why Wynn's aides wanted a big turnout for Friday's event, where they hoped to raise $250,000. Many of the county's state legislators showed up, as did Democratic Comptroller Peter Franchot, Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler and Prince George's County Executive Jack B. Johnson.
"Make no mistake about it: It's on!" Wynn told the room. "Let's go get 'em!"
There was a bit of buzz about Wynn's selection of a keynote speaker for the event: former U.S. representative and Tennessee Senate candidate Harold E. Ford. Ford is head of the centrist Democratic Leadership Council.
Edwards built her campaign around attacking Wynn from the left, especially because he voted to authorize the use of force in Iraq in 2003. Ford, meanwhile, is widely seen as a fairly conservative Democrat.
"He's not representative of the district. I don't think he represents the Democratic Party," Del. Victor R. Ramirez (D-Prince George's) said of Ford. "I don't see how it helps" Wynn, he added.
Edwards plans to launch her campaign June 30.
-- Rosalind Helderman
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