Pr. George's Executive Gives Nod to Clinton
Johnson Says Candidate Is Most Electable

By John Wagner and Rosalind S. Helderman
Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, February 3, 2008

Prince George's County Executive Jack B. Johnson yesterday announced his endorsement of Hillary Rodham Clinton for president, telling his supporters in one of the nation's most affluent African American jurisdictions that the New York senator "will fight for us on the issues."

Speaking to about 100 constituents at a Greenbelt hotel, Johnson (D) offered nothing but praise for Clinton's primary rival, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), saying it was "important to open the doors of opportunity" to a black candidate with a serious shot at the presidency. But Johnson urged support of Clinton in Maryland's Feb. 12 primary, saying she is the most electable Democrat in the general election and a proven leader on issues including national security and education.

"On all of the substantive issues, she's been there," Johnson said.

Johnson said the endorsement had been planned for two weeks, but his announcement came as a surprise to many in Maryland political circles, in part because Johnson had agreed to let Obama's campaign use his name in a listing of statewide supporters in December.

"We are not going to engage in why we are not supporting Barack," Johnson said yesterday. "We don't have to do that. We're not going to get into the negative at all. . . . We have two outstanding candidates running for president."

In an interview, Johnson said that Clinton had personally appealed for his help.

Although many political analysts say the value of endorsements is overrated, Johnson's announcement sent a potentially important signal in a majority black county where loyalties are divided between Obama and Clinton, based on years of affection for her and her husband.

Derrick Green, a former Johnson deputy chief of staff who managed his 2002 campaign, said he thinks Obama will win Prince George's handily but that Johnson's endorsement is a reminder that the black vote is not monolithic.

"The county executive does have a supportive organization of grass-roots workers, people who come from all walks of life and have been with him for many years," said Green, who is supporting Obama. "He'll attempt to put his political army behind Senator Clinton."

Obama claims several prominent Prince George's supporters, including State's Attorney Glenn F. Ivey (D), state Sen. Ulysses Currie (D-Prince George's) and County Council Chairman David C. Harrington (D-Cheverly), who has been nominated to fill the late senator Gwendolyn T. Britt's seat.

Several other African American supporters of Clinton, including Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown (D), a former Prince George's delegate, joined Johnson at his event, which was not widely advertised to the media.

Johnson urged his predominantly African American audience to build a "Hillary presence in our community" by putting up yard signs and talking to neighbors about her candidacy.

African Americans account for about 29 percent of Maryland's population. Turnout in Democratic primaries typically reaches well beyond that percentage. About one-third of Maryland's black population of 1.6 million lives in Prince George's.

For the first time in years, Maryland could play a meaningful role in the nomination contests. The state has moved up its primaries to Feb. 12, the same day as primaries in Virginia and the District.

Clinton and Obama could still be fighting for delegates, even after Super Tuesday, when more than 20 states are in play. Supporters of both campaigns said outreach efforts are intensifying significantly with that realization. Clinton and Obama have moved paid staff into the state and are opening several field offices.

The Republican presidential campaigns have been less visible in Maryland, but supporters of the major candidates are making calls and fanning out in neighborhoods to build support, said John Flynn, executive director of the Maryland Republican Party.

While Johnson appeared in Greenbelt yesterday, Obama supporters held a "Walk for Change" in other county neighborhoods.

Some of Obama's most fervent supporters in Prince George's are longtime political rivals of the county executive. Former delegate Rushern L. Baker III, who challenged Johnson for the Democratic nomination for executive in 2006, helped host an Obama rally in October at Prince George's Community College and has been very public with his support.

Last week, Johnson helped ensure that the county's Democratic Central Committee selected Harrington over Baker for a vacant Senate seat. Afterward, Johnson said of Baker, "I don't want to call him a loser, but that's basically what he is."

Another leading Obama figure in the county is lawyer Orlan Johnson, who sits on Obama's national finance committee and is close with Baker as well.

Jack Johnson, meanwhile, has also been trying to tighten bonds with Gov. Martin O'Malley (D), who announced his support for Clinton about 10 months ago.

On Friday, Johnson told Prince George's delegates that he has reached an agreement with a new hospital management company to take over the county's ailing hospital system, said delegation Chairwoman Barbara A. Frush (D). Johnson provided no details of the plan, she said, but it will require O'Malley's approval as well as hundreds of millions in state funding.

Johnson said yesterday that his decision to endorse Clinton was not influenced by O'Malley.

Currie, the chairman of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, said he thinks Johnson's nod was probably based more on long-standing ties to Clinton, as well as bonds with South Carolina congressional leaders who backed her effort. Johnson is a South Carolina native.

Currie said Johnson is now the most prominent Prince George's resident backing Clinton's effort. He said he is confident that county voters would be inspired to turn out in large numbers to support Obama.

"He does have a following, and that will garner her some votes," Currie said. But "the turnout in Prince George's will be huge for Obama."

In December, Johnson's name appeared on a long list distributed by Maryland politicians supporting Obama's effort. But last month, Johnson began backing away from that endorsement. In a January interview, he indicated that he had not endorsed anyone in the race.

An aide called later to say that Johnson had checked his records and discovered that he had, in fact, "authorized that his name be used" by the Obama campaign. At the time, spokesman James P. Keary confirmed the authorization constituted an endorsement.