First Click -- Maryland

Your daily download of Maryland's top political news and analysis Tuesday, November 3, 2009: But, what's it mean for Maryland? It's Election Day (in a few Maryland cities, but mostly in a bunch of other places). So what will it mean for Maryland if Republican Bob McDonnell's lead in the polls translates into an expected election-night victory in Virginia? Or how about if Democrats lose control of the governor's office in New Jersey, too? Well, it "may" offer some clues about how Americans are viewing President Obama and provide an "early measure of the landscape for next year's midterm elections," writes Adam Nagourney in the New York Times. No, it probably won't, says Thomas Schaller in The Baltimore Sun. Depends on who you ask - and who wins, says The Post's Dana Milbank ... but mostly Republicans say yes (if they win), and Democrats, say no, (regardless), he finds. As Schaller puts it, perhaps the best lesson to draw before we know the results: It's "very difficult to represent the incumbent party during tough economic times." Still, what does it mean for Maryland ... other than T-minus 365 days until Gov. Martin O'Malley v ????? Well, maybe it will all be clearer tomorrow. Examiner columnist Marta Mossburg, nonetheless, is ready to conclude Maryland should be scared of McDonnell. He'll make Virginia more business friendly and siphon off jobs, Mossburg writes. Follow all the Virginia election news here. Or try something new, track the day through The Post's new Twitter aggregator here. In any event, study up on Maryland's local races: Annapolis, Frederick, Gaithersburg, Rockville and Takoma Park. How will power merger involving Maryland tools company effect state? Towson-based tool giant Black Decker Corp. will merge with Connecticut-based hardware and home improvement manufacturer Stanley Works, writes The Daily Record. The $4.5 billion-dollar deal will create Stanley Black Decker. "The company's power tools headquarters will remain in Towson, but the corporate headquarters will be located in New Britain, Conn.," writes Danielle Ulman. Maryland buys back more than 500 crab licenses More than 530 Maryland commercial crabbers have sold their licenses back to the state, easing fishing pressure a bit on the Chesapeake Bay's signature crustacean, writes Timothy Wheeler in The Sun. "Now, the state plans to freeze or restrict the permits of nearly 2,000 other "inactive" crabbers who didn't report catching anything last year. State officials ... say the offer stands until $3 million in federal funds earmarked for the buyback run out." MoCo council head calls for salary freeze as labor talks begin Montgomery Council President Phil Andrews is warning that the county's ballooning budget deficit (now at least $400 million) will require an across-the-board salary freeze next year. It's the only way, Andrews says, to "avoid draconian cuts in services, layoffs and tax increases" in an already tough economy. There's no accident to his timing," writes The Post's Michael Laris. "Labor talks are under way between the county administration and public employee unions." One, maybe two, state delegates join crowded field for PG exec Del. Gerron S. Levi (D-Prince George's), has decided to join the growing list of candidates for Prince George's County Executive, and another -- Aisha N. Braveboy (D-Prince George's) -- is rumored to be throwing her hat in the ring as well. Either would be Prince George's first first female county executive, writes The Post's Jonathan Mummolo Briefly: ?Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. plans to introduce legislation in 2010 that would clarify last session's changes to the state's death penalty statute. Miller's bill would spell out that fingerprint evidence would be sufficient, according to Douglas Tallman in the Gazette. ?Not everyone is happy with the Constellation-EDF deal. The Maryland Public Interest Research Group's Johanna Neumann tellsThe Daily Record the deal is not in the public interest, even with the added requirements. ?Adventist HealthCare and Holy Cross Hospital have filed their final applications to build hospitals in northern Montgomery County. ?Maryland's Department of General Services says it beat the state's goal of hiring minority firms for 25 percent of state contracting dollars for the first time. ?Heffner Weber Cos. is offering its Aerotropolis development near Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport to the Cordish Co. as an alternative to the Baltimore company's embattled plans to build a gaming parlor at the nearby Arundel Mills mall. Get First Click and all of the Washington Post's Maryland political news - when you want it, how you want it: On Facebook On Twitter On your Mobile Phone On your Desktop FB.init("878d647d76fbacdc128a67fbdcad5877");Washington Post - Maryland Politics on Facebook