Republicans Barnstorm Annapolis

The results from the primary elections on September 20th show yet another case of the Annapolis Democrats being caught with their pants down. In an off year for elections in almost all of the rest of the state (Frederick City being one exception), one would have expected a massive show of political force from the state's Republicans and Democrats. The Republicans delivered, helping hardcore conservatives Michael Christman and Laura Townsend to victory. Townsend promises to bring retrograde conservative "values" back to Naptown, the likes of which haven't been seen since Herb McMillan held a seat there. Concerned residents should probably place the Maryland ACLU on speed dial.

The Democrats, who Terry Lierman had promised to reinvigorate, mustered an anemic effort, and are now faced with the once unthinkable possibility that their sitting Mayor, Ellen Moyer, could be unseated by the virtual unknown, Independent candidate Gil Renaut. Last week's Capital poll, unscientific, to be sure, had Renaut collecting over twice as many votes as Republican George Kelley, or Mayor Moyer, despite pleas on the part of the latter to get supporters to the online poll. The Democrats' opponent against Townsend will be a write-in candidate who won't appear on the ballot because she bungled the treasurer information on her candidate application.

The Republicans know that wresting control in Annapolis is a good first step to trying to unseat House Speaker Mike Busch in 2006. The Democrats would have been wise to have anticipated this manuever when every other political observer saw it in the works, in 2002.