Strange Bedfellows

Republican former Del. Ken Holt said Tuesday afternoon he is not ready to announce a decision about his intentions for the 2010 election.

Holt said in January that he was considering a run for county executive and hoped to make a decision by early February.

“It’s a big decision — kind of a life decision,” said Holt, adding that he has been attending various community meetings and functions around the county, including a recent meeting in Hereford as well as two on Tuesday in Arbutus and Middle River.

“We’re definitely moving closer,” Holt said. He would not provide a timeline for an announcement.

Council Chairman John Olszewski Sr. didn’t use the word endorsement at a Friday morning announcement, but the message was clear: When Kevin Kamenetz announces his run for county executive, Olszewski will support him.

Olszewski stood in front of Dundalk High School, his alma mater, with a handful of supporters behind him holding signs. Some were hand made, proclaiming an “East - West” partnership. Others were more professionally made and were clearly from Kamenetz’s as yet undeclared campaign, proclaiming Kamenetz as “The next era of excellence.” (more…)

County Council Chairman John Olszewski Sr. is holding a news conference outside Dundalk High School at 11 a.m. today (yes, regardless of weather) to “make an important announcement regarding his intentions in the 2010 County Executive race for Baltimore County,” according to a cryptic one-sentence e-mail sent out on the councilman’s behalf Thursday night.

The announcement of a county executive run is not out of the question but certainly a long shot. There are other possibilities for today’s event each with their own upsides and downsides. (more…)

Democratic state Sen. Jim Brochin, who represents the 42nd District, is known for his stamina when it comes door-to-door campaigning.

But I’m pretty sure even he has never tried what Jordan Hadfield and Todd Crandell did last weekend during the Blizzard of 2010.

Hadfield and Crandell, two Dundalk Democrats running for Senate and House of Delegates respectively, took door-to-door to the next level. The two candidates put out the word on Facebook and Twitter and their Web sites that they would be going out in the district shoveling out anyone who wanted it. (more…)

Let’s face it, nothing is as political in any county as snow removal.

County executives have been nearly run out of town on a rail because of it. That’s why executives hold annual press conferences to tell county residents how they are preparing to keep the streets clear when the snow arrives.

Add to the political fodder a Monday night press release from county Republican Central Committee Chairman Chris Cavey, who criticized County Executive Jim Smith and the County Council for what he desribed as a failure to properly plan for last weekend’s blizzard.

“Everyone knew it was coming,” Cavey said. “They were calling it Snowmageddon and stuff like that.” (more…)

Incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Frank Kratovil maintains a nearly 2-1 advantage in cash on hand over his challenger, Republican State Sen. Andy Harris, according to campaign fund raising filings filed Sunday with the Federal Elections Commission.

Harris reported a slight advantage in fund raising over the period of Oct. 1 to Dec. 31 raising about $267,000 — or about $30,000 more than Kratovil. (more…)

County Councilman Kevin Kamenetz hasn’t formally declared his intent to run for county executive in 2010, but some of his constituents declared their wishes in cake Monday night.

Kamenetz showed off the cake and offered pieces to some council staff (and then to me) after last night’s council meeting.

The box was placed up on a refrigerator. (Perhaps out of sight of other potential “next Baltimore County Executives?”) (more…)

The Baltimore County Council’s Spending Affordability Committee has a new chairman —  John Olszewski Sr.

Olszewski took over last week after Councilman Joseph Bartenfelder quietly stepped down.

The committee is charged with setting limits on how much the county can increase its budget each year. It will meet later today to try and set the growth limit for County Executive Jim Smith’s last budget, which will be introduced in April.

Bartenfelder became chairman of the committee late last year — and that’s when  grumbling began. Supporters of Olszewski, the current County Council chairman, and Councilman Kevin Kamenetz, who chaired the spending affordability  committee in 2009, complained that the two were not included on this year’s panel because of politics. (more…)

Leronia Josey, a Baltimore attorney, said Wednesday night that she has formally filed as a challenger to two-term Councilman Ken Oliver in the September Democratic primary.

This is the second political campaign for Josey, who ran for the Orphan’s Court in 2006.

“I thought I could do it, but I just didn’t understand that there was an art to running for office county-wide,” Josey said.  “Good lord, the county is huge. I got clobbered.” (more…)

Councilman Sam Moxley said Tuesday he is getting closer to a decision about his political future.

“I’m seriously considering running for clerk of the court,” Moxley said after a council work session.

Moxley has expressed an interest in the position before. Last June he said he was considering running for the office that has been held by Suzanne Mensh since 1986. (more…)