Strange Bedfellows

Baltimore County Republican Central Committee Chairman Chris Cavey told me Tuesday night that he is withdrawing as a candidate for chairman of the state party.

Cavey forwarded an e-mail to me that he sent to party central committee members around the state.

Cavey provided no additional information and said he would be unavailable for most of the night.

Cavey was one of three candidates vying for the post. His withdrawal leaves only Audrey Scott and Daniel “The Wig Man” Vovak (so named because of his penchant for wearing powdered colonial-style wigs during his 2006 U.S. Senate race).

A final vote is expected Nov. 14 at the state party convention in Bowie.

Here is Cavey’s e-mail: (more…)

County Executive Jim Smith is moving from Reisterstown, where he has lived his entire life, to Cockeysville.

Smith says he and his wife, Sandy, are downsizing from their current large home to a smaller one. A side benefit is the new home is in the 7th District, which happens to have an open Senate seat in 2010. Smith said the move gives him the opportunity to consider running for the seat. (more…)

Chris Cavey, the chairman of the county Republican Central Committee, said Wednesday he will seek to replace Jim Pelura as the state party chairman.

Cavey said he sent letters to 243 Republican Central Committee members from around the state and met with four county committees last week. He has four more similar meetings scheduled for this week, including two Wednesday night.

“It’s just a campaign like any other campaign,” Cavey said. “I have 243 doors to knock on.”

Pelura, who has been under fire from fellow Republicans, including Cavey, announced he was resigning from the position effective Nov. 14, the date of the next statewide Republican central committee convention in Bowie. The new chairman will be elected at that meeting.

Cavey, who is first vice president of the state party, is the only announced Baltimore County candidate for the top GOP post in Maryland.

If he wins he will have to give up his role as chairman of the county party — a position he has held since he was appointed in December 2002.

State Republican Party Chairman Jim Pelura’s resignation announcement last week could have an effect on the  Republican party here in Baltimore County.

Chris Cavey, the chairman of the party’s central committee in the county, said he is considering the possibility of replacing Pelura.

“I honestly don’t know right now,” said Cavey, who is also the first vice president for the GOP in Maryland. “I need some time to think about it. It could be fun. I just have to see.”

The position does not come without a cost. If Cavey wants to guide the state party, he’ll have to give up his position as chairman of the Baltimore County Central Committee.

Last week, former Del. Al Redmer sent an e-mail to supporters saying he was not interested in the position.

Ellen Sauerbrey’s name has also been mentioned, according to a report by Alan Brody of The Gazette.

The state party is expected to elect its next chairman at its state convention in Bowie on Nov. 14.

Joseph “Prince of Darkness” Steffen has added his voice to the chatter related to the recent driving under the influence arrest of County Councilman Sam Moxley.

Steffen, a former staffer for Gov. Robert Ehrlich, reports in his blog Darkness Rising that there is “a movement afoot to draft Bob Ehrlich to run against Moxley.”

No, not the former governor. The former governor’s father, Robert Ehrlich Sr. (more…)

Remember the dust up back in the mid-1990s about an allegedly math challenged Barbie? That’s the doll some claimed said, “Math is hard.”

Meet her counterpart, the Campaign Finance Ken doll.

OK, he doesn’t really exist. After all, what kind of kid would want to play with him? (Other than maybe political reporters, that is.) (more…)

County Republicans and two Democratic clubs in Baltimore County have one thing in common - opposition to the referendum that would authorize video slot machines in Maryland.

Members the the Central Baltimore County Democratic Club and the Young Democrats of Baltimore County held a debate on slots in Towson on Oct. 14. Afterward, they voted 57 percent to 34 percent to oppose the expansion of gambling in Maryland. (more…)

No pressure on state Sen. Andy Harris’ bid to win Maryland’s 1st District Congressional seat. Really.

It’s 137 days from the Nov. 4 election (as of this post) and Chris Cavey, the elected chairman of the county Republican Central Committee, is predicting a win for the senator from Cockeysville over Frank Kratovil, a Democrat and Queen Anne’s County state’s attorney. (more…)