Strange Bedfellows

Joseph “Prince of Darkness” Steffen offers his take on Al Redmer’s entry last week (officially, anyway) into the 7th District Senate race, where he’ll square off in the GOP primary against two-term Republican Del. J.B. Jennings.

Two’s company and three’s a crowd as Steffen, the former staffer for Gov. Robert Ehrlich who was caught up in the whole political firing brouhaha, muses about the possible entry of  Republican former Del. Ken Holt, who has been named as a possible candidate for several races in 2006 and again in the coming 2010 election cycle.

“Still, the possibilities for a raucous 7th District primary campaign are rife and if, as is being chattered about, well-heeled former Delegate Ken Holt enters the race as a bit of a dark horse, the possibilities will be even rifer. (Rifer?),” writes Steffen on his political blog, Darkness Rising.

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…)

Al Redmer appears to be within weeks of officially making his expected entrance into the 7th District senate race.

In a September e-mail to potential supporters, Redmer wrote:

“As you have no doubt heard, I have been considering my own bid for the State Senate in District 7.  My announcement and kickoff will  occur in the next four-six weeks. (more…)

Del. J.B. Jennings is fulfilling his commitment to make good on giving up five days of pay which legislators were asked to forgo earlier this year.

Jennings, a Republican who represents the 7th District, sent a letter to the state Department of Human Resources requesting that 15 days be withheld from his legislative pay. Ten of those days are part of a voluntary furlough request House Speaker Michael Busch and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller asked legislators to participate in back in August. (more…)

Del. J.B. Jennings will give up the District 7 House of Delegates seat he has held since 2002 and will instead run for that district’s state Senate seat in 2010.

Jennings, a Republican, confirmed his intentions in an interview. He made a more formal announcement at his fundraiser Friday night, an annual event that includes a polo match.

Sen. Andy Harris, who currrently represents the district, announced earlier this year he will give up his Senate seat for a rematch against Rep. Frank Kratovil, a first-term Democrat.

Jennings is the only officially-announced candidate for the Senate district that stretches from Cockeysville and parts of Perry Hall and Middle River to part of western Harford County.

Two others, Democratic Councilman Vince Gardina and Republican former delegate and state Insurance Commissioner Al Redmer, are also said to be considering campaigning for the seat.

Republican Del. Pat McDonough says that despite rumors, he is not interested in the 7th District state Senate seat held by Sen. Andy Harris.

“I’m definitely not,” McDonough said.

“I’ve not uttered one statement (about the senate seat) publicly or privately,” McDonough said.

“It’s either county executive or House of Delegates,” McDonough said. (more…)

A fund raiser hosted by Republican Del. William Frank has Del. Pat McDonough hot under the collar.

“We’re not happy,” said Del. Pat McDonough, describing sentiments he says he shares with Del. Rick Impallaria. “Bill Frank is interloping into this district by holding a fundraiser for his cousin.”

Frank hosted the Nov. 22 event at the Kingsville Volunteer Fire Department for Marilyn Booker, a Republican who is eying a run for the House of Delegates in the 7th District. The district. which is currently represented by McDonough, Impallaria and Del. J.B. Jennings. includes Cockeysville, Kingsville, Middle River and part of Perry Hall. (more…)

State Senate is no longer an option on the table for Republican Del. Pat McDonough. Instead, he is throwing his support to a colleague from his district whom he once called “a backstabber.”

In an interview today, McDonough announced that he is no longer seeking to replace state Sen. Andy Harris should Harris win his 1st District congressional race against Frank Kratovil in November.

Both McDonough and Harris represent the 7th District that includes Cockeysville, part of Perry Hall and Middle River.

McDonough cited several reasons for the decision, including:

• “My county executive exploratory committee is growing by leaps and bounds and is getting very exciting and very time consuming.”

• “I’ve never had an overwhelming desire to be in the state Senate. I’m on a committee in the House where I am starting to do some effective work. When you go to the state Senate you don’t know where you’re going to be, and it’s like starting over.”

• Growing interest in his petition drive to make English the official language of Baltimore County government.

“I can’t focus on too many things at one time,” McDonough said. “The state Senate project was simply not a top priority.”

Instead, McDonough said he will support Del. J.B. Jennings rather than former Republican delegate and Insurance Commissioner Al Redmer and Sergio Vitale, a Little Italy restaurateur and political newcomer.

“It’s common sense and natural that if there’s an opening in the district it goes to a delegate not an outsider, not a johnny-come-lately,” said McDonough, explaining that Redmer is the former and Vitale the later.

“Redmer just moved into the district doesn’t know the issues or the district. It’s an opportunistic move on his part,” McDonough said. “And Sergio, it’s like joining the Catholic faith and wanting to start out as the pope. Maybe you might want to consider running for an office first.”

McDonough said Jennings was the right person for the job despite having called his colleague a “backstabber” nearly three years ago when Jennings supported Democrat Del. Joseph “Sonny” Minnick as chairman of the county delegation.

At the time, Jennings said that Minnick personally asked for his vote prior to the delegation vote and before Republicans in the delegation informed him that they were attempting to oust Minnick in favor of Republican Del. Wade Kach.

McDonough downplayed the conflict.

“That one incident is very miniscule compared to six years of working on issues,” he said “We’ve worked very well together. If I didn’t think we did, then I wouldn’t support the guy.”

J.B. Jennings is headed to boot camp.

The second-term Republican delegate said he is fulfilling a life-long dream to serve in the military by joining the Maryland Air National Guard. Jennings represents the 7th District, including Cockeysville, part of Perry Hall and Middle River.

“I’ve always wanted to serve my country,” Jennings said. “This was not a spontaneous decision.”

But with Jennings turning 35 next spring, the cutoff age to join, the window of opportunity was closing fast.

Jennings enlisted and then dropped 51 pounds to meet the weight qualifications.

When not serving in the state legislature, Jennings is a cattle farmer. He said he will likely have to give up all but about 10 of his 41 head of cattle, leaving a more manageable herd for his wife, an equine nutritionist, to care for.

He is also a volunteer firefighter at the Jacksonville Volunteer Fire Company and a licensed pilot.

Jennings will begin training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio on Sept. 9. He expects to return in late October.

“I’m not excited about that,” Jennings said, feeling his age. “Most of the kids I’ll be there with are very fast and very in shape and I’m going to be trying to compete with them.”

After training, Jennings said he expects he will serve as a loadmaster on C-130 cargo planes similar to those stationed at the Warfield Air National Guard base in Middle River.