If you happened to be in Cafe Troia in Towson today for lunch you might have seen Democratic Sen. Jim Brochin lunching with John Fiastro, president of the 42nd District Republican Club.
Politics was not only on the menu, it was the reason the two were there as Fiastro was making good on a wager the two made about the outcome of one precinct in the Sen. Andy Harris - Frank Kratovil congressional race. (more…)
Maybe he really likes Comptroller Peter Franchot and Sen. Jim Brochin. Maybe he doesn’t.
Gov. Martin O’Malley isn’t saying and sure isn’t copping to encouraging others to run against his fellow Democrats in the 2010 primary.
“The election is light years away, and I really don’t spend a whole lot of time musing about what will happen two years from now,” O’Malley said.
O’Malley took questions on both Franchot and Brochin during a meeting with Patuxent Publishing Co.’s Baltimore County editors Wednesday afternoon. And in answering the questions, he never mentioned either Franchot or Brochin by name.
It’s long been rumored that County Executive Jim Smith has been raising money like they were going to suddenly stop printing it with an eye toward running for state office.
It’s no secret that O’Malley and Franchot don’t exactly see eye to eye, and some other Dems say the governor would favor Smith. Earlier this year, Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, who also is not on Franchot’s Christmas card list, told me he was introducing Smith around at a Prince George’s County fundraiser as the “next comptroller.”
“I’ve enjoyed working with County Executive Jim Smith,” O’Malley said, calling him “one of the most capable public servants.”
“I’m sure he’ll have lots of options,” O’Malley concluded.
As for Brochin, word is that some don’t believe the two-term senator is a reliable vote for the governor. Enter the rumor that Martin Knott, a Towson resident and president of Knott Mechanical, is being encouraged to challenge Brochin in the Democratic primary two years from now.
So, is O’Malley pushing Knott to run against Brochin?
“He’s his own man,” O’Malley said. “He’s a good person and helps us on workforce issues. No one controls anyone.”
So, is Knott Senate material? The question drew some snickers from O’Malley’s staff.
“He’s certainly knowledgeable on public policy issues and is personable and a person who is well liked,” O’Malley said.
Two-term legislator Jim Brochin confirmed that in May he convened a meeting of advisers, many important to his previous Senate campaigns and one current county legislator whom he declined to name. Also in attendance was his media consultant, whom he flew up from Florida.
“I feel because of my independence, I question if I can be more effective being county executive,” said Brochin, a Democrat who represents the 42nd District, which includes Towson, Timonium and part of Pikesville. “These are the thoughts that are running through my head.”
Dipping his toe into the water is one thing, but jumping in is something else altogether. It’s not a stretch to say that Brochin loves being a state senator. He always wears his Maryland Senate ring on his right ring finger.
“I really like my job, I like it a lot,” Brochin said. “I think my constituents think I do a good job.”
Brochin is also a machine when it comes to campaigning; he is known for going door to door in his district most nights during campaign season. He acknowledges that such an effort would be nearly impossible countywide.
“I think that’s really hard to do countywide, but I would do it in areas that are up for grabs,” Brochin said.
And then there’s the money issue.
Brochin said his 2002 and 2006 campaigns were difficult and depleted his campaign war chest. As of the most recent report filed in January, Brochin had about $32,000 in cash on hand and about $90,000 in outstanding debt.
And if Brochin enters the race, he could face a heavily contested Democratic primary field that could include at least two County Councilmen — Joseph Bartenfelder and Kevin Kamenetz. Both reported raising nearly $250,000 last year on top of already-healthy campaign accounts.
“They’ve had two really good cycles where they haven’t had any competition, and they’ve been able to stockpile money,” Brochin said.
Some believe it could cost $1.5 million or more to run a winning campaign. County Executive Jim Smith raised and spent $1 million in 2oo2 and raised another $2 million for his 2006 campaign.
Still, Brochin believes he can raise the money needed to run an effective campaign.
The senator said he is not likely to make or announce a decision until late in his current term — possibly late 2009 or early 2010.
Sen. Jim Brochin says Maryland should now consider a penalty of life in prison without the possibility of parole for anyone convicted of raping a child.
Brochin, a Democrat who represents the 42nd District, made his comments after learning of the June 24 Supreme Court decision striking down a Louisiana law that applies the death penalty to anyone convicted of raping a child. (You can read the text of that decision here.)
The 42nd District includes Towson, Timonium and part of Pikesville.
In an interview three years ago, Brochin called for a minimum sentence of life in prison for such cases, adding “I wouldn’t rule out the death penalty either.” (more…)
