O'Malley, Van Hollen top Democratic list to replace Mikulski

[RandySF]

All eyes are on former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley and a trio of Democrats in Congress, as both parties scramble to find candidates to replace Barbara Mikulski in the Senate.

Much of the speculation is on the Democratic side, given the state’s blue political tint and the party’s dominance at the ballot box in presidential election years. But Republicans were buoyed by Gov. Larry Hogan’s surprise victory in November and are vowing to field a candidate who can make the 2016 race competitive.

O’Malley, who left the governor’s office in January after two terms, would be a formidable Senate candidate if he decided to skip a race for the Democratic presidential nomination against Hillary Rodham Clinton. He has name recognition, a bulging list of contacts across the country who can help him raise money, and a base in Baltimore where African-American voters are key.

Reps. Donna Edwards and John Sarbanes are the other Democrats in Congress whose names are tossed out as possible Senate candidates. Edwards is the first black woman to represent Maryland in Congress and represents Prince George’s County in the Washington suburbs. Sarbanes, who represents the Baltimore suburbs and Annapolis, is the son of a longtime U.S. senator.



http://onpolitics.usatoday.com/2015/03/02/mikulski-senate-maryland-replacement/

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. I will be very interested in seeing who runs for this seat!

[elleng]

3. Watching carefully, CalPeg!

[elleng]

2. Skipped a paragraph about Van Hollen.

'O’Malley, who left the governor’s office in January after two terms, would be a formidable Senate candidate if he decided to skip a race for the Democratic presidential nomination against Hillary Rodham Clinton. He has name recognition, a bulging list of contacts across the country who can help him raise money, and a base in Baltimore where African-American voters are key.

But he could find himself in a Democratic primary against Rep. Chris Van Hollen, a former chairman of the House Democratic campaign committee and member of Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s inner leadership circle. Van Hollen, whose political base is in the Washington suburbs of Montgomery County, has long been mentioned as a possible future House speaker should Democrats get back into power.'

[madinmaryland]

7. Thanks, Ellen. I don't think O'Malley is interested in a Senate seat, but one really knows.

I think Senator Mikulski may have caught a lot of us by surprise, but I think she was ready to retire. I think Van Hollen will be a good replacement for her.

And if O'Malley is not the nominee of the Democratic party (or Veep nominee) he will have a prominent position in the next administration.

[elleng]

8. HI, mad!!!

I've posted a DU Primary thread.

Seems to me that, given the poll numbers for O'Malley vs. Clinton (as of earlier today, she's WAY up, and he is pretty far down,) he might be interested, at some time anyway, if he wants an important public job.

I like Van Hollen too, but I also like Donna Edwards!

[bigtree]

4. don't forget Rep. Elijah E. Cummings

...my congressman.

[elleng]

10. and a great one!

[kwassa]

5. We have a wealth of excellent candidates. Van Hollen is a mover and shaker.

O'Malley, I still think, would be an excellent presidential candidate.

[elleng]

9. Yes, we have a wealth.

Too damn bad we lost the governorship.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

13. Brown was a poor candidate. Another Martha Coakley. And it was a midterm election. Sad indeed.

[AngryAmish]

6. Jaìme's Crying is my favorite Van Hollen song.

[kwassa]

11. O'Malley has his own band, O'Malley's March.

many videos on Youtube. Irish.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

12. For my U.S. Senator, I think we need another firebrand to replace an outgoing firebrand...

DONNA EDWARDS!!

Sick of all the men in the Senate. Let's send another amazing woman--a black woman indeed-- to the U.S. Senate.

If not Donna, then Elijah Cummings for sure.

[elleng]

14. Good points.

Check out DU MD Primary I've posted in MD.