For 20 years, Congressman Bartlett has been a strong fiscal conservative in Congress. In the past, I have faithfully supported Roscoe and consider him a friend.

Last year, Mike Miller and Rob Garagiola, believing that voters would ignore Garagiola's liberal pro-tax-and-spend legacy in Annapolis and merely focus on the fact that he was younger than the 86-year-old Bartlett, carved up Montgomery County to create a favorable district for Garagiola.

Given the new district, Roscoe indicated he would retire.

Meanwhile, Republican leaders asked well-respected state Sen. David Brinkley to run for the seat. Brinkley agreed, and almost every Republican state elected official in the 6th District has since endorsed him.

Unfortunately, Roscoe decided not to retire.

Since then, Mr. Bartlett's chances have slipped from possible to impossible. Bartlett's own poll has him at only 43 percent, while the recent Democrat House Majority PAC poll has him at 37 percent.

Now, the National Republican Congressional Committee announced Bartlett is the most endangered Republican incumbent in the entire country.

The NRCC is in a tough spot. If they support the favored Brinkley over Roscoe in the primary, they are at odds with their incumbent protection policy. If they support Roscoe, they risk losing the seat.

It looks like the NRCC is splitting the difference. They publicly pledge support to keep the seat, but stay out of the primary. I hope this is true.

As the former chairman of the Maryland Republican Party, I am hopeful the NRCC allows Maryland Republicans to choose our own nominee.

Audrey Scott, Queenstown

The letter writer is former chairwoman of the Maryland State Republican Party.