House Speaker Michael E. Bush

There are some in Annapolis who would argue that Busch would have presented the clearer alternative to Ehrlich than either O’Malley or Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan this year, but we digress.

In his first term as speaker, Busch has been the voice and face of the Democratic opposition in the General Assembly. He assembled a team of leaders hailing from the Democratic Party’s urban base and is known for his expertise on issues ranging from health care to electricity deregulation. Busch made a lot of friends in key spots around the state as he campaigned against slot machines.

If Ehrlich wins re-election and Busch fends off a GOP challenge in District 30, expect Busch — a former football and basketball coach — to be fielding calls from the Democratic team to consider taking a shot at governor. If O’Malley wins, we’ll see if Busch’s opposition to slots was genuine or partisan. .