Sen. E.J. Pipkin

Assuming he resists the persuasions of Senate Democratic leaders and remains a Republican (which he has said he will do), Pipkin has become the John McCain of Maryland politics. He has shown a willingness to buck the Ehrlich administration on key issues and is politically ambitious. (He ran a kamikaze campaign against Mikulski in 2004 and got hammered.) Pipkin is rich, good on environmental issues and generally considered a pro-business moderate. Expect him to play a lead role in the debate over health care reform next year. He will continue to be mentioned as a statewide candidate and a potential successor to U.S. Rep. Wayne Gilchrest, a moderate Republican from the Upper Shore.