Slates taking shape in House races

Newcomers hope tying their fortunes to incumbents will provide electoral lift

Thursday, June 1, 2006

Candidates for open seats in this year’s House of Delegates races are trying to cozy up to their incumbent counterparts, hoping the records of sitting officials will lend credibility to their campaigns.

‘‘That’s what everybody’s angling for, obviously — getting on those tickets,” said Adrion Howell, the county executive’s county council liaison.

So far, three seats are likely to open up in the House this fall.

In District 21, veteran lawmaker Del. Pauline Menes (D-Dist. 21) is retiring after 40 years in the House, leaving a growing field of candidates vying for her seat.

Competition is also emerging for Del. Anthony Brown’s seat in District 25 as he leaves to campaign as gubernatorial candidate Martin O’Malley’s running mate. And once Sen. Gloria Lawlah (D-Dist. 26) steps down and supports Del. Obie Patterson (D-Dist. 21) for her spot, as expected, Patterson’s seat would open up as well.

With a month to go before the filing deadline, challengers are lining up to receive the blessing of the incumbents in their respective districts. These slates, which are not designated on the ballots, offer new candidates the opportunity to not only benefit from name recognition but also share campaign funds.

Ben Barnes, a Laurel attorney who used to work for Maryland Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, said he hopes the 21st District delegates will sign him on to their ticket.

‘‘I’m going to work hard to fill those progressive shoes,” Barnes said at his candidacy announcement last Tuesday, nodding toward Menes, who attended the event along with Del. Barbara Frush (D-Dist. 21) and Del. Brian Moe (D-Dist. 21).

Frush said afterward that the 21st team had boiled their choice down to two candidates — Barnes and two-term College Park Councilwoman Joseline Pena-Melnyk — but had not yet committed to supporting either.

Pena-Melnyk, a former Department of Justice prosecutor who has fought for improvements to Route 1, said she is hoping to run on the same ticket.

‘‘They’re very important, because the community respects them, and it’s a lot easier to run on a slate,” she said.

Whoever signs onto that team, however, will not be running with an incumbent senator. The delegates in that district already broke from incumbent Sen. John Giannetti Jr. to run with his challenger James Rosapepe, a former delegate who runs a financial consulting company.

Pena-Melnyk said she declined an offer to run with Giannetti.

Giannetti is expected to announce his own slate of candidates for the district shortly. College Park resident Mark Cook, president of the Yarrow Citizens Association, and University of Maryland student Jon Black have also filed for the seat.

Brown’s district hasn’t attracted as much action. Only one candidate, special education teacher Robert Barnes, has actually filed for the seat. Candidates so far seem less concerned about slates.

‘‘I’m running my race ... if I get picked up on a slate, great,” said Aisha Braveboy, a Department of Central Services attorney who is making truancy law enforcement a linchpin of her campaign for District 25.

Shirley Thompson, who serves on the Democratic Central Committee, said she too would welcome the 25th team’s backing. She has already attracted the vote of confidence from Sheriff Michael Jackson.

But Braveboy has the support of County Executive Jack B. Johnson.

‘‘[Braveboy] looks like she’s gaining a lot of momentum,” Howell said.

And in District 26, Lawlah said the team has not yet found a replacement for Patterson, but that whoever they choose would have the support of the district team.

Incumbent allegiances appear to be playing a role in at least one race where there are no vacancies.

In District 47, Del. Doyle Niemann (D) told the Gazette that incumbent Del. Rosetta Parker (D) was being left off their ticket, just as Jolene Ivey was filing to run in that district.

Niemann introduced Ivey at her formal announcement a few weeks ago and said she was highly qualified for the slot, but the 47th team has not endorsed anybody yet.

Ivey, wife of county state’s attorney Glenn F. Ivey and co-founder of Mocha Moms, the national support group for at-home moms of color, said she hopes the 47th team picks her up.

‘‘At this point I’m running on my own, and it’s going really well, either way.”

But she’s already got one feather in her cap: ‘‘I am the only candidate endorsed by Glenn Ivey.”

E-mail Judson Berger at jberger@gazette.net.