More News

Audrey Scott, a former Ehrlich administration official, is the clear front-runner to be the next Maryland Republican Party chairman, with the withdrawal of her chief rival.

Chris Cavey, the party's first vice chairman, said Thursday that he was pulling out of the race for party unity.

"Audrey and I were in an extremely close race, and to make a long story short, a close and contentious race would not leave us any better off than we were prior to the race," Cavey said.

Republican central committee members from around the state will meet in Bowie on Nov. 14 to select a chairman to replace James Pelura. After months of turmoil over fundraising and squabbles with elected Republicans, Pelura resigned in September to coincide with the date of the convention.

Nominations for chairman can be accepted until Nov. 13, said Mark Uncapher, who heads the nominations committee and chairs the Montgomery County GOP.

"It is technically possible for someone to come forward," Uncapher said.

Scott, of Queenstown, served as Planning Department secretary when Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R) was in office. She previously was on the Prince George's County Council.

Scott said the party needs to focus and re-energize along basic Republican principles of lower taxes, smaller government and individual responsibility.

"I think it's pretty straightforward," she said. "We just have to remind ourselves on what we're all about and what makes us Republicans."

A third potential candidate, Daniel Vovak, is seeking Uncapher's resignation as nominations committee chairman, because he is one of three central committee members who plans to nominate Scott. He called the likely action "absolutely unethical."

Uncapher said the nominations committee does not make recommendations. It only serves an administrative function in collecting letters of nomination.

Vovak ran for the U.S. Senate in 2008 wearing a white hairpiece, earning the nickname "The Wig Man." In a statement, Vovak referred to himself as "The Whig Man."

The Whigs were among the founding members of the Republican Party. He said he shared their principles of being culturally neutral and fiscally conservative.

Vovak said he would meet the deadline to have his three nomination letters.