Ex-Governor to Help Lawmaker Fight Another Ex-Governor’s Political Legacy
As he contemplates a bid for Congress, Del. Neil C. Parrott (R-Washington) is trying to use an ex-governor to score political points against another ex-governor.
Parrott, who has created an exploratory committee as he considers whether to run for the 6th District seat in 2020, has a breakfast fundraiser scheduled for March 29 in Annapolis, to be headlined by former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R). In a fundraising solicitation for the upcoming breakfast, Parrott blames former Gov. Martin J. O’Malley (D) for the current 6th District boundaries.
“You are not being represented fairly in Congress,” the email begins. “Do you feel that?
“Maryland’s previous Governor, Governor O’Malley openly admitted that in court. He indicated that in 2011 he purposefully redrew the congressional district lines to eliminate a Republican Congressman. Did this take away your fair representation in our US Congress?
“Absolutely! But here is the good news: We have a chance to fix that right now.”
The solicitation then gives details about the fundraiser. Tickets start at $65 for individuals and $100 for families.
Parrott is pondering whether to seek the GOP nomination to take on freshman Rep. David J. Trone (D) next year. The boundaries of the district, which currently favor Democrats, could be changed pending a U.S. Supreme Court hearing on the 6th District map later this month.
Parrott is so far the only “name” Republican publicly taking steps to run. But it’s a free shot in 2020 for state and local officeholders who don’t have to sacrifice their seats to seek a congressional post. If the district boundaries are changed and are more favorable to the GOP, expect other Republicans to jump in.
Josh Kurtz
Founding editor
Founding Editor Josh Kurtz is a veteran chronicler of Maryland politics and government. He began covering the State House in 1995 for The Gazette newspapers, and has been writing about state and local politics ever since. He was an editor at Roll Call, the Capitol Hill newspaper, for eight years, and for eight years was the editor of E&E Daily, which covers energy and environmental policy on Capitol Hill. For 6 1/2 years Kurtz wrote a weekly column on state politics for Center Maryland and has written for several other Maryland publications as well. Kurtz regularly gives speeches and appears on TV and radio shows to discuss Maryland politics.
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