Political Brew

I ran into Len Lazerick at the Ellicott Mills Brewing Company last Thursday night. He was wrapping up an interview with a potential replacement for Andy Rosen. Len and Andy started Maryland Reporter last year and now Andy has been lured away by The Sun.

I’ve known Len a long time. He has been reporting on Maryland politics since I started paying attention.

I offered to buy him a drink and, like any veteran writer worth his ink, he accepted. As we knocked back a few he made a comment about and the Democratic minefield in District 12.

Len observed that Ed Kasemeyer appears to be walking a very careful line in Council District 4 and Legislative District 12B these days. His senate district encompasses both of these districts as well as Dundalk. For years this was easy turf for Mr. Ed. All he had to do was take care of Liz and Liz would take care of him. He never really even needed to come to Columbia much less campaign here.

There is a different dynamic at play this year. This year Council District 4 has a primary challenge and Legislative District 12 B has a primary challenger. Loyalties are sharply divided in the Democratic camp in these zip codes.

So far Ed has played it straight down the middle. He has attended events for both Liz and for Mary Kay. I doubt he’ll make an appearance for John Bailey or Alan Klein, at least not anytime soon.

We also shared a laugh about the political travails of Delegate Joseph Bartlett.

Joe represents Frederick County in the General Assembly and is the son of Congressman Roscoe Bartlett. The conservative Republican has been charging the taxpayers of the Free State $123.00 a night for staying at his girlfriends’ house in Annapolis when the assembly is in session.

She must have a really nice place.

This is yet another reason why we need to rethink this whole House of Delegates thing.