While many of us HoCo politico watchers have been focusing
on Courtney Watson (D) and Allan Kittleman (R) as the presumptive candidates
for county executive in 2014, another name has begun to be bantered around. On
more than a couple of occasions over the past two months Calvin Ball’s name has
also been raised as a possible contender for the seat.
He’d make a formidable foe for Courtney, not to mention
Allan. In his latest campaign finance filing Calvin reports having almost
$200,000.00 in the bank. Though Courtney has almost twice that amount, it
is about the same amount Allan has raised. Notably it is also far more money than his
other council colleagues have in their campaign kitties and much more than he’d
need for a council seat reelection campaign.
What makes his campaign war chest even more impressive is
that, unlike Courtney and Allan, Calvin hasn't been playing the unannounced
candidate game. He’s quietly raised this money without giving any solid
indication of what his future plans may be.
Over lunch recently he was predictably coy. “I’m considering
my options,” he told me. One of those options would presumably be to forgo elective
office altogether, preferring instead to pursue tenure at Morgan State
I just don’t see that option as a serious consideration.
Calvin is an extremely well liked council member He often comes across as the
measured voice of reason when the council wades in deep water, smart and
cool as a cucumber. I think the bigger challenge for him is deciding which
political tack to take. His name has even been mentioned as a possible candidate
for lieutenant governor.
On the other hand, becoming county exec would provide a nice springboard for even greater things.
If Calvin does decide to run for exec, you can pretty much count
on a Dem primary. I don’t see Courtney backing down from anyone. That is a
scenario that Allan would undoubtedly welcome.
