No idea about these two guys. But since you're voting for Mfume, he's probably to the very far left.

Is Mfume electable?

MFume fathered several illegitimate children. On top of that he had questionable dealings at the NAACP while he was its director. Had MFume not had the sexual harassment allegations at the NAACP on his reocrd I would be more supportive of him. Unfortunately his conduct makes me support Cardin.

The last poll I saw had MFume trailing Cardin by around 10%. My concern with MFume is that his past sexual behavior would scare white voters away from him in Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties, where races are won and lost in MD. I am concerend that MFume would not fare well in the Baltimore suburbs.

The real interesting race is for Controller. Schaffer is trailing Owens and Franchot by 1%. Schaffer has a bad track record: endorsing Republicans in past elections, being too close to Ehrlich, and sexually harassing women. Anne Arundel County Executive Janet Owens is challenging him, as is Montgomery County Delegate Peter Franchot. In that race, although Owens is probably going to win the primary, I support Franchot.

The other race is Attorney General. In this race it is between Stu Simms and Doug Gansler. I know more about Gansler because I live in DC and grew up in Montgomery County. I probably would lean toward Gansler if I lived in MD, but part of me hopes that Stu Simms wins the primary. I say that only, because if there are any racial hard feelings over MFume (probably) not winning the priamry, perhaps having a black AG candidate might mitigate any resentments.

In MD-4 I don't support Wynn because of his vote on the bankruptcy bill. I think it is time for a change, so I would vote for Edwards if I lived in the district. I also hope that Rushern Baker defeats Jack Johnson.

what exactly is the evidence that Cardin is part of the "Hoyer machine"? I honestly don't know either way.

A new SurveyUSA poll is up on their website which shows Cardin leading Mfume by 47%-38%, with Rales at 7%, Undecided at 7%, and Others at 1%.  This is among "likely Democratic primary voters," so the big unknown is how they measured the likelihood of their respondents actually voting, and whether that's accurate in this fairly unique election

Wow, Red State is also rooting for Mfume, making the pseudo argument that Ds are ignoring black voters.

When Matt's vote converges with Red State's intention, you know sth terrible is going to happen...

This is just hilarious. I'm totally lost.

I mean it.  May the best man win.

PS Mfume party is at Hippodrome

I'm a big critic of the Washington Post too, but give credit where credit is due -- they endorsed Donna Edwards, the insurgent: (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/con tent/article/2006/08/29/AR2006082901302. html).

If she wins, great.  If Donna Edwards loses its because she started late. Her campaign has really picked up, overcoming huge barriers.  If we don't get Donna Edwards in 2006 I hope she runs in 2008 and the netroots should get behind her early, really early.

I have been following the Cardin/Mfume race very closely. Maryland Democrats are lucky to have two well qualified candidates. However, Cardin is the better candidate.  He is smart, very knowledgeable on the issues, effective, and courageous. He voted against the Iraq war when it was neither popular generally nor within his district. He has otherwise been a model representative. He also clearly has the better chance to beat Steele. While I am sure he works closely with Hoyer, who is in his delegation, Cardin's tenure and respect is such that he has never been accused of being part of the "Hoyer machine." In terms of who leads whom, I would guess Hoyer often happily follows Cardin's intellectual lead. Again, Mfume would be a great Senator, but Cardin offers Maryland the opportunity to have a very gifted and first rate Senator.

The debate made everything very clear for me.

On the issues: they basically agree on everything. Mfume has been a little more progressive on the war. Generally calling for a more immediate withdrawl than Cardin.

The conventional wisdom is that Cardin is that "legislator" and Mfume is the "advocate". Highlighting this distinction is Mfumes much better speaking skills. Cardin's words are a little forced and awkward. Mfume sounds a bit like Kennedy.

The choice would have been a lot harder back when the political system was a little less polarized. In the 90's there actually was bi-partisan compromise and we actually needed to elect Senators especially for their ability to write and pass legislation.

But now days compromise means giving in. The Republican Party doesn't work to get things done- they pass legislation either to energize their completely insane base or to put Democrats in politically precarious situations. When there is a complete lack of good faith on the otherside it makes no sense to elect Senators because they claim to get things done behind the scenes. We need to elect fighters who won't give an inch of ground to the other side. We need warriors, not wonks.

It actually amazes me that the netroots hasn't gotten involved in this race because Cardin is EXACTLY the sort of guy everyone here complains about constantly. He votes the right way but he isn't able to fight for things.

Two more things:

To those of your who critisize Mfume's fundraising (and I won't say it doesn't bother me) remember he is refusing to take contributions for corporate PACs. Cardin takes in corporate dollars by the barrel.

And I can't believe you people are still hung-up on the illegitmate child thing.

Move on.

  Just got home from an evening of planting signs in polling places around Frederick County...

  I go back and forth between Cardin and Mfume, both fine candidates, both with their strengths and weaknesses. In the end I'm going with my heart and casting by ballot for Mfume -- but this is not a knock on Cardin. Either one is light-years better than Steele.

  I'm for Franchot in the comptroller race. I wonder if Owens was specifically asked to run in order to split the considerable anti-Schaefer vote. (How a Democrat -- how any decent human -- could possibly support Willie Don at this point is one of the intractable mysteries of life.)

  For AG I'm undecided and will be until I walk into the booth. Gansler's an impressive young man, exceptionally bright and talented. But Simms is no slouch himself, and he doesn't come across as such a careerist the way Gansler sometimes does. I'm leaning Gansler but it's a 51-49 decision at this point.

 If anyone reading this lives in Frederick County, make sure that you do NOT vote for Switzer for school board. He's the worst kind of fundie nutjob, and we don't need him anywhere near our schools. Please fill out your ballot to completely minimize the chances of his backing into it.

 Oh, and yours truly is running for Dem Central Committee. Seven guys for six slots...

I intend to vote for Mfume as the more progressive candidate.  And I will vote for any Democrat opposing Hoyer (I doubt there is one), and will vote for any liberal alternative to Steny in the General. I'm tired of machine politics of any stripe.  There is a really nasty campaign going on in the 21st District for State Senate between incumbent John Giannetti and Jim Rosapepe.  Giannetti's people have been tearing down Rosapepe's signs - come on people, Republicans do things like that, not Democrats!  Rosapepe gets the endorsement of the League of Conservation Voters, so I'll probably go with him.  I'm really interested in who, if any of the state candidates is opposing the environmentally ruinous Intercounty Connector (ICC) between Gaithersburg and Laurel?

I can tell you right now I'm voting Green for Governor in the General - O'Malley supports the ICC, and refuses to do anything about illegal immigration - like going after the employers.  Not all liberals are for "open borders".  Some of us think this is a labor/environment issue.

I've lived in Montgomery, CO, MD for the past 6 years (so I'm not carpetbagging here), and I've voted for Cardin (absentee, due to a later-canceled business trip and a lack of trust in Diebold) for purely tactical reasons. Mfume would make as good a senator as Cardin, but, he's got baggage, as several other posters have noted. Cardin doesn't. In an election season when the GOP has made it their stated intention to go personal and negative, we simply don't need to hand them any ammunition. It'll save the DSCC from having to pump in millions that could be better-spent in, say, Missouri or Virginia.

Radarlady