Great news coming out of MD-4 as we watch Al Wynn go down to defeat, but that is not the only incumbent that is going down to defeat in the great state of MD. Republican Congressman Wayne Gilchrest lost to State Senator Andrew Harris in MD-1.
Follow me below the fold to look at this race and the interesting dynamics created by Harris defeating Gilchrest…
Future Republican Nominee Andrew Harris is a Club For Growth candidate, who has represented the Harford County and Baltimore County part of a district that has roughly 50% of its population on the Eastern Shore of MD, 25% in Anne Arundel County north of Annapolis, and 25% in Harford and Baltimore County. The Democratic Nominee will be Frank Kratovil who is the State’s Attorney in Queen Anne’s County. Queen Anne’s County is on the Eastern Shore. This sets up a regional dynamic to the general election. The Eastern Shore really doesn’t like anything “Baltimore”, which they define as anything on the west side of the Bay Bridge whether it is in fact Baltimore or Nebraska or Oregon. With the Republican Andrew Harris from Baltimore County and the Democrat Frank Kratovil from the Eastern Shore the Democrats have a real opportunity to appeal to Eastern Shore voters and win the district. Eastern Shore voters tend to be more in favor of protecting the environment and for fiscal discipline than Republicans these days, particularly Club For Growth candidates like Andrew Harris.
Frank Kratovil can win this race. I have known him for about 11 years and volunteered on his first election for State’s Attorney in 2002. I have never met a harder working campaigner. He will out work Harris. He also is both very charismatic and a policy wonk.