Maryland Primary Election

The Maryland Primary Election will be held next Tuesday, February the 12th. However, what's left for us to vote for? As my Democrat wife said, "the candidates that are still running all suck." However, we still have the local races. Specifically, we have Maryland's 1st Congressional District race. Hoo-rah!

Unfortunately, I will not have a say in this election. I live in Carroll County, Maryland and we are represented by Rosco Bartlett. No, this is not the same guy from the Dukes of Hazzard. Congressman Bartlett is a sound politician. He is fighting for term limitations and has been fighting for these in Congress for 16 years.

District 1, on the other hand, is pitting incumbant liberal Republican Wayne Gilchrest up against moderate Republican State Senator E.J. Pipkin against far-right wing conservative Republican State Senator Andy Harris.

We've all been bombarded with political commercials over the past few weeks from all three candidates and here's what I have learned from them:

Wayne Gilchrest has to go because he voted with Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats in Congress for billions of dollars in increased taxes and spending.

E.J. Pipkin should not be elected because he's voted with O'Malley and the liberals in the Maryland General Assembly to raise taxes.

Andy Harris should not be elected because he's voted with O'Malley and the liberals in the Maryland General Assembly to raise taxes.

I'm not sure who will win or even who I would want if I lived in that district. I would agree that Gilchrest has voted with the liberals in Congress more than one would expect. I would be fine with Pipkin as a Congressman. Harris I'm a little skeptical about.

However, the way I see it - Harris and Pipkin will split the undecideds and Gilchrest will end up getting the most votes and being reelected. If Pipkin or Harris would drop out, then whomever is left would beat Gilchrest.

But neither Harris or Pipkin will drop out - so we should all expect more of the same from Gilchrest. We already have 17 of history with Gilchrest. Have I mentioned that I don't like career politicians?