Jim Smith - Soon To Be Former Politician?

I always find it interesting when a prominent politician calls it quits. There's always more to the story, but we never hear about it.

You'll remember during the Maryland Gubernatorial election, Montgomery County Executive Doug Duncan called it quits during the Democratic primary because he was depressed. Depressed? He didn't seem to depressed clobbering O'Malley and Ehrlich as an outsider. I really enjoyed his commercials. Rumor is that Duncan was draining the Democratic war chest and O'Malley needed the money for the general election, so the O'Malley mafia took care of the situation.

Now it's like déjà vu all over again. This time it's Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith who previously announced that he was running for State Senate in District 7, a district being abandoned by Republican Andy Harris who is rerunning for the 1st Congressional District against incumbent Frank Kratovil. Now Jim Smith says that he will not run for State Senate.

Why is he not running for the open state senate seat? Does he have an undisclosed illness? I hope not. We wouldn't wish that on anyone. Does he think he's too old? He's only 68 years old. Does he think he's too short? There are unconfirmed reports that the Executive is 4 ft 11 inches tall, making him the perfect size to kiss Martin O'Malley's derrière.

Did Smith stumble into an alley and meet the MoM thugs? You know the kind - 'we're going to make you an offer you can't refuse.' I think that was Doug Duncan's case. Can't prove it, but it makes the most sense. Perhaps MoM told Smith that he shouldn't run and if MoM wins, there's a spot in his cabinet for him next semester.

Does Smith think that he cannot defeat the Republican challengers? He would go up against either former House Minority Leader Al Redmer or Delegate J.B. Jennings, who was endorsed by Governor Ehrlich. And being that it is District 7, a mostly conservative district, he (Smith) would probably lose.

It would be interesting to find out the truth. But politics being what it is we will never know the truth.