VOTER
GUIDE 2002
The September primary election went well for our
Cause. Whether by fate, quirks of redistricting or voter sensibilities, a host
of anti-gunners were eliminated. With your help the General Election will be
sweeter. Our date with destiny is November 5. Be there!
More important: make sure all your friends, family
and like-minded neighbors show up at the polls too. Vote! Most of you know by
now: we call ‘em like we see ‘em. And this time what we see is potential for
some serious shake-up of the anti-gun establishment. The key word there is
‘potential.’ The outcome will depend on whether our people show up. This is
an all-hands operation. A serious and heavy turnout from our side will make
the difference. So let me say it again: this one is winnable. The ball
is in our court.
A growing army of gun owners have turned grassroots
activist in this state, men and women who are fed up with the anti-gun statis
quo. You’ve poured money, sweat and time into making these opportunities for
our side in the election. Don’t let nay-sayers and gloom mongers elsewhere in
our community dishonor the gift given by these volunteers. Make it your
business to get every gunowner with the program, which means registered to vote
– soon, since the deadline is coming up! – and present on election day. You can
bet your bottom dollar that’s what the Kennedy Klan is doing with their Brady
Bunch right now!
GOVERNOR. Nothing could be a clearer contest between good
and evil. Kathleen Townsend Kennedy’s record of working in opposition to
private ownership of firearms is clear. Glendening may have been governor, but
Kennedy herself was the one to launch each of the major gun control packages on
their way to enactment. She was the one introducing bills to committee on
behalf of the administration. When we sent Public Information Act requests to
research these bills (and report to you) hers was the office handling the spin.
It was her people working closely with the major commercial beneficiaries of
gun control she championed, and her people pulling the dirty tricks to
stonewall our opposition. Kennedy is Corruption. We endorse Bob Ehrlich for
governor. It’s time for a change.
CONGRESS. As usual, most races are not competitive but a few deserve our strong involvement. In the newly remapped District 2, vote for Helen Bentley. Make this a priority. Hers is a close race and we can make a difference. District 6’s Roscoe Bartlett always deserves our support in his reelection. Give it to him! And as previously advised: Connie Morella – antigun incumbent in District 8 – has two virtues: She isn’t as anti-gun as her opponent, who was the Senate floor leader in passing the Gun Safety Act of 2000; and her party affiliation will block an anti-gun crowd from taking over leadership in Congress.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY DISTRICTS:
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District
1 (Allegany, Garrett): Our friend John Hafer runs unopposed for
Senate. In the House in 1A, our friend George Edwards is unopposed for
reelection. In 1B we strongly endorse the reelection of Delegate Kevin Kelly,
a long-time friend who emphasizes the Second Amendment as his top issue. Pull
for Kelly over Tricia Wolf, who is soft on guns. In 1C we endorse LeRoy
Myers as challenger to replace Casper Taylor, House Speaker whose history
as a gun controller may catch up with him. Let’s make it so. Pour it on for
Myers.
District 2 (Washington, Allegany): We endorse Senator Donald Munson for reelection over challenger Mary Newby. In the House, let’s reelect Robert McKee over Peter Perini in 2A; pull for pro-gun incumbent Chris Shank over David Russo in 2B; and likewise back incumbent John Donoghue over challenger Robert Bruchey in 2C.
District
3 (Washington, Frederick): This Senate race is a key battle, as our
good friend Alex Mooney is challenged by Sue Hecht, a rabid anti-gunner
who wants to move from the House. Spare nothing to re-elect Mooney. Open
seats in the House signal our involvement: In 3A, Galen Clagett and Dick
Zimmerman are in bed with the Brady Bunch, so pull for Tim Brooks and
Patrick Hogan. In 3B the choice is clear: pull for Richard Weldon over
anti-gun Lisa Baugher.
District
4 (Frederick, Carroll): Now that fake pro-gunner Tim Ferguson is history,
it’s time to finish the job and ensure our real friend takes the seat. We
strongly endorse David Brinkley for Senate. In the House’s 4A, re-elect
our friends Joe Bartlett and Paul Stull over challengers Dick
Franklin and the anti-gun Valerie Dale. In 4B pull for reelection of our friend
Don Elliott over challenger Thomas Morrison.
District
5 (Carroll): Larry Haines is the long-time pro-gun Senator who
deserves our strong support in his reelection. Back him! The House’s 5A
is a classic race demanding our involvement. We endorse reelection of pro-gun
incumbents Carmen Amedori and Nancy Stocksdale over anti-gun
challengers Robert Wack and Kimberly Petry. And in 5B let’s reelect Wade
Kach over the unknown Stephen Kirsch.
District
6 (Baltimore): Norm Stone, with one of the longest track records of
working with firearm owners, is unopposed in his bid to return to the Senate.
Congrats! In House races we are blessed with an abundance of pro-gunners. If
only we could have this problem more often! We endorse reelection of John
Arnick and Sonny Minnick, and endorse Mike Weir Jr., to round
out the delegation. You know the name Mike Weir from our many years reporting
in Tripwire. Mike Junior shares his father’s name and love for our issue. We
wouldn’t be happy without a Weir in the House. Let’s make it happen.
District
(Baltimore, Harford) 7: The Senate race is a heartbreaker with two
pro-gunners vying for the same seat. Diane DeCarlo has been a terrific friend
in the House, but her bid for the upper chamber puts her on a collission course
with incumbent Andy Harris, who we worked hard to elect over the anti-gun
minority leader in 1998. Andy has proven worthy of our efforts, and worked just
as hard for us in the last four years. Our message must be clear: we will
support friendly incumbents. We endorse Andy Harris for Senate. In the
House, we are again blessed with pro-gunners! Incumbent Nancy Hubers has
generally voted with us in the last term, and each of J.B. Jennings, Rick
Impallaria, Pat McDonough and Donna Felling look strong based on surveys.
District
8 (Baltimore): Kathy Klausmeier has been there for us as a Delegate, and we
are happy to endorse her bid for Senate over the anti-leaning John Cluster. This
race is a priority for us in our effort to swing the Senate pro-gun. In the
House, pro-gunners’ best picks are Al Redmer (pro-gun incumbent) plus Joseph
Boteler and Eric Bromwell.
District
9 (Howard, Carroll): Robert Kittleman is unopposed and we are happy to
welcome him back to the Senate. In the 9A House race we find a clear cut
matchup between pro- and anti- candidates. Gail Bates and Bob
Flanagan have been there for us, whereas challengers Walter Carson and Tony
McGuffin are in-your-face anti’s trying to take them out. This race must be a priority
for us. The 9B race is just as clear cut: Pull for Susan Krebs over
liberty-soft Ken Holniker to help us take the open seat.
District 10 (Baltimore): This district gives opportunities only for people who dream about long shots. We’d like anti-gun incumbent Delores Kelley booted from the Senate so in that sense challenger Robbie Page is worthy of your vote. The wildly anti-liberty incumbents (Emmett Burns, Shirley Nathan-Pulliam, Adrienne Jones) are on their way back; the only play is to vote for Steven D’Arezzo (the only challenger) and nobody else. (Pragmatists will give time to friendlies in competitive races. We suggest going to help Gail Bates in 9!)
District
11 (Baltimore): Incumbent Senator Paula Hollinger is a confirmed enemy of
the people. Her opponent, Alan Zukerberg, doesn’t look much better. Voter for
Zukerberg in hopes of taking down seniority of the anti in this seat, but save
your donations for candidates in other races who will be for us. The
House will likely see return of two incumbents, Bobby Zirkin and Dan Morhaim,
who have done enormous damage to liberty, together with an anti-leaning Jon Cardin. Vote for pro-gun long shots J.
Collins, Grant Harding and Betty Wagner, but invest in
competitive races elsewhere.
District
12 (Baltimore, Howard): The Senate race has pro-gun Mike Sneeringer
challenging incumbent Ed Kasemeyer, a confirmed anti-gunner. We handicap this
as a long shot, but will keep watching. In House 12A incumbent Jim Malone has
been luke warm on our issue at best, and didn’t do as much as he could to
oppose the Gun Safety Act in 2000. He is teamed with Steven DeBoy, who so far
looks unconcerned about our issue. Though long shots we recommend you pull for Harry
Korrell and Joe Hooe. 12B is locked up by Liz Bobo, an unopposed domestic
enemy of the Constitution.
District
13 (Howard): The Senate race does not offer much. Sandra Schrader is a
relatively recent appointment to replace violently anti-gun Marty Madden after
he stepped down. If she takes her cues from her old boss, then our issue is
lost in 13, since Vernon Gray – for whom the district was largely carved –
doesn’t look better. We suggest pulling for Schrader and spending elsewhere. In
the House, Neil Quinter appears poor on our issue, and is teamed with the
anti-gun incumbents Frank Turner and Shane Pendergrass. While a long shot, back
Bob Adams who looks good on our issue, and you might as well vote for
John Stafford and Mary Tung as a block to the incumbents while you are there.
District
14 (Montgomery): This is in the land of long-shots, but if there is any
play in Montgomery then 14 is the place. The Senate is lost to us; Rona Kramer
has already endorsed the full Brady plan for Maryland, and her opponent, Rick
LaVay, dropped out of the race three days after winning the primary. Any GOP
candidate would have a hard row to hoe, but an appointed candidate is history
at this point. It’s the House in which we have hope of one seat. We endorse Pat
Cummings, and suggest you vote only for her. (Anne Kaiser, Herman
Taylor and Karen Montgomery have all endorsed the Brady plan, and Pat
Faulkner’s history from being in the legislature before is one of a confirmed
anti.)
District
15 (Montgomery): We have no play in this district. Go help a competitive
pro-gun candidate elsewhere.
District
16 (Montgomery): For Senate you might pull for Tom Devor. We can’t build a
pro-gun case for him and he is a long shot either way, but maybe lightening will
strike and take out our arch enemy Brian Frosh. There is no other pro-gun play
in this district.
District 17 (Montgomery): Jennie Forehand is weakly opposed by Roy Burke for Senate. Pull against Forehand in case lightening strikes, but don’t expect much. In the House, anti-gun incumbents Kumar Barve and Michael Gordon are on their way back, bringing Luiz Simmons with them. All are poor on our issue, as is long shot challenger Josephine Wang. The (remote) play here is to vote only for Paul Hnarakis.
District 18 (Montgomery): This race is a wrap. The anti-liberty slate is running unopposed. Express your disgust by spending freely to help competitive pro-gunners elsewhere.
District
19 (Montgomery): Vote against Len Teitelbaum just because you have a chance
to, even if the overwhelming odds are that Lynn Siguenza – who is luke warm on
our issue anyway – has no serious shot in the Senate race. The House race is a
wrap, with all anti’s on their way back unopposed.
District
20 (Montgomery): Vote against Ida Ruben for Senate because you can, though
opponent John Wrightson is an unknown without a chance. Peter Franchot and
Sheila Hixson are incumbent anti’s on their way back to the House, Gareth
Murray who appears no better. Vote only for Jae Collins and start
candidate recruitment for 2006 today.
District
21 (Prince George’s, Anne Arundel): John Giannetti’s only favor to us was
in taking out long-time anti-freedom icon Art Dorman. But that was all, having
just spent several years in the House Judiciary voting against us before moving
up for Senate. He is now unopposed. In the House, Barbara Frush, Pauline Menes
and Brian Moe have a virtual lock on reelection. All are blindly anti-gun. Cast
your vote only for Kevin Bruening (who is at best only luke warm on our issue)
but spend your time and money elsewhere.
District
22 (PG): We have no pro-gun play in this district.
District
23 (PG): Give your vote to Fran Shellenberger as a protest but expect to
see Leo Green back in his Senate seat next year. You have no pro-gun play in
either 23A or 23B. Folks in 23 ought to give serious consideration to crossing
over into Montgomery and helping Pat Cummings in 14 as your closest competitive
friendly.
Districts 24-25 (PG): The race is over, the bad guys won.
Express your displeasure by sending a generous donation to a competitive
pro-gun candidate elsewhere.
District
26 (PG): Gloria Lawlah is unopposed in the Senate. Too bad. In the House we
see no competitive challenger. Vote against incumbents and spend your time
helping a pro-gun candidate across from you in Anne Arundel county.
District
27 (PG, Calvert): No play for us, other than to congratulate our very good
friend George Owings on his return to the House in 27B, where he is unopposed.
District 28 (Charles): The Senate race is mixed for us. Thomas “Mac” Middleton had generally always been with us until the infamous ‘Rule 43’ vote on the Gun Safety Act in 2000, the fundamental vote in the Senate. He voted to advance the administration’s bill. This hardly qualifies him as a ‘true believer’ on the other side, but it still represents a fundamental move against us. His challenger Jim Easter is unknown. Vote your conscience. In House action, Tim Hutchins and Van Mitchell are solid and friendly incumbents we endorse. To round out the delegation, let’s pull for James Crawford over the other challengers.
District
29 (St Marys, Calvert): For Senate, Roy Dyson is as good as it gets.
He’s always been with us and we will be there for him. Back him! Johnny Wood
is unopposed to return to his 29A House seat, which is good news. In 29B, John
Bohanan has largely been with us; of his opponent Joseph Dick we know nothing.
The race in 29C is one of our priorities, where we will be there for incumbent Tony
O’Donnell as hard as he has been there fighting for us on the House
Judiciary Committee. We back him over challenger Pat Buehler who is luke warm
on our issue at best.
District
30 (Anne Arundel): Though he voted for the Gun Violence Act in 1996, John
Astle was with us in 2000 on the fight over the Gun Safety Act. We like that
trend, and liked his help on other pro-gun bills that went before him in the
Senate. We endorse John Astle over his challenger Andy Smarick who
appears luke warm on our issue. In the House, the anti-gun trio Busch, Clagett
and D’Amato are likely on their way back, and our only shot at taking them
out seems long. Vote for Herb McMillan, Nancy Almgren and Michael
Collins in the House.
District
31 (Anne Arundel): Make sure you send our superb friend Phil Jimeno
back to the Senate! He has always been there for us, and we shall always be
there for him. Make it a priority! In the House, Joan Cadden and John
Leopold are both friends and incumbents who we want to keep. To round out
the delegation, avoid Thomas Fleckenstein and Mary Rosso like the plague.
Instead, Thomas Gardner and Don Dwyer both look very good to us.
District
32 (Anne Arundel): Though not a true believer on the other side, James
DeGrange has been only a luke warm supporter of our issue. At this time he
appears on track for re-election. Terry Gilleland looks good on the issue even
if something of a long shot for us to trade up. Vote your conscience. House
races hold a priority for us: Please pull out all the stops for Jim Rzepkowski,
a strong friend who has gone out of his way to be there for us. One more time: Jim
is a priority for us. And who to send with him in the delegation? Not Mary
Love, the incumbent who has opposed us at every turn. Not Victor Sulin or David
Starr either, two challengers who have already sworn fealty to the Brady Bunch.
Ted Sophocleus, though not hot on our issue, did vote with us on the Gun
Violence Act in 2000, and that is worth something. That leaves us with: what to
do with Bob Pepersack, the last challenger? While Bob portrays himself as a
born-again pro gunner, we vividly remember his role in passing the gun ban back
in 1988. Bob was head of MSP Licensing Section at the time, the
administration’s point man for enacting gun control. He served his masters
well. No candidate survey can balance that by itself. Until we get a better
sign, plan on voting only for Rzepkowski and Sophocleus.
District
33 (Anne Arundel): The Senate race is another heartbreaker for us.
Incumbent Robert Neall has never given us a bad vote. Challenging him is is
Janet Greenip, who as Delegate has worked closely with us in supporting our
issue. All legislators must know that if they do right for our issue then they
can count on us not to unseat them: we will endorse Robert Neall. In
House 33A, we endorse incumbent David Boschert as a pro-gun friend who
has worked with us on several projects. We want him back, and suggest you pull
for Tony McConkey to win with him. (This race is a priority since
challenger Jim Rizzi has committed to the Brady Bunch gun control package.) In
33B, let’s pull for Bob Costa over Dotty Chaney in this open seat
contest.
District
34 (Harford, Cecil): Our strong support goes to Nancy Jacobs,
incumbent who we worked hard to elect in 1998 when she moved up from the House.
Make her victory your priority. The 34A race features three incumbents
playing musical chairs with only two seats. We want to be there for Chuck
Boutin and Dan Riley. Both have been there for us, let’s do the
right thing and be there for them! This race becomes a special priority for us
since the third incumbent is Mary-Dulaney James, a true believer in gun
control. We want her still standing when the music stops. In 34B, incumbent
David Rudolph has largely done right for us in the last two terms (even though
we’d like to have had him with us on proposed amendments to the Gun Safety
Act.) His challenger William Herold appears good on the issue. We think Rudolph
is coming back. Vote your conscience.
District
35 (Harford): J. Robert Hooper is the pro-gun incumbent and unchallenged in
his bid to return to the Senate. We are also pleased that Barry Glassman
and Joanne Parrott have a lock on the House seats in 35A. As for the
race in 35B, hey, we won’t snow you: this one has so far defied our attempts to
develop intel. Until we learn more, plan on voting your conscience.
District
36 (Caroline, Cecil, Kent, Queen Annes): This Senate seat has long been
property of Walter Baker, head of the Senate Judicial Proceedings. There is no
question: Baker has killed a lot of bad gun control bills. There is equally no
question that he has passed gun control too. In recent years he has become more
a tool of leadership than a defender of freedom, and – in spite of untruths he
told us while helping to enact the Gun Violence Act in 1996 – we take him at
his word when he said publically that there is much gun control he would
support if he could. Baker’s time may have come, since he is challenged by a
credible and well-financed pro-gun candidate. Make it happen. We endorse E.
J. Pipkin for Senate. The House gives us a classic head to head between pro
and anti-gunners. We endorse incumbent Mary Walkup to return, and would
like to send with her Richard Sossi and Michael Smigiel, blocking
return of anti-gun incumbents Wheeler Baker and Jim Crouse.
District 37 (Dorchester, Wicomico, Talbot, Caroline): The Senate endorsement is easy. Richard Colburn has been there for us and we’ll be there for him. Back him! A strong turnout will make sure he returns to help us in the coming term. In House 37A, we endorse incumbent Rudolph Cane, and in 37B we look forward to having Ken Schisler and Addie Eckardt back in Annapolis.
District
38 (Somerset, Wicomico, Worchester):
J. Lowell Stoltzfus, incumbent Senator and solidly pro-gun, deserves
your support as he has ours over challenger Robert Marvel. The House 38A is a
classic open seat demanding our attention: Pro-gun D. Page Elmore is
battling anti-gun Kirk Simpkins. This race will be a priority. Let’s make sure
the good guy wins, okay? In 38B we endorse reelection of two long-time friends,
Bennett Bozman and Norman Conway over challengers of either weak
or unknown qualities.
District
39 (Montgomery): This district offers only theoretical potential for
pro-gun play. We have nothing to do in the Senate, other than vote against
incumbent P. J. Hogan for the useless joy of doing so. In the House, Charles
Barkley, Joan Stern and Nancy King are the odds on favorites – all of them
rabidly anti-gun. Vote only for Bill Witham and then resolve to
spend your money and time in a competitive race.
Districts 40-41 (Baltimore City): It’s a wrap, the bad guys
won, and all are unopposed. Express what you think about this by donating
generously to MPFO in hopes of affecting a race elsewhere.
District
42 (Baltimore): The open Senate seat is being aggressively pursued by
Martha Klima, a pro-gun Delegate we’ve been delighted to work with over the
years. We strongly endorse Martha Klima. This race is a priority since
Senate President Mike Miller has announced that the other challenger, Jim
Brochin, is on track to become a reliable antigun vote in the Miller stable. We
simply can’t have that. The House seats are also a priority for us. Challenger William
Frank looks good on the issue, and pull for Susan Aumann and John
Trueschler to go with him (blocking bids by avowed antigunners at the same
time.)
District
43 (Baltimore City): We are sorry to report that ardent antigunner
Joan-Carter Conway is unopposed in the Senate, and we have no play in the
House. Vote only for John Heath, an unknown whose sole value is that he
is not one of the anti-gun true-believers running as incumbent. Voters in this
district should dig deep and donate generously to MPFO in the hope of
advantaging a pro-gunner elsewhere.
Districts 44-46 (Baltimore City) and District 47 (PG): A string of districts wherein we have no pro-gun play. As said above, voters here should dig deep and donate generously to MPFO in order to advantage a pro-gunner elsewhere.