Ivey looks to higher office, but won't confirm congressional run
By: Freeman Klopott
Examiner Staff Writer
November 4, 2009
Prince George's County State's Attorney Glenn Ivey wants a higher office, but won't confirm media reports that he is considering running against Rep. Donna Edwards for Congress.
"I'm not going to run for re-election [for state's attorney] and I'm not looking to go into the Obama administration," Ivey said. "But there's a range of possibilities beyond those two."
Ivey's supporters have called on him to run for the county executive seat being vacated by Jack Johnson next year because of term limits, and now some are getting behind Ivey to run against Edwards.
"The speculation is very flattering," Ivey said.
Ivey has been the state's attorney since 2002, but he also is a former staffer on Capitol Hill and has served as an assistant U.S. attorney in D.C.
If he runs for county executive, he will find the field already crowded. Ivey's close friend, former state Del. Rushern Baker, has started his county executive campaign and nearly knocked Johnson from the office in the last go-around.
But running against Edwards also would be an uphill battle, said Adam Pagnucco, who runs the blog Maryland Politics Watch.
"Edwards is a demonstrated good campaigner," Pagnucco said. "Ivey will have to become a hardened campaigner with a large portion of the district in Montgomery County, where voters don't know who Ivey is."
On his own turf in Prince George's County, Ivey also faces potential fallout for not prosecuting anyone in the jail death of a 19-year-old accused cop killer, Pagnucco said.
When Ronnie White was found strangled to death in July 2008, it made national headlines. A year later, Ivey announced there would be no criminal charges filed against the guards who were present the morning White was found dead. The guards have contended White committed suicide.
Despite that, "Ivey is a credible candidate," Pagnucco said. He also has proven to be a good fundraiser, which would come in handy against Edwards who has proven the same.
For now, Ivey has made only one decision. "It's either up or out," he said.More from Freeman Klopott
- Feds, local officials say they've dismantled Latin Kings in Md.
- State Department adds restrictions to diplomats bringing servants into the U.S.
- Executive accused of planning night of sex with young girl
- Town's ex-police chief accused of selling stolen department gun
- P.G. police point to youth outreach as cause of lower crime
