It was steaming on Calvert Street by the Baltimore courthouse Thursday, and Stuart Simms was hawking a new brand of lemonade ? his fresh campaign for attorney general.
“When life gives you lemons, what do you do?” asked Baltimore State?s Attorney Patricia Jessamy. “You make lemonade.”
Simms got some “lemons” a week ago as his campaign for lieutenant governor collapsed when running mate Doug Duncan, the Montgomery County executive, quit the race to be treated for depression.
“We?re here to make lemonade,” Jessamy said, but “there?s nothing about his man that is sour or bitter.”
“It?s hot and we want lemonade,” said Simms. “I had different plans this summer. Sometimes life throws you unexpected challenges. …There is another fight to be fought.”
Simms hired Jessamy as a prosecutor in 1985 when Kurt Schmoke was state?s attorney. “I?m honored to have been mentored by him,” Jessamy said. “The people will have no better advocate.”
Jessamy was joined Democratic elected officials from the Baltimore area supporting Simms? candidacy.
“He?s got the education and the experience” to protect consumers and advise state government, said Baltimore County Sen. Delores Kelley.
Simms, the son of a school teacher and a steelworker, attended the elite Gilman School, Dartmouth College and Harvard law school. He?s been a federal prosecutor and served as Baltimore state?s attorney after Kurt Schmoke was elected mayor. Gov. Parris Glendening appointed him secretary of juvenile services and then secretary of public safety and correctional services.
“He?s the right person for attorney general,” said Sen. George Della, a city Democrat. “He fits the mold that [retiring Attorney General] Joe Curran represents.”
Montgomery County State?s Attorney Doug Gansler and Montgomery County Council member Tom Perez are already in the Democratic race for attorney general.
Gansler has raised $1.5 million for his campaign already, but Democrats Calman “Buddy” Zamoiski and Thomas Koch are pledging their fundraising skills to Simms.
“Some people that are running are hot dogs,” said Della, who didn?t disagree when a reporter asked if he was referring to Gansler. “That?s just who we don?t need ? no showboaters. We need a workhorse, not a show horse.”
Frederick County State?s Attorney Scott Rolle, the Republican candidate for attorney general, admitted, “We were smiling yesterday about” Simms? entry into the Democratic fray. “The more people that come in on that side of the ticket ? it helps us. ”
