Some Baltimore County District 11 incumbents are teaming up to thwart the threat of 14 challengers, the most in any district across the state.
The challengers are vying for a cherished open delegation seat, left vacant by Del. Bobby Zirkin, who is running for state senator as former Sen. Paula Hollinger runs for U.S. Congress.
Zirkin, along with District 11?s Del. Dan Morhaim and one-term incumbent Del. Jon Cardin, said they will campaign as a bloc to spread their expertise and attend as many community events as possible during the election season. However, the strategy is nothing new, they said.
“All of my friends and supporters will listen when I suggest who else should be re-elected, and [Cardin and Morhaim] are doing the same thing,” Zirkin said. “And we work very well as a unit in Annapolis.”
Democrat Noel Levy filed to run last July, immediately after Zirkin announced he planned to vacate the seat. Levy said he is not threatened by Morhaim?s and Cardin?s 16 years of experience.
In fact, Levy said, many potential constituents told him they aren?t voting for any incumbents.
“They are unhappy about many issues, chief among them the BGE deregulation bills,” he said. “Is this enough ground to toss the rascals out? I don?t know.”
Race observers named Democrat Dana Stein ? who served briefly when former Del. Michael Finifter was appointed Circuit Court Judge in 2002 ? as an early favorite. In the 2002 election, Cardin ousted Stein by 1,200 votes, but the candidate received several recent endorsements, including that of the county?s Democratic committee Tuesday night.
“It is helpful in a crowded field to have those endorsements,” Stein said. “I left law work to do civic work and that reflects my passion for improving communities. It?s that desire that I?ll take to Annapolis.”
THE CHALLENGERS
» Patrick Abbondandolo,
Republican
» Zhanna Anapolsky-Maydanich, Democrat
» Sharon Bloom, Democrat
» Patrick Dyer, Republican
» Jason Frank, Democrat
» Ivan Goldstein, Democrat
» Dave Goldsmith, Green
» Julian Earl Jones, Democrat
» Stephen Knable, Democrat
» V. Michael Koyfman, Democrat
» Theodore Levin, Democrat
» Noel Levy, Democrat
» Dana Stein, Democrat
» Rick Yaffe, Democrat
Source: Maryland State Board of Elections
