As Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama look to Maryland Democrats to help seal their party’s nomination, analysts say their primary battle will leave a lasting imprint on state politics.
In Maryland, where the Democratic candidate has won nine of the last 12 general elections, Obama’s recent surge has shifted the political players and could shake up long-expected outcomes.
“When people started endorsing candidates, Hillary Clinton was a prohibitive favorite. It was a prudent move,” said Donald Norris, chair of the department of public policy at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. “Lo and behold, that didn’t work out.”
Now, with Obama expected to win the state, Norris said politicians like Gov. Martin O’Malley and Sen. Barbara Mikulski, who endorsed Clinton, could lose political capital. “And when Obama goes on to the nomination, they can lose more than that,” he said.
Norris suggested that O’Malley hasn’t been campaigning for Clinton as vigorously as some expected because he might be aware that he is holding a losing hand. “He may actually be hurting himself more with her than he is with Obama,” he said.
Today, O’Malley and Mikulski, along with Prince George’s County Executive Jack Johnson, will campaign with Clinton in White Marsh in Baltimore County whileObama will speak at the University of Maryland in College Park.
Party faithful see the heightened voter attention as overwhelmingly positive.
Rep. Chris Van Hollen, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, predicts greater participation in the election process without any lasting divisions within the state’s Democratic party.
New voters “will stay active through this election cycle, then once they’re engaged, they’re much more likely to stay involved,” the Montgomery County Democrat said. He added, however, “success creates the condition for furthered participation.”
Baltimore City Del. Curt Anderson, D-43rd, an Obama supporter, agrees, but adds that most of the new voters are coming out for Obama.
“I’ve been out knocking on doors, and people who’ve never voted are now asking to volunteer,” Anderson said, explaining they’ll change the dynamics of Maryland politics by forcing the old guard to pay attention.
