Lee Kicks Off State Senate Campaign — Snow and ice didn’t keep people from Del. Susan Lee’s “Kickoff Reception” for her District 16 state senate campaign on Sunday.
The three-term delegate and deputy majority whip is so far running unopposed for the senate seat left by Brian Frosh, who is running for attorney general.
Lee has strong support — State Treasurer Nancy Kopp, Comptroller Peter Franchot, Attorney General Doug Gansler, State Senators Jamie Raskin, Roger Manno, Jennie Forehand, Nancy King, Rich Madaleno, Karen Montgomery and Brian Feldman are all listed as co-chairs of her campaign committee. County Executive Isiah Leggett, D-16 Del. Ariana Kelly and a handful of county councilmembers are also backing her.
A full house was on hand at the Bethesda home of Sujuan Ba and Franklin Salisbury Jr. for the event on Sunday.
Lee is pictured above with D-20 delegate candidate David Moon.
Jamgochian Touts Fundraising Numbers — D-16 delegate candidate Hrant Jamgochian says his campaign raised $23,085 at a fundraiser on Thursday hosted by United Way U.S. President Stacey Stewart. The first fundraising deadline is in January, which will paint a clearer picture of what’s expected to be a costly race for two open D-16 seats. Kelly, who beat Jamgochian and others for an open seat in 2010, is running for reelection.
In June, the Jamgochian campaign announced $20,000 in fundraising at another event. A press release last week even touts the fundraising numbers as a reason for more challengers to stay out of the race:
This fundraiser comes just one month before the first fundraising deadline, and is a sign of the daunting climb any potential challengers would face if entering the race. …Jamgochian’s aggressively early start includes a June fundraiser that also broke the $20,000 mark, a full time Campaign Manager who has been on the ground for seven months and a team of national consultants assembled in early 2013. In what was expected to be a crowded and hotly contested primary field, Jamgochian’s early start, strong fundraising efforts,consolidation of local endorsements and extensive professional experience have been described by local activists as playing a critical role in giving his campaign an edge.
Kelly, Jordan Cooper, Marc Korman, Karen Kuker-Kihl, Gareth Murray, Kevin Walling are all running for the three delegate seats. Many observers think it will take $100,000 or more in campaign spending to win in the June 24 primary.
Kelly Will Be On Apple Ballot — Kelly was among the state politicians endorsed in the first wave of recommendations from the Montgomery County Education Association, known for its influential election day “apple ballot.”
The first apple ballot recommendations were for incumbents who previously received MCEA support. No newcomers or challengers were included, meaning there are no endorsements yet for the other two D-16 delegate seats or the D-16 state senate seat.
Photo from David Moon (MarylandJuice) via Twitter
