Del. Pat McDonough (R-7) has announced to House colleagues that he intends to challenge Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) in 2012. This increases the number of GOP candidates to three: McDonough, former Secret Service agent Daniel Bongino, and 2010 GOP Senate candidate Eric Wargotz. McDonough is the only candidate to date who has won an election.
Bongino enjoys the support of conservative favorite (and 2010 gubernatorial candidate) Brian Murphy. In addition, Bongino lacks a political record to use for attack purposes.
Wargotz is sure to attract moderate support in the primary, plus what he is able to purchase with a media barrage (if he repeats his 2010 strategy against conservative favorite Jim Rutledge).
Red Maryland’s Greg Kline argues that McDonough is qualified and experienced. In addition, McDonough has a solid history of not backing down when attacked from the left.
What appeared to be a race between a charismatic unknown (Bongino) vs. the self funding moderate (to be kind) now includes a solid conservative who knows how to win an election.
5 comments:
Yes, a "solid conservative" whose harsh rhetoric and myopic political positions will ensure that Cardin cruises to re-election with at least 65% of the vote.
McDonough isn't really a conservative, btw. He's a populist. Like most populist politicians, he's a demagogue who likes to demonize certain segments of society to win votes.
Wow Marc by your discription I thought for sure he was a democrat.
There are plenty of populist Democrats, too. The type of identity politics and tribalism practiced by McDonough is fairly popular these days among politicians from both parties. It should be condemned no matter who does it.
I don't want to see Cardin win the Senate race in 2012. I'd love to see a Republican get that seat. But McDonough is about the worst nominee the GOP could select to run for the Senate.
Actually, the fact is, that Wargotz also won an election - County Commissioner President in 2006. Also, Dr. Wargotz is a conservative fellow but not an announced candidate in the race but republicans William Capps, Jr, Corrogan Vaughn, and Rick Hoover are.
Good! I think Pat is a hard nose, no non sense conservative that could possibly do the job
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