"We still believe that the fight's not over related to tax increases," said state Sen. E.J. Pipkin, a Republican representing the upper Eastern Shore.
And as if to highlight Republicans' fiscal differences with the governor, Kittleman has questioned how much taxpayers paid for Gov. Martin O'Malley's trips to Ireland last year. Many of the governor's expenses were covered by the groups that invited him to Ireland but O'Malley and his security detail still ran up a $17,000 tab.
"My concern is the perception it gives to the citizens of Maryland," he said. "Here we are going through a budget ... the governor's term is `budget crisis,' while he goes to Ireland."
For all the sparring with Democrats, the GOP has some internal issues of its own, including five members who crossed party lines in the special session to support a slot-machine gambling referendum, and a potentially bruising challenge to Republican Rep. Wayne T. Gilchrest by Pipkin and Sen. Andrew P. Harris.
King, one of the five Republican defectors, says he deviated from the party opposition to the slots bill because his constituents want a chance to vote on whether to expand gambling in Maryland.
"At home, I've been very well received," he said, but he's been excoriated by some members of the state GOP.
"It goes against our cause when we try to eat our own and go against each other," King said. "It was very disappointing. ... You've got to have a thick skin."
In the Senate, meanwhile, the two GOP senators vying to unseat Gilchrest say their competition for the Republican congressional nomination in the weeks leading up to the Feb. 12 primary election will not intrude on legislative business in Annapolis.
"We got along fine before; we'll get along fine here," says Harris, a Republican representing Baltimore and Harford counties.
tim.wheeler@baltsun.com
