As Smith told his closest supporters in recent weeks that he was bowing out of the comptroller race, at least two major fundraisers in the works had to be quickly reconfigured.
Prominent businessman and Martin's West owner Martin Resnick will hold a backyard barbecue later this month, and Ocean City hotelier Lenny Berger will host a general party for Smith during the summer Maryland Association of Counties convention in August, said Brian Rowe of Rice Consulting, which handles fundraising for the county executive.
Few elected officials have left office with such money. When Wayne K. Curry left the Prince George's County executive office in 2002 because of term limits, he reported about $230,000 in leftover campaign money. Former Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele, who left office to make an unsuccessful bid for U.S. Senate in 2006, left behind $626,000 in state campaign funds. Federal candidates cannot use money raised in state accounts.
