Gop Primary

AFTER A lively Republican primary in Carroll County, the Browns are out but most political veterans are still alive for the general election Nov. 3.More Republicans than Democrats voted Tuesday, with all but two local races and the 6th Congressional District race requiring GOP voters to make a primary choice. In a county that is decidedly Republican, GOP primary contests often determine the winners in November.The biggest surprises were the defeat of outspoken two-term Sheriff John H. Brown and the resounding loss handed W. Benjamin Brown, who ran for state delegate after terms as county commissioner and mayor of Westminster.

If The Sun doesn't believe coverage of primary races selecting candidates for a U.S. presidential election is news, what do the editors think is important ("Romney rolling toward the fall," April 25)? There was nothing on Wednesday's front page about the five primaries held the day before. Inside the paper on page 8 was a headline describing Gov. Mitt Romney as "rolling" toward the fall. What does that even mean? Are we talking about a failure or autumn? The national paper I read published a brief of Mr. Romney's sweep of five primaries on the front page under "What's News - Worldwide.

Maryland primary Maryland's presidential primary elections take place Feb. 12. Only registered Republicans may vote in the GOP primary, and only registered Democrats may vote in the Democratic primary.

Candidates in the 6th Congressional District ran from polling place to polling place this morning, confronting particularly low turnouts despite the sunny, warm weather. Still, the candidates were confident in their get-out-the-vote operation and suggested that turnout for today's primary -- in which Marylanders will help choose a GOP presidential candidate and settle a handful of highly competitive congressional races -- might be higher in the afternoon. "There's a lot of energy, there's a lot of enthusiasm," said state Sen. Rob Garagiola, a leading Democrat in the race.

For the city's 32,000 registered Republicans -- and 18,000 registered independents who can vote in the GOP primary -- the mayoral race is a low-key contest between Victor Clark, a car salesman, Arthur Coffey, a retired budget analyst, and S. Scott McCown, a security consultant.The Sun endorses Mr. Clark, a one-time Democrat who 20 years ago became a GOP convert and is the second vice chairman of the Maryland Republican Party. His leadership offers the best hope to begin the process of building a genuine two-party system in this city.

Despite spirited challenges from Democrats in some races, Carroll County yesterday returned an all-Republican General Assembly delegation to Annapolis, led by State Sen. Larry E. Haines, who handily won a fourth term. Haines, the district's senators since 1991, defeated political newcomer Ronald Zepp by a margin of more than 3-1. In central Carroll's District 5A, which includes Westminster, Finksburg, Hampstead and Manchester, Dels. Carmen Amedori and Nancy R. Stocksdale turned back a challenge from Democrat Robert P. Wack.

Charles I. Ecker, a 61-year-old retired educator, won by a better than 2-to-1 margin last night in the Republican primary for the right to face incumbent Howard County Executive Elizabeth Bobo in the general election.Mr. Ecker, a well-financed candidate who had the GOP establishment's support, defeated Gilbert E. South, a 54-year-old businessman who lost to Ms. Bobo in 1986.Ms. Bobo was unopposed in the primary.The only County Council members opposed in the primary -- Shane Pendergrass, D-1st, and Charles C. Feaga, R-5th -- were victorious but now must face new challengers in the general election.

REPUBLICANS ARE fortunate to have a candidate of David Tufaro's caliber running for mayor in the Sept. 14 primary. His educational, professional and business credentials make him The Sun's choice in the GOP primary.Mr. Tufaro has been an attorney with Piper & Marbury and an executive with Oxford Development Corp. and Summit Properties. He has worked on projects as varied as Waterloo Place and the Louis Foxwell Housing for the Deaf. Mr. Tufaro has also been an active volunteer in many community and business associations.

Seven states hold primary elections today for major offices after campaigns that offered a taste of topics to come in November. From the Alaska hustings, to the Wisconsin homes getting political ads, to Florida and its post-hurricane balloting, the issues included the economy, the federal deficit, abortion, family values and whether to oust or spare incumbents.The highlights:* ALASKA: Ten-term Republican Rep. Don Young, involved in House check scandal, against state Sen. Virginia Collins.

SALISBURY -- Eight Republican hopefuls for the U.S. Senate took their campaigns last night to the hometown of Sen. Paul S. Sarbanes, the four-term Democrat each hopes to challenge next fall. Striving for recognition just two-and-a-half weeks before voters will select one of them in the GOP primary March 7, the candidates spoke to a crowd of about 100, knowing that the 90-minute forum was being broadcast live on cable television and will soon be available via the Internet. The event was organized by the GOP central committees of Somerset, Worcester, Wicomico and Dorchester counties.

Republican wishful thinkers like to rationalize away the damage being inflicted on their party by the intramural mudslinging among its unimpressive field of presidential candidates. After all, they note, in 2008 Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Clintonwent at it pretty hot and heavy, and their party won the election anyway. However, there are significant differences between then and now that suggest the GOP is paying a much bigger price for its circular firing squad among Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul than the Democrats did in their two-sided primary fight four years ago. Most obvious and significant is that, for all the heat generated by Mr. Obama and Ms. Clinton, they differed relatively little on major issues.

They may not be the Lincoln-Douglas debates, but the 2012 GOP presidential primary debates still let the public see the ideas and ethics of those who would rule us. Maybe television is a good thing after all. William Akers, Windsor

The GOP presidential primary revolts me. It is so full of scummy negativism. Each night the networks news programs thrust clips of Newt Gingrich throwing a jab at Mitt Romney, or vice versa, into our living rooms. Neither has any appreciable platform for what they would do as our next president. Most issues are simply swept under the carpet. Why? Because it's so much easier just to denigrate one's opponent. Both Messrs. Romney and Gingrich have the money to invest in small armies of people whose sole responsibilities are to dig up personal dirt on the other.

As the Presidential Primary season heats up, I am often both confused and amazed that my party, the Republican Party, continues to shoot itself in the foot (sorry for the violent metaphor) with a constant barrage of misstatements and missteps. Whether it be Gingrich's attack on Romney's capitalism, Santorum's desire to help black's get off of assistance, or Romney's minions turning what was a relatively civil campaign about the difference between President Obama's and Democrat's vision versus the Republican vision for America, into what is digressing into a food fight, I am constantly amazed at how we can step in it and snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

I find Steven P. Grossman's commentary amusing ("GOP presidential field outdoes itself," Nov. 6). Mr. Grossman takes great delight in mocking the field of Republican presidential nominees. That's not the amusing part. The fun part is looking at the field of candidates the Democrats had in 2008, and how they whittled that field down, how they made the decisions on who to kick off the island, versus how the GOP voters are making their decision in 2012. In 2008, the Democrats could have chosen John Edwards, a man with a woman problem.

Now it's Newt's turn. Having risen to the top in some opinion polls, the former speaker of the House is taking heat for large consulting fees paid to him by the government-sponsored mortgage company Freddie Mac for wisdom a New York Times editorial said was so simplistic it might have come from a fortune cookie. As Republican presidential candidates rise only to fall when their imperfections are brought to light, Republican voters risk disappointment in 2012 by playing the left's game on their turf and by their rules.

Annapolis residents head to the polls today to choose Republican and Democratic nominees for mayor and alderman, with a light turnout expected."We expect a fairly tame election," said Deborah Heinbuch, election administrator, citing the expected rain and the widespread belief that the "real" election will start tomorrow, when three mayoral candidates will run in the general election on Nov. 2.Polls were to open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.Mayor Alfred A....

Now that Rep. Helen Delich Bentley has finally made up her mind, Maryland Republicans find themselves in an unfamiliar posture: a competitive, three-way primary for governor next September is likely. That prospect thrills state party leaders, who are accustomed to drab primaries with few real contests to attract voter interest.Mrs. Bentley, now in her fifth term representing the Second Congressional District, is a GOP heavyweight who fills the unofficial role as the state party's titular leader.

Who among us can contain their excitement? The GOP presidential primary season has begun! By my count, there are 24 people who are beneficiaries of nontrivial presidential buzz: Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, John Thune, Tim Pawlenty, Mitch Daniels, Mike Pence, Rick Santorum, Haley Barbour, Mike Huckabee, Bobby Jindal, Paul Ryan, David Petraeus, Ron Paul, Jeb Bush, John Bolton, Bob McDonnell, Jim DeMint, Chris Christie, Herman Cain,...

Maryland primary Maryland's presidential primary elections take place Feb. 12. Only registered Republicans may vote in the GOP primary, and only registered Democrats may vote in the Democratic primary.