Governor

George W. Owings III, a former state delegate and Calvert County Democrat, appears to be little more than a week away from announcing his run for governor. He said Monday that he'll "make it official" at a morning news conference Jan. 6 on the courthouse steps in Prince Frederick. The former majority whip, who served as secretary of veterans affairs under Republican Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., has been a sharp critic of Gov. Martin O'Malley's fiscal policies. He disagreed with O'Malley's decision to raise the sales tax during a 2007 special session and took issue with the governor's personal lobbying to repeal the death penalty this year.

Dan Rodricks is right on the money ("O'Malley shows more ambition than leadership," March 15). It seems our governor's ambition is matched only by his ego. He effectively stopped being mayor of Baltimore when he decided to run for governor. As a result, he resigned early from that office, leaving the mayor's job he begged city voters to give him in the first place. Can I get my campaign donation back since he didn't stay for the term he promised? I firmly believe he will leave the State House early as well, again not fulfilling his term, either seeking an appointment from the White House (the continual accolades he heaps on President Obama support this)

Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot, who had considered running for governor in 2014, told supporters Tuesday he will bow out of that contest to seek another term as comptroller instead. Franchot, a Democrat, has frequently been at odds with Gov. Martin O'Malley's administration. His decision not to run comes amid speculation that Democrats will have a crowded and potentially messy gubernatorial primary in 2014. "This is a decision that I have made after a great deal of personal reflection," Franchot, 65, said in a message posted on his website Tuesday.

Saying his work in Baltimore is incomplete, Mayor Martin O'Malley announced yesterday that he will not be a candidate for governor this year - clearing the way for Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend to run unopposed for the Democratic nomination. "There is no tougher fight, and no more noble cause, than the turnaround of a great American city," O'Malley said, adding that the decision to forgo the campaign was the most difficult of his political life. "The risk of losing this particular race was really not something that intimidated me," he said.

What a wonderful piece of news the citizens of Maryland received when the Ravens announced they will not be increasing their tickets prices ("No rise in ticket price for Ravens," Feb. 4). This is the third straight season they have done so. Dick Cass and the Ravens management understand what Gov.Martin O'Malleychooses to ignore, namely that most Marylanders are struggling in these tough economic times: "We know that fans are stretching financially to buy our season tickets. " Though we came up short of the big prize, you made our city and state proud.

You should excuse Gov. William Donald Schaefer if he gloats a little these days, but he's got justifiable reasons. He has just completed his best General Assembly session in at least three years. Nearly all his major requests won approval. State lawmakers suddenly found the governor cooperative and eager to meet them halfway. His strategy paid off handsomely."Partners in Prevention" sounded the theme for the 1993 Schaefer agenda. His $12.7 billion budget contained numerous initiatives to promote preventive health programs, preventive school dropout programs and preventive delinquent juvenile programs.

PARRIS GLENDENING may have spent 12 years as a county executive, but that hasn't stopped him from turning hostile toward his former colleagues. The governor surprised local officials with the vehemence of his anger toward them in the last General Assembly session. At a March 30 meeting with leaders of the Maryland Association of Counties -- a group the governor once led -- Mr. Glendening lashed out at MACo. He accused it of pushing amendments to kill his bills in past sessions. And he accused the group of trying to defeat one of his pet proposals this session, his so-called "smart septic" bill.

For a guy who has been in hard-nosed politics for two decades, Gov. Parris Glendening has made some dumb moves recently.Instead of erasing the early negative impression he gave Marylanders -- of a county executive who set up a lucrative pension-severance plan for himself and his aides, initially took the money and then left the county deep in debt -- Mr. Glendening continues to stumble.It's not all bad. The governor had a good first legislative session, thanks to help from General Assembly leaders.

Spending in the mammoth media battle over a proposed expansion of gambling in Maryland is approaching $70 million and is poised to exceed the totals for the last three gubernatorial contests -- combined -- before Election Day. New figures reported by the ballot committees backed by rival casino companies MGM Resorts International and Penn National Gaming show the two sides have spent $34 million and $35 million respectively. The last three races for governor combined -- 2002, 2006 and 2010 -- cost about $76 million.