Kathleen Kennedy Townsend

THE CURTAIN finally may be dropping on Camelot after a 42-year run. In this election cycle alone, four Kennedy progeny, either by bloodline or extension, were ejected from elective politics by defeat or withdrawal. And another two were forced to the sidelines, done in by their own misadventures. Only Edward F. Kennedy, celebrating his silver jubilee as a Democratic U.S. senator from Massachusetts, and his son Patrick, who survived to win a fifth term as a Rhode Island congressman after an embarrassing series of frat-boy botches and blunders, still wear the epaulets of elective office.

Compared to this, his breakup with Frances Anne looked like a portrait of respectful restraint. The result, however, is the same: The partnership between Parris N. Glendening and Kathleen Kennedy Townsend is most definitely kaput. If anyone had any doubts, election night should have provided proof positive. Late that night, Glendening's anger at his lieutenant governor billowed forth in a strikingly ungenerous assessment in The Washington Post of her effort, which he dubbed "one of the worst-run campaigns in the country."

Why didn't Townsend win? It is far more likely that Gov. Parris N. Glendening correctly assessed Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend's campaign as one of the "worst-run" in the country than that "lots of people ... wouldn't vote for me because I'm a woman" ("Townsend moves on down a different trail," Nov. 8). Ellen Sauerbrey, running as an unabashed conservative, took on Mr. Glendening in 1994 and fell short by fewer than 6,000 votes. But despite a 2-1 Democratic advantage, Ms. Townsend alienated enough people to lose to Rep. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. by nearly 58,000 votes.

WORSHIPING AT the altar of party unity, Maryland Democrats chose not to challenge Gov. Parris N. Glendening in 1998, though many were deeply unhappy with him. This year, they cleared the field for Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, though many of them thought her weak. They feared her campaign accounts and her name. Republicans would make the same calculations, they thought. But Rep. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. saw something else. He would be running in a 2-1 Democratic state -- on paper. He knew the real posture of Maryland voters was far less Democratic.

New day dawns for State House and Maryland Congratulations to Rep. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. on his stunning defeat of some of our present leaders in the State House ("Ehrlich wins," Nov. 6). Hello to the new future of Maryland and goodbye to the Glendening-Kennedy cronyism style of government. Goodbye to: unconstitutional redistricting plans, transferring campaign funds from the governor's accounts to be used against another candidate, turning a budget surplus into a huge budget deficit, and having the governor try to sneak through the back door to become chancellor of the University System of Maryland.

Howard County Democrats celebrated quietly last night - cheering their maintaining control of the County Council - but were distressed over Kathleen Kennedy Townsend's loss in the governor's race. Democratic County Executive James N. Robey claimed a widely anticipated victory, and three Democrats were elected to the council, keeping the party's hold on the majority. "There's no question we're going to retain control [of the County Council]," said incumbent Guy J. Guzzone, a Democrat, who beat Republican Diane B. Wilson.

This Kennedy won't be the Next Kennedy after all. Maryland voters derailed the political career of Kathleen Kennedy Townsend yesterday, rebuffing her bid to become the first member of an iconic family elected to an executive position since her uncle, John F. Kennedy, was chosen as president 42 years ago. The defeat thwarts, at least for the short term, what some pundits saw as a blossoming career with national potential. Townsend lost the race for governor, a first for a Democrat in Maryland since 1966, despite an abundance of advantages that appeared insurmountable a year ago. Maryland's voter registration rolls favor Democrats by a margin of nearly 2-1. As a lieutenant governor for eight years, she enjoyed many of the perks of incumbency without, it seemed, the accompanying responsibility.

Never mind that one is quintessential New York and the other pure Arbutus. Yesterday, standing on stage in the middle of a Gaithersburg fairground, they were two-of-a-kind -- at least according to former Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani. At an afternoon rally that brought together about 600 of the Republican Party faithful, Giuliani described gubernatorial candidate Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. as a fellow moderate better suited than his opponent to lead Maryland in a crisis such as last year's terrorist attacks.

THIS WAS TWO months ago at Iggy's Restaurant, Eastern Avenue and High Street, early on the morning of Maryland's primary election. Gathered around a bunch of tables shoved together were maybe 20 people, all allegedly Democrats, including Kathleen Kennedy Townsend and William Donald Schaefer. And then, in walked Patricia C. Jessamy. "Here she is," Schaefer called out. Jessamy, the embattled Baltimore state's attorney in the fight of her political life, sat down at one end of the gathering, between Townsend and Schaefer.

Taking a page out of President Bush's political play book, Republican Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. said yesterday he would as governor make it easier for religious groups to obtain state grants for social programs that help the public. The Baltimore County congressman said he would establish a Governor's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives as part of his strategy to encourage faith-based groups to buttress government social programs. The office, which Ehrlich said would be largely funded through federal grants, would also scrutinize state government agencies for "discriminatory practices" against faith-based groups when compared with secular groups vying for the same grants or contracts.