Race For County

Republican James M. Harkins defeated Democrat Arthur H. Helton last night in the race for Harford County executive, a campaign in which candidates argued over who could best manage development in the burgeoning suburban county.In an area where Democrats once outnumbered Republicans 2-to-1, Harkins becomes the first Republican executive. The 44-year-old deputy sheriff and former state delegate won with 52 percent of the vote, compared with Helton's 48 percent.Harkins and Helton, a 60-year-old businessman and former state senator, battled to succeed Democrat Eileen M. Rehrmann, who ran for the Democratic nomination for governor but dropped out of the race shortly before the primary.

The race for sheriff of Baltimore County, a contest that normally does not attract much attention in political circles, has turned into a heated contest with five candidates charging that the office lacks effective leadership and is seriously understaffed. Two Democrats, R. Jay Fisher and Charles D. Cuddy, are trying to unseat Sheriff Anne K. Strasdauskas. Three Republicans, former sheriff Norman M. Pepersack Jr., Russell D. Badolato and Joseph P. Callendar, are also seeking the office.

Baltimore County Councilman Joseph Bartenfelder is poised for a boost in his race against fellow Councilman Kevin Kamenetz for the Democratic county executive nomination, as several labor unions prepare to throw him their support in coming days, union officials said. More labor support could help Bartenfelder stretch his resources in a closely contested primary election. He trails Kamenetz in fundraising, and the two have essentially split the labor endorsements announced to date.

The race for Baltimore County executive is a referendum on last February's snow removal.The Constellation will sail into either history or drydock; it's a close thing.Newt Gingrich could wind up Speaker of the House of Representatives in 1995, which is the one hope Bill Clinton has of getting re-elected president in 1996.A revolution in telecommunications is under way, but no one can communicate to consumers what it is.

In Carroll County, the race for county commissioner slots is usually decided in the Republican primary. But this year might be different. The usual bitter fight between the pro-growth and slow-growth Republican factions was won convincingly by the slow growth group in the 2004 primary. This time the well-heeled pro-growthers managed to land a slot on the Republican ticket for attorney Michael Zimmer. Unfortunately for his candidacy, Mr. Zimmer, who has no record of public service, was reprimanded by the Grievance Committee of the Maryland State Bar in 2003.

In a sweeping, impassioned speech, NAACP President Kweisi Mfume called on Howard County Democrats last night to heed "a higher calling than our friends in the other party" in fighting for justice through political activism."

In the Democratic primary race for County Council District F, former Havre de Grace City Council member Philip J. Barker won the nomination over political newcomer James D. Haney of Edgewood by more than 500 votes Tuesday.Barker received 7,499 votes, or 37 percent of the total, while Haney received 6,937 votes, or 34.2 percent of the total.Of the Democrats who went to the polls or voted by absentee ballot, 5,834, or 28.8 percent, cast no vote in the District F race.No Republican ran for the seat, so Barker is unchallenged in the November general election.

It's cop against cop in a standoff over the use of a police badge in a race for the Baltimore County Council. Baltimore County Police Chief James Johnson has sent a cease-and-desist letter to council candidate Charles "Buzz" Beeler of Dundalk over the retired officer's use of a police badge in campaign literature. The chief threatened legal action in the Aug. 11 letter to Beeler, a veteran of the county force for more than 30 years, if he did not immediately stop using the badge and retrieve any fliers or mailers with the symbol.

ANNAPOLIS -- In the struggle between big money campaigns and campaigns dependent on volunteers, big money usually wins and wins big.But for those who insist David can take Goliath to the cleaners under the right circumstances, now comes the evidence of Baltimore County's 1990 race for county executive.According to final campaign finance reports filed yesterday, the Republican challenger, Roger B. Hayden, with a bankroll of $128,000 defeated the Democratic incumbent, Dennis F. Rasmussen, whose campaign wallet held $1.076 million.

Carroll County government's landscaping and forest conservation manager is expected to announce today that he will enter the race for county commissioner.Neil Ridgely, 44, has scheduled a news conference this afternoon at his home. He is expected to outline his reasons for running and his positions on some of the issues.Five other people have declared their candidacies. All three seats on the Board of County Commissioners will be up for election.The others running are:* Incumbents Donald I. Dell and Elmer C. Lippy, who announced their candidacies in November.