Re Election

As he prepares for a re-election fight this fall, Anne Arundel County Executive John R. Leopold finds himself beset with a $300,000 sexual harassment, discrimination and workplace retaliation lawsuit from a former employee. This is not the first time the unmarried 67-year-old Leopold has been accused of inappropriate conduct. Last year, he was accused of sexually harassing a state employee at the county headquarters, and an anonymous 911 caller also reported possible sexual activity in what turned out to be Leopold's government-issued car. He was not charged with a crime in either case.

Howard County Executive Ken Ulman told a group of residents at his fourth annual town hall meeting Monday night that he has "absolutely zero intention of raising property taxes in the next four years if I'm re-elected. " The statement came as residents quizzed the executive at Hammond High School in Columbia on a range of subjects, including land use and pensions, in an annual public meeting where residents are invited to question him. Ulman, a Democrat seeking a second term against Republican Trent Kittleman, made the comment in answer to a question from Julian A. Levy Jr., 61, of Wilde Lake, who said he's seen friends retire from county government service and move away, partly because of their property tax burdens.

It is rare when a single act justifies reelection. Gov. Martin O'Malley has virtually eliminated the Death Penalty. This alone may justify reelection. Denny Olver Event.observe(window, 'load', function(){ //console.log('observation started'); if (navigator.platform == "iPhone" || navigator.platform == "iPod") { $('story-body-text').innerHTML = $('story-body-text').innerHTML + ' Visit mobile.baltimoresun.com for a faster experience > > '; } });

Gov. Martin O'Malley pledged Wednesday to spend an additional $1 billion in state money for school construction if re-elected, repeating a campaign promise he made and kept four years ago. "Change doesn't happen overnight, but we see change happening here," said O'Malley, gesturing toward a construction pit where work was under way for new buildings at Annapolis' Germantown Elementary School. O'Malley appeared at the school four years ago to promise a $250 million annual investment in building schools if elected.

Baltimore has had four mayors and six police commissioners but just one chief prosecutor in the past 15 years — Patricia C. Jessamy, who having survived any number of legal and political battles seemed poised for another election win this fall. She still may be, but on Tuesday, Gregg Bernstein, a well-connected former federal prosecutor, is expected to enter the race against her and run a serious if uphill challenge. Bernstein is "the most credible candidate she has faced," says Page Croyder, a former prosecutor under Jessamy who now blogs about criminal justice issues and frequently criticizes her former boss.

Rep. Frank Kratovil is promising to remain a moderate voice amid a highly partisan atmosphere in Washington. Kratovil kicked off his re-election campaign Saturday with stops in Harford, Queen Anne's and Wicomico counties. The Democrat is running for a second term representing Maryland's First District, which includes the entire Eastern Shore and parts of the Baltimore suburbs. Kratovil won a tight race over Republican state Sen. Andy Harris two years ago, and a rematch is likely with Harris running in the GOP primary.

Freshman Rep. Frank Kratovil of Maryland is counting on an upbeat message and centrist record to make the difference in one of the toughest re-election contests in the country this fall. The Democratic incumbent is rated an underdog by independent analysts. Without mentioning names, he portrays his likely rematch against veteran state Sen. Andy Harris as a race between a mainstream pragmatist and a far-right ideologue. In 2010, "the question is: Can the moderate, pragmatic, reasonable, common-sense people survive?