Tuesday was the first day candidates could file for the 2014 election, and 11 candidates took the plunge, including four Montgomery County legislators filing as a team for reelection.
The juiciest tidbit from the filings posted daily by the State Board of Elections was Del. Shirley Nathan-Pulliam, a 20-year veteran Democrat currently representing Baltimore County District 10, filing to run for state Senate in the redrawn District 44 currently represented by Sen. Verna Jones-Rodwell.
The new district, allegedly designed to preserve a Senate seat for the city, crosses the city line and is actually dominated by a two-member delegate district in Baltimore County. That is an area Nathan-Pulliam has long represented as part of the old District 10 and where she has been the top vote-getter in the Democratic primary. See district maps below.
Nathan-Pulliam could not be reached for comment Tuesday night.
UPDATE: But the delegate did call on Wednesday, noting that there are about 80,000 residents of District 44B, compared to 40,000 city residents in 44A. “That’s a very positive piece for me,” Nathan-Pulliam said.
“I’m no stranger to Baltimore City,” she said, noting that when she was first elected to the legislature she lived in the city. “I own two businesses in the city.”
Nathan-Pulliam, a nurse, owns an adult medical day care center in Baltimore and a personal care center.
She said she will be running on a ticket with Del. Emmet Burns and Rainier Harvey, who also filed yesterday.
UPDATE AND CORRECTION: Other candidates who filed for election include all the incumbent Democrats in Montgomery Count’s District 14: Sen. Karen Montgomery, Dels. Anne Kaiser, Eric Luedtke and Craig Zucker. New candidates filing for delegate were: Don Engel, D-District 11, Baltimore County; Jordan Cooper, D-District 16, Rockville; Maria Triandos, D-District 30A, Annapolis; Baltimore attorney Chris West, R-District 42B, Baltimore County; and Rainier Harvey, D-District 44B, Baltimore County..
Dawit H. Gebreyesus of Potomac filed for Congress in the 4th Congressional District.
Monday night as part of a campaign finance reform bill, the legislature reset the filing deadline for the June 24, 2014 primary. It will now be Feb/ 25 next year, replacing April 9, 2014.
Hat tip to Matt Proud for the heads up on Facebook about the Board of Elections filings.
–Len Lazarick
Len@MarylandReporter
Where we want all Democratic candidates at all levels challenged as the party pols are crony and corporate, we want a fresh face in these races and a 25 year veteran of a corrupt system fails in that. We want both of these pols to retire and help their communities as volunteers. We expect to see labor and justice candidates challenging all these democrats as we move the party from corporate pockets to public interest! If your labor and justice organization is not running candidates against these democrats they are not working for you and me. We need leadership in or organizations that will fight for political voice!!!!
Dr. John LaFerla, 2014 Democratic candidate for District 1 representative, will be filing his paperwork today, after putting together an organization that has already started working on its ‘ground game.” The curent rep, Andy “Dr. No” Harris, has shown his lack of interest in representing 1st District communities, with his “NO” votes on important legislation, like Hurricane Sandy relief, renewal of the Violence Against Women Act, and the 2013 Farm Bill. It seems the only constituency that still supports Harris is the pro-gun groups who incorrectly believe that the government wants to take away their guns! Even former GOP representative, Wayne Gilchrest, has endorsed LaFerla, and has created a “Republicans for LaFerla” group.