Year: 2018

Federal inaction imperils Obamacare for 3.5 million Marylanders; progressives push for political support of Prescription Drug Affordability Board; Gov. Hogan taps advocate to be first anti-human trafficking director; former President Obama backs Ben Jealous for governor, others in State House races; judge rules Hogan can use his apple logo in campaign material; District 30 Senate hopefuls get tarred with anti-candidate fliers, ads; development is key in latest debate of Montgomery County exec candidates; and Howard council OKs demolition of some Ellicott City buildings.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ben Jealous says he’ll create districts for an all-Dem congressional delegation; scores of new laws are going into effect today including those that would ban spoofing phone calls, stop distribution of e-cigarettes to minors and create a red flag order to take guns from alleged abusers; despite Gov. Hogan’s anti-Trump stands, Trump fans still like the Republican; a judge will rule today on preliminary injunction sought over Hogan’s use of an apple symbol; national surge of young, Democratic women seeking office hits Maryland; Dem Del. Moon gets unlikely support from Republican Robin Ficker as House speaker; Montgomery law enforcement says it won’t probe complaints against Supreme Court hopeful Brett Kavanaugh without a formal complaint; Dem Steuart Pittman, incumbent GOP Arundel Exec Steve Schuh outline stands on the environment; and cost of repairs to Baltimore city schools more than double annual operating cost.

Following Thursday’s Supreme Court hearing, Gov. Hogan, three other Republican governors call on Senate to allow FBI to probe complaints against nominee Brett Kavanaugh, delaying vote; in new Mason-Dixon poll, Hogan up by 15 percentage points, rival Ben Jealous polls stronger with African-Americans; 40% of state agencies reject bids because of errors in filling out forms and state hopes to repair that situation; Marc Elrich, Nancy Floreen tangle over Amazon HQ2, restructuring government in Montgomery County exec debate; Howard County works toward flood mitigation solutions that includes razing some historic structures; and Baltimore city audit finds questionable credit card purchases as “unnamed” user apparently gets moved to lateral position.

Maryland’s revenue estimate increase by $732 million; with new gun control laws taking effect, some lawmakers eye more changes; 36 Republican members of the General Assembly earn top marks from small business federation; while state GOP works to deny Dems a veto-proof Senate, District 9 Democratic hopeful seeks a way in; Independent Montgomery County exec candidate Floreen casts herself as advocate for business; Republican Baltimore County exec candidate Redmer touts support from public safety unions; in a strange twist, Prince George’s Council advances public campaign financing bill; Montgomery state lawmakers seek probe into claims against SCOTUS nominee Kavanaugh; and in Baltimore City, overtime continues to make some police officers highest paid city employees.

Gov. Hogan pushes new state employee benefit that his administration opposed: 60 days paid leave after birth or adoption; Democrats say Hogan’s chief contribution was his signature, while rival Ben Jealous calls it ‘hypocracy;’ following surgery, congressional candidate David Trone to restart campaign schedule; state GOP files residency complaint against House of Delegate hopeful from Washington County; after tense discussions, Baltimore City delegation votes Del. Cheryl Glenn as its leader; Al Redmer says that if elected Baltimore County exec, he won’t abide by HUD Section 8 housing settlement; Democrats want Insurance Commissioner Redmer to show that he isn’t campaigning on state time; Arundel County Exec Schuh gets backing from public safety unions; and state Sen. Richard Madaleno says he wasn’t prime source in NYT’s Kavanaugh article.

All eyes were focused on the one and only debate between incumbent Republican Gov. Larry Hogan and his Democratic challenger, Ben Jealous, who has been lagging in the polls and in the money race. Many saw a reinvigorated Jealous, whose performance has done his campaign well, as well as a solid and assured Hogan. They traded jabs on education, the economy and criminal justice; where did the rivals fall down when it came to the facts?; and in other news: Archbishop Lori says he will cooperate as Attorney General Frosh probes church sex abuse in Maryland; and U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings seeks hearing should Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein be fired by President Trump.