ELECTION 2002: GOP Wins Maryland Governors Mansion for First Time Since 1966

The State House in Annapolis, is the nation’s oldest state capitol building in continuous use. THE CHESAPEAKE TODAY photo.
Congressman-Steny-Hoyer-center-with-Maryland-Lt.-Gov.-Kathleen-Kennedy-Townsend-left-and-Sen.-Ted-Kennedy-right-at-a-White-Plains-Md-printing-business.-THE CHESAPEAKE TODAY Photo-by-Ken-Rossignol
Erhlich-Gov.-Bob-at-lectern. THE CHESAPEAKE TODAY photo

Ehrlich beats Townsend in Stunning Upset
Morrela beaten by Van Hollen, Ruppersberger beats Bentley as Democrats win two seats from GOP in Maryland but still losing ground nationwide — not a good night for women candidates in Maryland

Down to Defeat, Townsend carried DC suburbs and Baltimore but not be enough to make up for her defeat in rural areas, like Southern Maryland, to turn it all around…..this marks the first time that the other 20 counties of Maryland have been able to stand up to Montgomery, PG and Baltimore and also stands as a big rejection of outgoing, perhaps even makes Townsend wish she had condemned the Gov for being a liar and sleeping with his Statehouse staff.

With 95 percent of precincts reporting, Ehrlich won 51.45 percent of the vote to 47.87 percent for Townsend —   843,185 to 784,454
Republican Challenger Beats Maryland Speaker
of the House Cas Taylor in Breathtakingly Close Race

Crisfield-town-pier-with-fluttering-flags-of-freedom. THE CHESAPEAKE TODAY photo

House of Delegates: District 01C

House-of-Delegates-of-Maryland-Speaker-1994-to-2003-CASPER-R.-TAYLOR-JR.

CASPER R. TAYLOR, JR.
Democrat, District 1C, Allegany County

House Speaker, 1994-2003
Member, House of Delegates, 1975-2003

Member of House of Delegates, January 8, 1975, to January 8, 2003. House Speaker, January 1994 to January 8, 2003. 

Casper R. Taylor Jr.LeRoy Ellsworth Myers Jr.
(Won)
Other Write-Ins
DemocraticRepublican
Allegany4,1522,6620
Washington1,1712,8000
Totals5,3235,4620
Percentage49.36%50.64%
LeRoy-E.-MYERS-JR.-Board-of-Washington-County-Md.-Commissioners-2014-2018

Member of House of Delegates, representing District 1C, Allegany and Washington Counties, January 8, 2003, to December 1, 2014. Resigned December 1, 2014. 



Election Was Stunning Defeat for Congressman Steny Hoyer Who Laid His Prestige On the Line to Build Control Over Local Politics with his “team” of Democrats

Steny Hoyer and former Maryland Governor Marvin Mandel, left, in 2005. THE CHESAPEAKE TODAY photo
Crony Capitalist Mike O’Brien and Randall Board 2003

In 2002, GOP Commissioner Kenny Dement, left, was elected. Democrat Dan Raley, right. THE CHESAPEAKE TODAY photo

WASHINGTON, D.C.  — While U. S. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D. Md. 5th) faced a little known opponent as he crisscrossed the nation working to elect a Democratic majority in Congress, a majority which was changed by the GOP sweep in 1994, Hoyer’s efforts came up empty-handed as his hopes to return to majority status in the House went down in flames as the Republicans have now actually gained House seats in battles around the nation, despite losing two Maryland House seats.

Julie Randall in tears as victory party at Democratic Headquarters turns into a funeral wake

Julie Randall says within earshot of reporter as defeat drama unfolds at Democratic headquarters on election night, after losing re-election battle,  “Lexington Park just went down the f—— drain”.  
Randall and the Democrats have been rewarding their political supporters with payoffs in the form of buying their property for too much money for uses not needed, such as the nearly $1 million paid to Tommy Waring for his 19-acre plot next to Great Mills High School. 

As Randall spoke, an ST. MARY’S TODAY photographer attempting to get photos of Democratic candidates was ejected by two Randall supporters, saying that since ST. MARY’S TODAY didn’t support the Democrat Commissioner candidates, no photos could be taken.    Steny Hoyer looked shocked and in disbelief, “it was like a funeral” said the ST. MARY’S TODAY reporter.
Randall and the Democrats have been favoring a conference center complex being built next to the north gate of the base while shoving aside a conference center at Tudor Hall in Leonardtown being led by developer Phil Dorsey, a strong supporter of Tom McKay, Kenny Dement, and Dan Raley.    Raley and Tom Mattingly were fed up with fellow Democrats Anderson and Randall and were out to stab their fellow ticketmates in the back.   Randall and Anderson were using Marcel Brooks to gain their third vote for control of the board while Hoyer was attempting to wire together with the entire Democratic slate into a team.  The GOP wins, maybe.   What’s next?  Hold on to your seat as the Fat Lady hasn’t sung yet here in the Land of the Flask, the Fiddle, and the Dark Roasted Possum!
— Julie cries and hugs defeated Gypsy Joe Anderson as Randall campaign workers eject ST. MARY’S TODAY reporter from Democratic Defeat…no joy at Breton Inn as Democrats have little to cheer; Republicans lick their chops at taking back control of the government but all three Republicans are former Democrats…will they stay loyal to the GOP?
Dorsey fusion ticket big winner of the day!

GOP-St.-Marys-Commissioner-Candidate-Joe-Gass-in-2002

Dan Raley left, and Tommy Mattingly, right, benefited from Dorsey behind scenes politicking.  Mattingly is ahead and likely to win reelection over Joe Gass by a slim margin after all the votes are counted.  Joe Gass is at the center.   THE CHESAPEAKE TODAY photos

Democrats Lose Control of St. Mary’s Board of Commissioners with Three Republicans Taking Over in Leonardtown
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RALEY’S REVENGE — California, Md. insurance broker John Wayne Raley has been backstabbed by two boards of commissioners in a row as he and his neighboring property owners have been denied commercial zoning on Rt. 235 even though they are opposite Wal-Mart.  Raley had his say during the campaign.
@copyright THE CHESAPEAKE TODAY photo
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Joe Anderson and Julie Randall, who pursued a clearly far-left liberal agenda in St.Mary’s County went down to defeat with no style and no class.
Larry Jarboe, Tommy McKay, and Kenny Dement Prevail
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Vernon Gray, Larry Jarboe, Tom McKay, Joe Gass, and Kenny Dement answer questions at a GOP-sponsored candidates forum.  Reporters from The Enterprise and ST. MARY’S TODAY both asked questions and the GOP team also took questions from the audience.
THE CHESAPEAKE TODAY photo
Absentee Votes Leave Gass Down By 123 Ballots As Mattingly Sneaks Under Wire


  LEXINGTON PARK  — Republican Tommy McKay scores a big win over incumbent Democrat Commissioner President Randall and Commissioner Joe Anderson (D. Drayden) whipped by Kenny Dement while Democrat Tommy Mattingly (Leonardtown) is in a close race with Republican Joe Gass but leads, as over 900 absentee ballots wait to be counted with 172 votes separating the two.   Democrat Dan Raley (Great Mills) scores easy victory over Republican Vernon Gray while former Commissioner Larry Jarboe (R. Mechanicsville) wallops Hoyer supported Democrat Marcel Brooks.
The fusion ticket, drawn up by former States Attorney Walter B. Dorsey, and often talked about but never openly disclosed, won easily in St. Mary’s County on Tuesday, Nov. 5th as three former Democrats running as Republicans won hotly contested races.  Tommy McKay, Kenny Dement, and Larry Jarboe all won easily, giving the GOP control over the Board of Commissioners, ending four years of Democratic Party control, which was on a 4-1 basis since 1998.  Tuesday’s defeat for the Democratic ticket was a huge blow to U. S. Rep. Steny Hoyer who put tens of thousands of dollars into the race along with his personal prestige as he attempted to back a solid Democratic Party team under his leadership.   Hoyer’s loss is a stunning defeat for his attempt to control politics in St. Mary’s the same way he did in Prince George’s County.   Hoyer was able to easily win the majority of votes from St. Mary’s County as he went on to win reelection to Congress.   Former Congressman Roy Dyson won a third term in the Maryland Senate by beating Republican and former Commissioner President Barbara Thompson. 
Dorsey had put together the ticket of Republicans McKay and Dement and joined them with Democrats Mattingly and Raley, taking along the popular Larry Jarboe to win total local control over the Board of Commissioners.  Not enough absentee votes are outstanding to pose much of a chance to change the vote separation between Gass and Mattingly and the Democrat should be able to go back in for another term.
Fritz Handily Beats Cecil

John Bohanan with Assistant States Attorney Alan Cecil in Great Mills. THE CHESAPEAKE TODAY photo



The Prince of Darkness Wins over Mr. Clean  — only in St. Mary’s!

LEONARDTOWN — St. Mary’s States Attorney Rick Fritz won over voters to his reelection despite news coverage over his rape conviction and record of letting drug offenders off easy, along with the missing loot scandal touching his campaign treasurer.   Fritz won with 63 % of the vote against Alan Cecil, a former assistant States Attorney to Walter B. Dorsey.  Dorsey did not aid Cecil in the campaign and instead, let loose the full strength of the Dorsey Machine to beating Hoyer’s Democrats by aligning old-line conservative Democrats with Republicans to unseat far-left liberal Democrats Julie Randall and Joe Anderson. 

Dyson Swamps Thompson


GREAT MILLS  —  Former Congressman Roy Dyson won his third term in the Maryland Senate with a big win over Republican Barbara Thompson.  Thompson did manage to outpoll Dyson in a Charles County precinct by a slim margin, the only Charles County precinct in the newly redrawn Senatorial District.
Dyson wins both counties but the margin in Calvert is close while he wins 61% of the vote in St. Mary’s County. Former St. Mary’s Commissioner Barbara Thompson goes down for the count one more time, after losing two elections in a row, this year and in 1998.  Thompson won a commissioner seat in 1990 and again in 1994 but her brand of liberal big tax hike spending programs was more in tune with the left-wing of the Democratic Party of Randall’s Raisers, who were successful in being able to raise taxes the way Thompson tried to do when she was in office but was thwarted by the GOP majority from 1994 to 1998.  Thompson ran into the Dyson buzz saw and flopped big time.   Bye, Bye, Babs!  

Candidates-Tim Twigg,-Larry Jarboe, and John-Bohanan at Leonardtown Middle School in 2002. THE CHESAPEAKE TODAY photo

Bohanan Beats Dick
Whips Dick who was appointed by GOP to take on appointed Delegate.
LEXINGTON PARK —  Del. John Bohanan finally did it, he won, in his own right, a seat in the Maryland House of Delegates after trying for the first time in 1982 when he lost a tough battle in the Democratic Primary to John Slade.  Bohanan won over Republican Joe Dick, a popular retired Navy Captain who worked in the St. Mary’s Alliance against Drugs and Alcohol.   Bohanan, who is the senior advisor to Rep. Steny Hoyer, was appointed to the House by the Democratic Central Committee to replace Slade who was appointed District Court Judge in 1999.
Buehler Loses Tight Race with O’Donnell as GOP Keeps Delegate Seat Shared by St. Mary’s, Calvert

ST. LEONARD —  With a start last summer of over 3,000 people showing up in the back parking lot of the St. Leonard firehouse to support the candidacy of Pat Buehler, who was elected three times as Calvert County Commissioner, two-term Del. Tony O’Donnell looked like his goose was cooked.  But with a big GOP turnout, for now, Governor-Elect Bob Ehrlich and the GOP giving a sound thrashing to Steny Hoyer’s “team” of St. Mary’s Democrats running for Commissioner, Buehler found himself winning his native Calvert County by about 40 votes but losing in St. Mary’s County by more than 400 votes.   With the margin close, it could come down to absentee ballots but O’Donnell has been there before when he beat Tom Pelliagatti in 1994 by only 26 votes.  Stay tuned to this squeaker for any changes and look in next week’s print edition for the latest news.

Sen. Roy Dyson with St. Mary’s Commissioner President Randy Guy. THE CHESAPEAKE TODAY photo
Calvert4,2964,2490
St. Mary’s1,0591,4830
Totals5,3555,7320
Percentage48.30%51.70%0.00%


Republicans Take Another Four Years in Charge of Calvert County Commissioner Board

PRINCE FREDERICK —  The absentee votes last week pulled Jerry Clark ahead of Grace Mary Brady by 13 votes.  There are still about 69 overseas votes to be counted on Nov. 15 and that will tell who wins the 1st district seat.   With approximately 2/3 of the overseas ballots from Republicans, the odds of Democrat Brady pulling it out are slim.  She is seriously considering a recount if she loses.   The saddest election story in Calvert is that incumbent Barbara Stinnett lost her seat, most likely a result of some Democrat’s single-shooting for Wilson Parran, something that hurt the other Democrat commissioner candidates more than the Republican commissioner candidates. The new BOCC might want to consider naming Wilson Parran board president in gratitude to his candidacy on their behalf.

Calvert County Commissioners’ election results.  Unofficial, not including absentee ballots.

Grace Mary Brady D – 10,550   –  7

Gene Karol     D       –   9,774   –  9

Wilson Parran   D    –  12,148   –  2

Tom Pelagatti   D     –  10,783   –  6

Barbara Stinnett D   –   10,858  –  5

Jerry Clark         R   –    10,498  –  8

David Hale      R      –    14,030  –  1

Linda Kelley      R    –    11,685   – 4

Susan Shaw      R    –    12,021   – 3

Roger Tracy       R   –      8,776  – 10

    Dave Hale wins 3rd district, Susan Shaw wins 2nd, and the vote between Jerry Clark and Grace Mary Brady with only 52 votes apart, is too close to call the winner of the 1st district.  It was reported there are approx. 1,000 absentee votes in Calvert. The two highest vote-getters after the district commissioners are elected, are Wilson Parran and Linda Kelley.   Interesting to note that Tom Pelagatti and Barbara Stinnett both received more votes than first district candidates Jerry Clark and Grace Mary Brady, yet because there is a requirement that one must be elected from each district, either Clark or Brady will win a seat, and neither Stinnett nor Pelagatti will win a seat.  The same thing happened to then-incumbent Commissioner Barbara Stinnett in 1990 when she lost a re-election bid having finished in fifth place, yet surrendering her seat to seventh place finisher Patrick Buehler because of the residency requirement.


Republican Evans Kicks Boss
out of Calvert Sheriff’s Office

Newly elected Calvert Sheriff Mike Evans

PRINCE FREDERICK —  Former State Trooper Mike Evans, who now works as a deputy even though he retired from the State Police on medical disability, won’t have to worry about whether he should have been working as a deputy in a job in which he was declared to be physically unfit.  Now he has won the constitutional office of Sheriff and will be able to do as he pleases for the next four years.  Evans, a local boy whose mom Audrey was a popular Clerk of the Court and whose dad is a well respected former State Trooper, overcame a reputation of being a bit of a scoundrel and won a whopping victory over Democrat Sheriff John A. “Rodney” Bartlett.  Evans scored 14,671 to 9,495 for Bartlett.  Bartlett was hurt by a sentiment that he only had the job since he was FOP President and was appointed as a payback from his pal, Governor Glendening.  Bartlett went to work and found the Calvert Commissioners attempting to put him out of work by taking away his department 18 months ago.  In a short period of time, Bartlett convinced the Board to change their minds about establishing a police department and made many positive changes for the better, winning the support of the deputies who endorsed him in the election.  Evans was endorsed by the local lodge of the Maryland Troopers Association.
Democrat Zylak Wins Squeaker Over GOP’s Bailey

St.-Marys-Sheriff-David-Zylak. THE CHESAPEAKE TODAY photo

St. Mary’s Sheriff-Elect Dave Zylak
LEONARDTOWN —  After coming from behind in the Democratic Primary to beat Dan Morris, David Zylak won the St. Mary’s Sheriff’s race despite dirty tricks laid on his doorstep just before the election.  Will Zylak by able to keep his wife from being like Hillary Clinton as he takes over at the Sheriff’s Dept.?  Time will tell.  Zylak may not have to worry about pending internal charges against him now that he won the election.  Sheriff Voorhaar had charged Zylak in administrative charges for being in charge of the jail when an inmate hung himself despite being already noted as a suicide risk.   

Charles County Sheriff Fred Davis won his third term in 2002. THE CHESAPEAKE TODAY photo

Davis Wins Easy Victory in Grudge Rematch; Hennesey Loses Close Race for States Attorney to Leonard Collins

LA PLATA —  The toughest race yet for Fred Davis took place on Tuesday as Republican Sheriff Fred Davis won his third term as Charles County Sheriff.  Davis, who was a career Maryland State Police Trooper who rose through the ranks to the command level, fought a tough campaign against retired Charles Sheriff’s Patrol Lt. Rex Coffey who waged his second battle to oust Davis.   Davis won the post in 1994 by beating then-Sheriff Jim Gartland in the GOP Primary by 130 votes.  Davis has done an admirable job in modernizing and professionalizing the agency and clearly, the voters recognized it with a vote of confidence, where he won 56% of the vote.
Noted TV commentator and law enforcement expert Lou Hennesy failed to unseat Leonard Collins, who won his third term in office. 

Charles County election returns —
TREASURER
JEROME E. PEULER, JR.23,780100%
STATE’S ATTORNEY

LEONARD C. COLLINS, JR.16,57151%
W. LOUIS HENNESSY15,81349%
CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT

RICHARD A. DAY, III16,74853%
JIM GARTLAND15,06847%
REGISTER OF WILLS
SUSIE C. BOWLES25,554100%
JUDGE OF THE ORPHANS’ COURT
LILLIAN A. CLARK16,18421%
JANE D. EASTON13,75018%
ROBERT DAVE BOWLING15,40220%
ELIZABETH L. GARNER16,36221%
KEVIN B. WEDDING16,72621%
Charles County SHERIFF
REX COFFEY14,69945%

FREDERICK E. DAVIS17,92555%
Charles COUNTY COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT

MURRAY D. LEVY24,904100%
COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 1
VIRGINIA L. BENEDICT14,23144%
WILLIAM DANIEL MAYER17,91856%
COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 2
WAYNE COOPER17,54155%
JOHN D. RUTHERFORD14,62045%
COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 3
REGINALD KEARNEY14,96346%

AL SMITH17,26254%
COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 4
ROBERT J. FULLER17,94856%
MARVIN C. KISAMORE13,90044%
Tim Hutchins won another term as Delegate from Charles County in 2002, was appointed Superintendant of the Maryland State Police in 2004, and was elected to the post of Calvert County Commissioner in 2018. THE CHESAPEAKE TODAY photo.


Hutchins, Mitchell Win Re-Election in Charles to Maryland House, Middleton Scores Easy Win Over Easter to the third term in Maryland Senate

House of Delegates: District 28

Sally JamesonJim JarboeVan T. Mitchell
DemocraticDemocraticDemocratic
Charles17,82416,09617,534
Totals17,82416,09617,534
Percentage19.78%17.86%19.46%
Robert BoudreauxJames CrawfordThomas E. “Tim”
Hutchins
RepublicanRepublicanRepublican
Charles8,89211,60618,162
Totals8,89211,60618,162
Percentage9.87%12.88%20.15%
St. Mary’s totals: Governor 
TOWNSEND/LARSON8,62736%EHRLICH JR./STEELE15,21063%LANCASTER/GAZTANAGA2421%
Comptroller 
WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER13,07456%GENE ZARWELL10,47144%
Attorney General 
J. JOSEPH CURRAN JR.12,06553%EDWIN MacVAUGH10,75147%
Representative In Congress District 5 
STENY H. HOYER, 16,028, 66%
JOSEPH T. CRAWFORD, 8,226, 34%
State Senator District 29
ROY DYSON 14,752 61%
BARBARA R. THOMPSON, 9,563 39%
House Of Delegates Subdistrict 29a 
JOHN F. WOOD JR. 8,835 100%
House Of Delegates Subdistrict 29b 
JOHN L. BOHANAN JR., 6,044, 59%
JOSEPH L. DICK, 4,207, 41%
Thomas McKay, the Republican candidate for St. Mary’s Commissioner President in 2002. THE CHESAPEAKE TODAY photo
Calvert County Commissioner Pat Buehler in his store in St. Leonard, Md. in 2015. THE CHESAPEAKE TODAY photo
House Of Delegates Subdistrict 29c 
PAT BUEHLER, 1,059, 42%
ANTHONY J. O’DONNELL, 1,483, 58%
County Commissioner President 
JULIE B. RANDALL, 9,454, 39%
THOMAS F. McKAY, 14,654, 61%
County Commissioner District 1 
JOSEPH F. ANDERSON, 11,002, 46%
KENNY DEMENT, 12,712, 54%
County Commissioner District 2 
THOMAS A. MATTINGLY SR., 11,963, 50%
JOE GASS 11,791, 50%
County Commissioner District 3 
MARCEL W. BROOKS, 10,104, 43%
LARRY JARBOE, 13,448, 57%

County Commissioner District 4 
DANIEL H. RALEY, 12,319, 52%
VERNON GRAY, 9,626, 41%
BOB LEWIS, 1,655, 7%
Judge Court Of Appeals Appellate Circuit 5 
YES, 17,393, 88%
NO, 2,349, 12%
Judge Court Of Special Appeals At-Large 
YES, 17,374, 88%
NO2,289, 12%
Judge Of Special Appeals Appellate Circuit 5 
YES 16,825 87%
NO 2,429 13%
Treasurer 
JANNETTE P. NORRIS, 19,606 100%
State’s Attorney 
ALAN CECIL 8,792 37%
RICHARD D. FRITZ 14,870 63%
Clerk Of The Circuit Court 
EVELYN W. ARNOLD 12,640 55%
SANDRA BAILEY REDDEN 10,291 45%
Register Of Wills
DIANNE B. McWILLIAMS
12,185 54%
CINDY ADAMS
10,278 46%
Judge Of The Orphans’ Court 
RUSS CULLINS 8,868 15%
LINDA R. DEAN 8,636 15%
PAT WOODBURN 7,033 12%
WILLIAM “ROY” BUCKLER JR. 8,080 14%
JOHN THOMAS MATTINGLY 8,384 14%
DALTON WOOD JR. 8,762 15%
JENKS MATTINGLY 8,535 15%
Sheriff 
DAVID D. ZYLAK, 11,986, 51%
MICKEY M. BAILEY, 11,458, 49%
Board Of Education District 1 
SAL RASPA, 17,355, 100%
Board Of Education District 3 
RANDY GUY, 8,57, 143%
BILL MATTINGLY, 11,165, 57%
Question 1 Constitutional Amendment
FOR THE AMENDMENT 17,790, 83%
AGAINST THE AMENDMENT, 3,557, 17%
Question 2 Constitutional Amendment Detail
FOR THE AMENDMENT9,22744%
AGAINST THE AMENDMENT11,52156%
Question 3 Constitutional Amendment Detail
FOR THE AMENDMENT, 8,779, 50%
AGAINST THE AMENDMENT, 8,689, 50%

2002 PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS

16,082 Republicans were registered to vote, 6,041 (38%) voted in the
St. Mary’s primary election

19,445 Democrats were registered to vote, 7990 or 41% cast ballots in the St. Mary’s primary election

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