ARMITAGE SUPPORTERS OUT FOR FOOD AND OLD-FASHIONED BACK SLAPPING AS JUDGE ELECTION DRAWS CLOSE

ARMITAGE SUPPORTERS OUT FOR FOOD AND OLD-FASHIONED BACK SLAPPING AS JUDGE ELECTION DRAWS CLOSE

By Ken Rossignol

THE CHESAPEAKE TODAY

PINEY POINT, MD – The day following the final campaign finance reports to be disclosed before the May 14, 2024, election primary in St. Mary’s County, a large crowd began streaming through the Armitage for Judge breakfast in Piney Point.

Campaign treasurer Eric Sweeney greeted folks at the front door of the Media Center at the Paul Hall Center on the Seafarer’s Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship, and even though the affair was held without fee, charge, or barter, many donations were cheerfully deposited in the campaign kitty.

Howard Thompson, the Facilities Director, put on an impressive country breakfast arranged in gleaming stainless steel food servers. A cheerful staff welcomed the crowd and guided folks to tables of beverages. Gliding through the crowd was an enthusiastic candidate, attorney Sue Ann Armitage, looking nearly as young and sprite as her campaign sign photo.

Maryland State Senator Jack Bailey (R. District 29, Calvert, St. Mary’s) and Delegate Todd Morgan (R. District 29) assisted Armitage with greeting friends, voters, and those who love a free feed.

Former Sheriff Tim Cameron, apparently on leave from his post as Wyoming State Police Superintendent, also made a guest appearance, asking friends to vote for Armitage. Cameron may also be testing the waters to return to St. Mary’s and run for Sheriff once again as the agency continues to fall apart.

The early voting commenced on May 2, 2024, in three locations in St. Mary’s County, which is completely unnecessary, as the one early voting location sufficed prior to the bleating, beefing, and complaining of Del. Brian Crosby (D. District 29) leading to adding early voting centers in Mechanicsville and Lexington Park. Crosby never saw a tax he didn’t want to hike or a regulation or rule that he didn’t want to institute, but that is what makes him an excellent free-spending Democrat.

The turnout for early voting is light throughout the county and statewide, making the Democrats nervous that they may be overpreparing illegal paper ballots to drop off or load too many illegal aliens onto buses with handouts of cash and liquor as enticement a time-honored election cheating method in Maryland. Election stealing is very stressful for Democrats after their successful hijacking of the 2020 Presidential Election.

St. Mary’s County Commissioner Mike Alderson (R. Chaptico, 7^th District, Mechanicsville) joined School Board candidate Josh Guy, School Board Member Jim Davis, and veteran Republican Party leader Mike Thompson in leading conversation and connecting as excuses for scarfing up biscuits with gravy, country sausage and flapjacks.

Former Assistant St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney Joseph A. Mattingly Jr was his family’s designated representative to the function, signaling the support of one of the county’s largest clans behind Armitage. 

His father, the late Circuit Court Judge Joseph A. Mattingly Sr, was the last attorney in St. Mary’s County to take on a sitting judge in an election in 1972 when he defeated sitting Judge Joseph Weiner following Weiner being appointed by Governor Marvin Mandel, the vacancy caused by the retirement of Judge Philip H. Dorsey.

Popular Ryken wrestling coach and retired Maryland State Police Sergeant Gary Willis attended with his son Derek, who usually misses many events in his home county due to his work as an active merchant seafarer on ships around the world. Currently, Derek is improving his skills and knowledge at the Piney Point Seafarer’s Educational Center.  

Another retired Maryland State Police officer adding his name to supporters of Armitage is Mark Karwacki.

Armitage picked up the important support of lifelong Democrat John Bohanan, whose father, Jack, along with Ken Cross and the late Del. Johnny Wood, assisted Armitage in getting her law practice off the ground thirty-three years ago.  

Former Delegate John Bohanan was first appointed to the House of Delegates by Maryland Governor Paris Glendenning in 1999 to fill the unexpired term of Delegate John Slade, who, at the urging of former Senator J. Frank Raley, was appointed to the job of District Court Judge.  Bohanan then won election in 2002, 2006 and 2010, losing to Republican Deb Rey in 2014. Senator Raley provided me with a copy of his letter to the Governor after I wrote in an article that Raley was the kingmaker of Judges in St. Mary’s County. Below is the letter.

While Sue Ann Armitage is just learning the ropes of how to use Facebook Live, She is pretty good at knowing the law…