
Progressively Speaking (Excerpt)
Saturday, Apr. 1, 2006
by Mike Tabor
"Challenger Jamie Raskin is running a strong and vibrant grassroots campaign and stands a good chance of replacing the current Senator Ida Ruben."
- Mike Tabor
In the Maryland 20th District race, all the incumbents show signs of running scared...Challenger Jamie Raskin is running a strong and vibrant grassroots campaign and stands a good chance of replacing the current Senator Ida Ruben.
Ruben has never garnered a big personal base of support despite 30 years in the legislature. Mostly, she has relied on machine politicking. Recently, she authored a bill to consolidate control over the Democratic Central Committee for herself and the other incumbents. After several precinct captains reacted with outrage, Ruben was embarrassed by a 21-0 vote by Montgomery County delegates to kill the bill on March 24.
That same night, 300 people turned out to hear Texas populist Jim Hightower endorse Raskin at a benefit in Silver Spring. This kind of turnout for a state senate campaign more than five months before the election is unheard of and shows what shaky ground Ruben is on. In a recent poll conducted by the Gazette Newspapers, Ruben was ranked at the lowest level of effectiveness."
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