Author: zach

Maryland Matters: NOTES: SICK LEAVE POLL, ENDORSEMENTS AND TRANSITIONS

By Josh Kurtz

Three-quarters of Maryland voters want employers to provide robust paid sick leave benefits to their workers, according to a poll conducted for advocacy groups.

Specifically, 74 percent of survey respondents supported requiring companies with at least 15 employees to provide five days of paid sick leave each year to full-time employees. A bill that emerged from the legislature this year would have accomplished just that, but was vetoed by Gov. Larry Hogan (R), who had a less comprehensive proposal for paid sick leave.

Fifty-seven percent of those polled said they favored legislators overturning Hogan’s veto when they return to work in January.

“This poll has confirmed what we already knew,” said Caryn York, executive director of the Job Opportunities Task Force, one of the advocacy groups that commissioned the poll. “Marylanders from every corner of the state support this legislation, because no one should have to choose between their paycheck and their health.”

The poll of 625 regular Maryland voters was conducted Sept. 27-30 by Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy Inc. It had a 4-point margin of error.

Support for the paid sick leave measure was at 80 percent or greater in Baltimore city, central Maryland and Prince George’s County, and topped 60 percent in more conservative areas like Western Maryland and the Eastern Shore/Southern Maryland. Eighty-one percent of women and 67 percent of men favored the proposal. Even 59 percent of Republicans said they supported the idea.

By region, support for overriding Hogan’s veto ranged from 67 percent in Baltimore city to 44 percent on the Eastern Shore/Southern Maryland.

Hogan and other members of his administration have been exhorting business groups and other civic leaders to help them whip up opposition to a veto override.

“Governor Hogan supports common sense paid sick leave,” his spokeswoman, Amelia Chasse, said in a statement. “The governor is committed to working with legislators, small business owners, workers, and advocates on a common sense, bipartisan, balanced plan that provides paid leave benefits to hardworking Marylanders without hurting our small business job creators. Fortunately, House Bill 1 was not slated to take effect until January, which means there is still time to get this right and compromise on a better bill.”

Endorsement Roundup. Ben Jealous, the former NAACP president and Democratic candidate for governor, is getting a major endorsement on Thursday from the Service Employees International Union, a powerhouse in Democratic primaries with a time-tested get-out-the-vote operation. SEIU represents 45,000 workers in Maryland.

Jealous
Ben Jealous is picking up a major endorsement on Thursday.
Last week, Jealous was endorsed by the National Nurses United, the nation’s largest union of registered nurses.

“Nurses are proud to endorse former NAACP President Ben Jealous for Governor because of his inspiring vision for Maryland and his track record of activism and advocacy for social, economic, and racial justice,” said Sandy Falwell, a registered nurse who is a resident of Clinton, Md., and an NNU vice president. “As nurses, we see the devastating effects of a deeply flawed healthcare system on our patients every day. We are excited to stand with Ben Jealous because he shares nurses’ vision of a single payer/Medicare for All healthcare system that provides all Marylanders with the quality care they need, and because he shares nurses’ values of caring, compassion and community.”

Like Jealous, the NNU supported Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders during his run for the White House last year.

Jealous is one of several candidates who have gotten significant endorsements in recent days:

*Vaughn Stewart, an attorney and one of several Democrats running for the House of Delegates in Montgomery County’s District 19, was endorsed by former state Attorney General Steve Sachs (D).

“Vaughn has the policy savvy and the work ethic necessary to be an incredibly effective Delegate,” Sachs said, “He is exactly the kind of tireless advocate we need in Annapolis.”

*Andrew Friedson, a former top aide to Comptroller Peter Franchot (D) who is running for the Montgomery County Council in District 1, rolled out several endorsements the other day coinciding with his campaign kickoff. They were: Franchot, state Sens. Brian Feldman (D) and Craig Zucker (D), and Susie Turnbull, the former state Democratic chairwoman and one-time Democratic National Committee vice chair.

“Andrew Friedson represents the very best of people who’ve ever worked for me,” Franchot said.

*The Maryland chapter of the Sierra Club on Wednesday announced that it was endorsing 52 incumbent state senators and delegates – all Democrats – for re-election. See the full list.

“These Sierra Club endorsed candidates have demonstrated strong leadership in promoting clean air, clean water, and cleaner energy for a healthier Maryland,” said Josh Tulkin, director of the Maryland Sierra Club.

The Maryland chapter aims to raise $100,000 to support pro-environment candidates in the 2018 election cycle – and has collected about $40,000 so far.

Franchot Files. To the surprise of no one, Franchot filed for re-election late last week. He is seeking a fourth term.

What is surprising is that Franchot has no Democratic primary opponent, since many party insiders are furious with him for his close relationship with Hogan and vocal criticism of legislative leaders. But Franchot continues to thrive with his own special sauce of political savvy and public service.

Comptroller_Peter_Franchot
Comptroller Peter Franchot (D) is seeking a fourth term.
“I don’t work for the Annapolis insiders,” Franchot, who has served in Annapolis for 31 straight years, says in an announcement video. “I don’t work for the political bosses. I work for you.”

The 1,001st Friend. 1000 Friends of Maryland, the environmental and smart growth advocacy group, announced Wednesday that it has hired John Campagna to be its next executive director when Dru Schmidt-Perkins, the organization’s long-time leader, steps down next month.

Campagna has worked in high tech and finance as well as being an environmental activist – a useful combination in the modern advocacy world. As the founder of Restore Capital, he has worked with organizations such as Corvias, GreenVest LLC, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake, and others

“John takes the helm of this organization that has a strong record,” said Dale Sams, 1000 Friends’ board chairman. “We see the impact of 20 years of strategic and effective advocacy everywhere, including new state laws, stronger regulations, and policies that strengthen our communities and protect rural areas from costly, polluting sprawl development.”

Schmidt-Perkins, who helped launch the organization and previously was a regional director for the group Clean Water Action, announced in May that she would step down after 19 years at the helm. 1000 Friends is hosting a farewell dinner to salute Schmidt-Perkins on Nov. 8.

“People are often surprised at how small this organization is,” Sams said. “But when you have a strong team, smart strategy, and effective coalition leadership you can have a powerful impact.”

Party Up. The Maryland Democratic Party this week announced that it has brought on three new staffers.

Fabion Seaton will manage the party’s communications and messaging strategy, replacing Bryan Lesswing, who took a job at Emily’s List. Seaton most recently served as the press secretary for U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.). Prior to that, he worked for former Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and former Baltimore city Del. Jill Carter (D). He grew up in Prince George’s County and is a graduate of Frostburg State University.

Saif Ratul will manage the party’s field operation, after serving as the deputy field director for the 2016 Maryland Democratic Coordinated Campaign. Prior to that, Ratul was a regional field director for Chris Van Hollen’s U.S. Senate campaign and worked on electoral and issue-based campaigns in Iowa, Colorado and New York.

Eva Lewis will manage the party’s political outreach. She has worked as an attorney, grass-roots organizer and political operative building coalitions and increasing political engagement. She is a native of Prince George’s County.

The trio joins Executive Director Stephanie Potter as the top party staffers for the election cycle.

“This team has the energy, the experience, and the drive to support our candidates up and down the ballot, all across the state,” party Chairwoman Kathleen Matthews said in a statement.

Montgomery Community Media: REGULATORY ATTORNEY SEEKS HOUSE OF DELEGATES SEAT

Montgomery Community Media: REGULATORY ATTORNEY SEEKS HOUSE OF DELEGATES SEAT

A 28-year-old lawyer from Derwood is running for the Democratic nomination for a District 19 seat in the House of Delegates, thinking his White House policy expertise and his work ethic make him a good fit for Annapolis.

“I’m running I have the both the policy chops and the work ethic to be an effective delegate to get things done in Annapolis,” Vaughn Stewart said.

District 19 is currently represented by Bonnie Cullison, Marice Morales and Benjamin Kramer. Kramer has filed with the Maryland State Board of Elections to run for the state Senate seat now held by Roger Manno, who is running for the 6th Congressional District seat being vacated by Rep. John Delaney. Cullison and Morales, both of Silver Spring, have filed for re-election.

Two others have filed to run in the District 19 Democratic primary: Brian Crider of Rockville and Jade Wiles Jr. of Silver Spring.

District 19 takes in a central sliver of Montgomery County, east of Rockville and Gaithersburg, but west of Olney. It includes parts of Silver Spring, Wheaton, Leisure World, Laytonsville, Derwood, Aspen Hill and Kemp Mill.

Stewart’s policy expertise includes a stint in the White House Domestic Policy Council under President Obama as well as serving as Rep. Jamie Raskin’s policy director for his 2016 congressional campaign.

He said he wants to serve as a delegate because he can make a difference in state government.

“I think with the buffoon we have in the White House, the prospect of progress is minimal,” Stewart said.

He also said he is a two-time cancer survivor, going through four rounds of chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer of the white blood cells, over the spring and summer. As of June 16, he said, his cancer is fully in remission.

“Going through that experience gives you a newfound appreciation for the injustices of our health care system,” Stewart said.

A proposal he’d advance in the House of Delegates would be to treat pharmaceutical companies like utilities. A board of relevant experts would set prices for prescription drugs that allows companies to make a profit but doesn’t gouge consumers, he said.

Stewart said he’d model it after the all-payer model that regulates hospital charges.

He said he also wanted the state to make “smart” investments in infrastructure, including all-day MARC service and extending Metro’s Red Line from Glenmont to Olney with stops in Leisure World and Aspen Hill.

“You’re not only giving commuters alternatives to traffic congestion, you’re helping to combat climate change, and finally you’re investing in the clean energy economy in creating good paying green-collar jobs,” he said.

Stewart has gained an endorsement from a progressive leader from Maryland’s political past: Stephen Sachs, the former attorney general who ran unsuccessfully for governor in 1986, losing to Baltimore Mayor William Donald Schaefer.

“Vaughn has the policy savvy and the work ethic necessary to be an incredibly effective Delegate,” Sachs said in a news release issued by Stewart’s campaign. “He is exactly the kind of tireless advocate we need in Annapolis.”

Sachs formerly was a lawyer for WilmerHale, where Stewart now works as a regulatory attorney.

Bethesda Magazine: Jenkins, Stewart To Run for District 19 Delegate

Bethesda Magazine: Jenkins, Stewart To Run for District 19 Delegate

The field of candidates vying to become a delegate in District 19, with Ben Kramer leaving, is growing.

This month, Derwood attorney Vaughn Stewart filed with the state’s Board of Elections to run for delegate in the district, which includes portions of Silver Spring and Rockville.

On Monday, Marlin Jenkins, a Silver Spring labor attorney and major in the Maryland National Guard, announced he would run, too.

Six Democrats, including two incumbents and Stewart, have filed to run for three delegate seats in next year’s elections. No Republicans have filed.

Kramer is running for state Senate in the district after the incumbent senator, Roger Manno, announced he would pursue the District 6 congressional seat. Incumbent Dels. Bonnie Cullison and Marice Morales both are seeking seek re-election.

Stewart, 28, is an attorney at the Washington, D.C., law firm WilmerHale and represents refugees pro bono, according to his campaign website bio.

In a press release last week, he said he would work to improve the state’s health care system, lower prescription drug prices and ease traffic congestion in the area as a delegate.

“Quality health care, affordable prescription drugs, and paid sick leave should be rights of every single Marylander,” Stewart said in a statement.

This year, he was diagnosed as having non-Hodgkin lymphoma, but it is in remission, his campaign website says. He has previously said his two battles with cancer in the last 10 years have given him insight into health care policy and the need to improve options for patients.

Stewart worked as a policy director for Rep. Jamie Raskin’s congressional campaign and served on the boards of the Action Committee for Transit and the Montgomery County Renters Alliance.

His campaign bio says he served on a Domestic Policy Council under the Obama administration.

He grew up in Anniston, Alabama, where his father served as both a judge and a mayor, according to his website. Stewart received his undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and law degree from New York University.

He is the treasurer of the District 19 Democratic Club.

In a phone interview Monday, Jenkins, 35, likened his personal story to that of Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett. He said he grew up poor in Vidalia, Louisiana, a town of about 3,000 people. His high school graduating class had 70 students. He attended Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge while serving in the Louisiana National Guard.

As a soldier, he was deployed to help Hurricane Katrina victims and on humanitarian missions building infrastructure in Guatemala, Honduras and Belize. He said he earned a Bronze Star Medal in Iraq.

After returning from Iraq, he graduated from law school at North Carolina Central University in 2012. He moved to Silver Spring to work at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda and landed his current job as a labor attorney for the American Federation of Government Employees.

During the 2017 General Assembly session, he volunteered in Manno’s office, assisting with labor and veteran-related legislation.

Jenkins said he has attended cookouts at Leggett’s home, but the county executive has not encouraged him to run or endorsed him. Leggett and Jenkins grew up in towns about 30 minutes apart in Louisiana—during different time periods, as Leggett is 73—and attended the same undergraduate university, Jenkins noted. Leggett also served in the military, as an Army captain during the Vietnam War.

Jenkins said he is running to provide other people with opportunities he received. He noted that as a Louisiana National Guard member, he received free college tuition—a policy he’d like to bring to Maryland, which offers a waiver up to 50 percent for college students serving in the National Guard. He said he was enrolled in Head Start as a child, which prepared him for school and helped his mother raise three boys on her own.

“I think my starting point from one of the poorest areas in the country to using the opportunities provided to me are a demonstration of what the American story is,” Jenkins said. “My story is what happens when opportunities are provided to people.”

Jenkins is a member of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee.

Other Democrats who have filed to run in the district include software developer Brian Crider, of Rockville; former health care operations manager Jade Wiles Jr., of Silver Spring; and education policy consultant Justin Dayhoff, of Derwood.

Maryland Matters: FAMILIAR STORY, NEW CANDIDATE

Maryland Matters: FAMILIAR STORY, NEW CANDIDATE

On June 22, 2015, Gov. Larry Hogan (R) announced that he had been diagnosed with late stage 3 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Hogan spent the next several months fighting the rare and aggressive cancer – gaining countless friends and well-wishers along the way.

Vaughn Stewart, a young attorney, was diagnosed with the same kind of cancer two years later. Now, after just being given a clean bill of health following four rounds of chemotherapy, he’s seeking a seat in the House of Delegates from Montgomery County’s District 19.

Stewart, a 28-year-old Democrat, is running in a largely Democratic area that takes in portions of Silver Spring and Rockville, including Leisure World. He may look like a shoo-in from the outside but with so many other Democrats running he will, after fighting cancer, face another battle — differentiating himself from the pack. His story may help him do just that.

“I actually got cancer for the first time when I was 18 years old,” Stewart said. “At that time I thought, we’re really not guaranteed tomorrow, I should really try to do the best I can to make a difference.”

Stewart_Vaughn_lo.jpg

An Alabama native who currently works for the Washington, D.C., law firm WilmerHale, Stewart attended the University of Pennsylvania for his undergraduate degree, and while there he taught debating skills to underprivileged kids. He then went to New York University Law School. At WilmerHale, he focuses on government litigation and investigations, but also does pro bono work assisting refugees.

Several months ago, Stewart was diagnosed with cancer again. With a similar mindset, he began thinking about what he was going to do this time around to make a difference.

During his chemotherapy treatments, he studied health care policy.

“I remember receiving the chemo cocktail in my right arm while holding my iPhone in my left hand and reading about the congressional Republicans trying to gut care for those of us with pre-existing conditions,” he said.

Stewart is not only critical of congressional Republicans and their health care agenda but Hogan as well.

“As you might imagine, my experience has not ingratiated me to the governor’s position on sick leave or congressional Republicans’ eagerness to slash protections for those of us with preexisting conditions,” he said.

Stewart, who served as policy director to Rep. Jamie Raskin’s (D-Md.) congressional campaign, is advancing proposals to regulate generic prescription drug manufacturers like public utilities and to create Maryland’s own universal health care system.

As Hogan was after his treatment, Stewart is currently bald. On his campaign announcement video, he jokes that his baldness “is not a fashion statement.”

Hogan in an interview last week said he had not heard of Stewart, but wished him well.

“My thoughts and prayers go out to him as a fellow cancer survivor,” the governor said. “We’re all part of the same club.”

Hogan said even after going into remission it’s tough to be in the public eye right away.

“It takes a while to get your strength back and it’s really grueling,” he said.

(Hogan was not apprised of Stewart’s policy criticisms during the interview and did not have an opportunity to respond.)

Stewart credits his socioeconomic status for his successful fight against cancer.

“I live in Montgomery County, I live in one of the wealthiest counties in one of the wealthiest states in the wealthiest country of all time, and yet there are people who die from diseases like I had because they didn’t have health insurance,” he said.

Stewart is one of several candidates who have officially entered the race for three seats in the House of Delegates. With state Sen. Roger Manno (D) now running for Congress, Del. Ben Kramer (D) is looking to move up to the Senate. Del. Marice Morales (D) and Del. Bonnie Cullison (D) are running for re-election.

Also running for the House as Democrats are political novices Brian Crider, a software developer, and Jade Wiles, who is getting a doctorate in health administration.

Charlotte Crutchfield, chairwoman of the Montgomery County Merit Systems Protection Board, and Marlin Jenkins, an attorney with the American Federation of Government Employees, are also pondering the Democratic race.

Stewart acknowledges that his interest in running is not solely a result of his cancer battle.

“The truth is, since I was a kid I’ve always been interested in public service,” he said. “I think I’ve got a unique perspective on the precariousness of life and how close death is and I think most importantly the absurdity of our health care system.”

The Anniston Star: After battling cancer, Vaughn Stewart III turns his eye toward politics

The Anniston Star: After battling cancer, Vaughn Stewart III turns his eye toward politics

A few weeks ago, Vaughn Stewart III was in a hospital treatment room receiving a round of chemo and surfing the web with his iPhone to help pass the time. He read up on news reports about the health care bickering in Washington, D.C., and was especially concerned about the talk of pre-existing conditions and lifetime insurance caps.

At the time, the Anniston native and current Maryland resident was receiving treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, marking his second battle with the C-word.

His first came in 2007 shortly after graduating from The Donoho School. He was diagnosed with acinic cell carcinoma — cancer of the salivary gland. After surgery, he underwent a series of scans; when each one came back clean, he considered it to be “another bullet dodged.”

Vaughn went on to attend the University of Pennsylvania, double-majoring in political science and sociology, and then to New York University School of Law, where he was an editor of the NYU Law Review. During that time, he served as a White House intern. After graduating, he clerked for the Hon. John T. Nixon in Nashville, Tenn. (Nixon had started his career as Anniston’s city attorney, where he knew Vaughn’s grandfather.)

Today, Vaughn is a regulatory attorney at WilmerHale, a large corporate firm in Washington. It is where he met Alex, the woman who would later become his wife, when both were working as summer associates.

One of his favorite memories from that time was when the summer associates took a Segway tour of D.C. It was such a hot day that they each took turns driving over a water hose for some quick relief. Alex decided to impress the others with her ability to maneuver the Segway backwards, not realizing how slowly it traveled in reverse. Once she came off the hose, she was drenched! Vaughn took the opportunity to whisk her away, giving them time alone to talk and get to know each other.

Some 18 months and many conversations later, Vaughn took Alex to the Lincoln Memorial on the ruse that they were meeting friends. His real intent was a marriage proposal. He had hired a photographer to snap photos of the event, and when he and Alex reached the top of the monument steps, he dropped to one knee.

Before he could actually say the words, however, Alex noticed the photographer and, thinking he was a tourist, apologized for getting in his shot. By the time Vaughn was able to pop the question, a crowd of actual tourists had gathered and were also taking pictures, cheering loudly when Alex happily accepted.

The two were married last summer in a beautiful ceremony in Chevy Chase, Md., but before they could celebrate their first anniversary, Vaughn discovered a swollen lymph node on the side of his neck. The doctor confirmed his worst fears: It was cancer.

Fortunately, the illness was caught in Stage 1, which his doctor explained was not a death sentence, but more like a lousy summer. After four rounds of chemo, Vaughn is now in remission and getting his life back to normal.

While he appreciates the sentiment behind those who congratulate him for “beating cancer,” he feels his recovery is the result of other factors such as early diagnosis, connections to renowned facilities and excellent health insurance.

“I owe my life to my fortunate socio-economic circumstance,” he said. “I live in one of the wealthiest counties in one of the wealthiest states in the wealthiest country of all time, yet there are people who die because they can’t afford health insurance.”

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Bethesda Beat: With Manno Running For Congress, Cullison Eyes Bid For His State Senate Seat

Bethesda Beat: With Manno Running For Congress, Cullison Eyes Bid For His State Senate Seat

Del. Marice Morales, elected for the first time four years ago, said this week that she is committed to seeking re-election to her current post. That makes her the only one of four members of the District 19 state legislative delegation definitely staying put next year.

“I am very happy where I am,” Morales, of Silver Spring, said, adding, “I support my colleagues in whatever decisions they make.”

Welcome to yet another playing field in a countywide game of political dominoes, triggered by Friday’s disclosure from U.S. Rep. John Delaney of Potomac that he is foregoing a bid for re-election in 2018 to seek the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020.

Morales’ District 19 colleagues include two-term state Sen. Roger Manno of Silver Spring, who Wednesday made official what he has told supporters for months: If Delaney did not run for a fourth term, Manno, a former congressional aide, would seek to succeed him on Capitol Hill. With Manno moving on, Del. Bonnie Cullison—also a Silver Spring resident first elected to the House of Delegates in 2010—is eyeing a bid for Manno’s open Senate seat in next year’s Democratic primary.

“I am considering that option,” Cullison, a former president of the local teachers’ union, the Montgomery County Education Association, said in an interview.

Cullison’s aspirations have been complicated by uncertainty surrounding the future plans of the remaining incumbent in the District 19 legislative contingent, Del. Ben Kramer of Derwood. After publicly suggesting late last year that he was getting ready to make a bid for the county executive post his father, Sid Kramer, held from 1986 to 1990, Ben Kramer in recent months has been playing his cards close to his vest on his political future. He told Bethesda Beat Wednesday he will announce his plans immediately after Labor Day.

Sources last month suggested Kramer was waiting to see what Potomac businessman David Trone would do, even though Kramer insisted Wednesday that Trone’s plan have not been “of significant concern” to him.

If Kramer opts against a race for county executive—even with Trone now out of that contest and running for Delaney’s seat—it would appear to leave him two remaining political options: re-election or a bid for the state Senate. Kramer’s father and his sister, Rona Kramer (who now heads the state Department of Aging under Gov. Larry Hogan), each served in the Senate.

A run for Senate could put Kramer, first elected to the House of Delegates in 2006, on a collision course with Cullison in overwhelmingly Democratic District 19, which stretches from Silver Spring to the outskirts of Rockville and Gaithersburg.

It also could translate into vacancies in two of the district’s three delegate seats, which also would be true if Kramer opts for the county executive race.

That prospect, in turn, already has prompted three non-incumbent candidates to file or declare their intentions to run for delegate in the District 9 Democratic primary next year. At least two others are eyeing a run, including former Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee member Charlotte Crutchfield of Silver Spring, who sought a delegate nomination in 2014.

Vaughn Stewart—a Derwood resident who is an associate with the Washington-based law firm Wilmer Hale—announced his candidacy this week.

Stewart, currently treasurer of the District 19 Democratic Club, last year served as policy director for the campaign of now-U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin. He is a board member of the Montgomery County Renters’ Alliance and was on the board of the Action Committee for Transit.

Two other contenders filed for delegate seats in the District 19 Democratic primary earlier this year.

One, Brian Crider of Rockville, a software developer and tester for public transit vehicles, was active in the 2016 presidential campaign of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

The other, Jade Wiles of Silver Spring, is a former health care operations manager now pursuing a Ph.D. in health administration. He has worked as a community organizer for people with developmental disabilities.

Justin Dayhoff of Derwood, a social services and educational consultant, also filed for the seat earlier this year. While his name remains on the official candidate listings at the Maryland Board of Elections, Dayhoff—who has been active in the District 19 Democratic Club—this week confirmed he is withdrawing from the contest due to family obligations.

Meanwhile, Crutchfield currently chairs the county’s Merit Systems Protection Board, and noted that she is precluded from running for office until her term there expires this December.

But Crutchfield said she has a “very strong interest” in running for a delegate slot in the June 2018 primary, and indicated in an email that she is already moving to set up a campaign.

“…Once I finalize my plans to run for office, I will hit the ground running with a campaign manager, who has successfully ran a countywide race, elected officials and community leaders who will endorse me and a campaign team of energetic volunteers ready for success,” Crutchfield said.

She added that she “learned a lot” from her 2014 bid for delegate, when she finished behind Morales in the Democratic primary by fewer than 400 votes as three candidates took aim at an open seat.

During that campaign, there was a split in the District 19 delegation, with Manno and Cullison lining up behind Morales and Kramer teaming up with Crutchfield on a delegate slate.

Also said to be considering a run for delegate in the 2018 primary is a current member of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee, Marlin Jenkins of Silver Spring, an attorney for the American Federation of Government Employees.

Jenkins, also a major in the Maryland Army National Guard, wrote in an email that he is “humbled to be mentioned as a potential candidate,” but sidestepped comment on what he will do until the political plans of the current District 19 delegation members become clearer. Jenkins said he is “considering opportunities to serve our district, but will make determinations as announcements are made and actual vacancies arise.”