Maryland's Congressional Leaders Look Toward November Elections WASHINGTON, DC (wypr) - Congressman Roscoe Bartlett, one of only two Republicans in the Maryland delegation, says the economic times are unprecedented. He says voters in his district are looking for a new president to pull the country out of recession.

We now have kind of the perfect storm on the economy at the same time that the world reaches maximum ability to produce oil, at the same time we have this big housing problem in our country it's kind of the perfect storm, it almost couldn't be worse.

To understand the impact the bad economy has had on Marylanders - take Prince George's County. Workers there were ordered to take ten days of unpaid leave to help make up for the local budget deficit. The county has also reported the highest rate of foreclosed homes in the state. On the state level - revenue fell 73 million dollars than expected in fiscal year 2008. And at one point this past summer more than 130 thousand Maryland residents were looking for jobs. Congresswoman Donna Edwards is the new representative of Maryland's 4th district.

It took 8 years of Bush economics to get us in it we don't need four more years of McCain economics to keep us in it.

Edwards further said if anything the economic hardships and John McCain's characterization of the crisis could bode well for the Democrats in November.

I mean I am concerned about somebody who wants to be President of the United States who once says the fundamentals of the economy are sound when everything around us tell us something completely the opposite that leads me to question McCain's judgment for the job in the first place.

Maryland's only other Republican member of Congress, Wayne Gilchrest, is turning his back against his own party. He recently threw in his support for Democrats Barack Obama and Joe Biden. The longtime congressman lost his seat in the Republican primary earlier this year.

We just can't use four more years of the same kind of policy that is somewhat haphazard which leads to recklessness. This purist idea that capitalism in the market is going to resolve all these issues that government has got to get out of the way has been proven wrong.

The race to succeed Gilchrest includes a well financed Republican candidate against a democrat challenger, who is hoping to be the first Democrat in almost two decades to represent Maryland's 1st district. It's not just the economy, either, energy and prices at the pump are frustrating voters. Congressman Bartlett:

I think that voters are going to be very interested on which party they think has the best chances of turning this recession and bringing good times again and for election we have a long, long time six-and-a-half weeks is a very long time, politically.

As the November election draws closer, lawmakers are getting even more partisan. The economic woes give Democrats more fodder, while some Republicans are distancing themselves from the current administration. When it comes to the economy, Obama enjoys a lead in some polls, while McCain leads on national security. Republicans got their biggest bounce after the party's convention. Bartlett says Sarah Palin's addition to the ticket has energized the base.

She was kind of an instant superstar very interesting.

Her critics say the bad economy is overshadowing her stardom. Senator Barbara Mikulski is staying away from characterizing Palin, instead brings attention back to the issues she believes Democrats hold advantage.

"I have been concern for some time that John McCain hasn't supported pay equity for women and privatizing social security and undermining their safety net.

The Democratic nominees aren't too concerned about getting Maryland voters to support their cause. Democrats have taken the state in the last four presidential elections. The delegation is counting on history to repeat itself this November.

I'm Sara Sciammacco, reporting in Washington for Capitol News Connection on 88.1, WYPR
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