WYPR News in Maryland
(2010-01-29)
null
Well over a thousand businessmen and women, politicos and state lawmakers pack the Martin's Camelot banquet hall in Prince George's County.
Wayne Curry, their onetime, and possible future leader is turning 59.
His friends and colleagues insist this is nothing more than celebration for a prominent figure.
But talk of Curry's possible run for governor has bubbled in Maryland political circles for years now. And he sounds an awful lot like a candidate, as he rails against Maryland's political leaders.
"Like the captain of the Titanic, they're sailing smugly, disregarding serious warnings that icebergs are ahead. They casually disregard alarms, in the belief that their ship is unsinkable. And you are on it, and in fact you pick the captain. So they tell you that Maryland schools are first in the nation. What they don't tell you is that yours in Prince George's County and Baltimore City are 23rd and 24th in the state."
So is the metaphorical captain of the Titanic Martin O'Malley? And is Curry going to run against the incumbent Democrat? Curry won't explain, other than to say Prince George's voters are not to be taken for granted.
"It's about time for the people who their harvest votes here to respect and earn those votes by taking care of the people who need their help the most."
The numbers are undeniable: Prince George's County matters. More than a half a million people are registered to vote in the county, accounting for 15 percent of all the state's registered voters.
Prince George's voters have held strong for Democrats in the last two gubernatorial bids. And, as Michael Steele will tell you, they hardly budge for Republicans, African-American or not.
George Owings, a Southern Maryland Democrat and former aide to Republican Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, is challenging Governor Martin O'Malley. He says Curry would make an excellent addition to the field.
"He belongs in the race. You know I talked to him over the summer and I tried my best to convince him. I talked to Doug Duncan about this whole issue. I was the last guy on the list to step up to the plate because there is a feeling out here that no one, no one should go unchallenged."
But with decent poll numbers and strong fundraising returns, O'Malley appears likely to win re-election in November.
O'Malley is not among the Democratic powerbrokers at the bash, and at least one Democrat who has been spurned the current administration cheers on Curry.
Still, Delegate Barbara Frush, who used to chair the county's House delegation in Annapolis, cautions against reading too much into Curry's bold remarks.
"It's very easy to be a Monday Morning Quarterback, and I think that's what is really happening right now is that everybody is out there being a Monday Morning Quarterback. If the country was flourishing and Maryland was doing poorly, then I would understand that. But the country is sinking and we're doing okay. And I think that's a tribute to the work that Martin O'Malley has done."
Curry is no stranger to Democratic politics, having served for eight years as Prince George's County's first African American executive.
He's also no stranger to Republican politics, having chaired Ehrlich's transition team in eight years ago and supporting Steele's 2006 Senate bid.
Prince George's County Executive Jack Johnson says he doesn't know what Curry will do, but offers up another potential candidate from this county, so bountiful of Democratic votes.
"As you can see he has a lot of support in this county, and everybody, I think, is kind of excited that he wants to come out and run for something. I don't know whether it's going to be governor or something else. I'm supporting the governor right now, but I may run for governor."
Reporter: "Yeah?"
"If Wayne doesn't run it doesn't mean that I wouldn't run."
And the hard speculation, so rampant during campaign season, continues.
I'm Tom LoBianco, reporting in Upper Marlboro, for 88.1 WYPR.
© Copyright 2010, wypr
