New County Political Reality: No Lawyers

Fun fact to know and tell: Regardless of who wins the Cathy Bevins—Ryan Nawrocki race for County Council's Sixth District seat, this will be the first time in council history that the legislative body won't have at least one lawyer as a member.

Potential trip under the bus: Richard Cross, the former speech writer and staffer for former Gov. Robert Ehrlich has a few thoughts regarding possible excuses his former boss might use for his recent defeat. At least two of the five reasons include people from Baltimore County that Cross believes could be set up for "a potential trip under the bus."

"Candidates like David Marks and J. B. Jennings won because they worked hard, and ran great campaigns in very competitive races," Cross writes on his Cross Purposes blog. "But Team Ehrlich was constantly hectoring these and other GOP candidates to do more for the cause. Jennings was criticized for not phone-banking enough for Ehrlich in Baltimore County. Marks was criticized for not leveraging enough of his sign locations to Ehrlich's benefit. I am sure they made similar demands of candidates across the state. Perhaps they will use these anecdotes to paint a mosaic-like picture of the 'real' reason for Ehrlich's defeat: Candidates up and down the ballot who had the temerity to put their own races first."

Smith's take on Ehrlich's loss: County Executive Jim Smith offered his assessment of the 2010 governor's race during an exchange with Arthur Abramson, executive director of the Baltimore Jewish Council.

"You may not like everything Martin O'Malley does but (Ehrlich) is lazy," Smith told Abramson, in the presence of two reporters Tuesday night outside the victory party at the Pikesville Hilton for County Executive-elect Kevin Kamenetz.

Transition talk: Kamenetz is expected to discuss his transition plans at a news conference Thursday. He has just over 30 days to hand off his Towson law practice, prepare for taking the keys to county government and make plans for swearing in ceremonies for himself, the County Council and some other county elected officials. That ceremony will take place on Dec. 6.

Let's talk about me: Robert Lang, a reporter at WBAL 1090 AM, interviewed Democratic Rep.Dutch Ruppersberger Wednesday about the potential for change now that Republicans control the House of Representatives.

Lang also asked Ruppersberger if he believed Rep. John Boehner, the Ohio Republican who is presumed to be the next Speaker of the House, could work across the aisle. 

Ruppersberger slipped the question, opting to talk about his own record of bi-partisan co-operation. 

"If you look at my record, I'm a very bipartisan person," Ruppersberger told Lang. "If you look at my record in politics has been when the election is over, the people have spoken and we need to work together."

He added that he believes the public is tired of partisan backbiting.

Happy Birthday: Sarah Breitenbach, political reporter at The Gazette of Politics and Businesswho turns 27. ("But not until like 8:14 p.m.," she said.)

Election 2014 begins now: The commercials have stopped and the campaign signs are slowly coming down but not everyone is ready to take a break from campaigning.

Less than 24 hours after the polls closed on the 2010 elections a Perry Hall man has become possibly the first candidate of 2014.

William Lutostanksi, 33, and a firefighter stationed in Fullerton, created his "Friends of William Lutostanski" Facebook page.

Lutostanski, a Republican, lives in the 8th Legislative and 5th Council Districts. 

In an e-mail, he said he is "considering a run for the House of Delegates but will not rule out  anything at this time."

"I am running because I feel that our government has been run by elite career politicians, much too often elections are decided by money and not issues," Lutostanski wrote. "Jim Smith using his war chest of money to support his handpicked candidates comes to mind. I seek to change the status quo bringing an average Joe common sense approach to government. ...  

"...I have worked for Baltimore County Government for 14 years and see many inefficiencies within my own department, I imagine County and State wide this is also true. We can do better and I will work towards that goal with no special interests in mind other then the citizens I represent. This is why I start today to build a strong campaign, capable of effectively spreading my message."

Lutostanski has not created a campaign account to begin raising money and his Facebook page does not have an authority line but he has plenty of time to learn the intricacies of campaign law.

Tweet of the day: "O'Malley ran away with the race like a hobo with a sweet potato pie." Belated Happy 79th Dan Rather. Keep on truckin." — Robert Lang, reporter, WBAL 1090 AM