Maryland Dems energized by new party leader. GOP says Dems have tough job ahead
Ken Ulman, a close ally of Gov. Wes Moore who is less than two years into his role as Maryland Democratic Party chair, will exit his role in mid-June.
Both Moore and Ulman said Democrats should tap Steuart Pittman to replace him, likely ensuring Pittman's appointment and giving the Anne Arundel County executive a key role in supporting Moore's reelection campaign, along with a wide range of other state candidates. On the ballot in 2026 will be every statewide elected official — Moore, Attorney General Anthony Brown and Comptroller Brooke Lierman — as well as all 188 members of the Maryland General Assembly and the entire eight-member U.S. House delegation.
After expanding their robust margins in the General Assembly and regaining full control of the State House for the first time in eight years in 2022, Democrats will hope to do as well or better, particularly as the party nationally will be looking for President Donald Trump to inspire voters to move against his increasingly unpopular policies. Maryland Republicans, on the other hand, say Democrats' own actions in the state have been unpopular enough to cause voters to look the other way.
Maryland Democrats will 'have their work cut out for them to defend Gov. Moore and the Annapolis Democrats' tax-and-spend policies,' said Maryland Republican Party Chairwoman Nicole Beus Harris.
Harris said she doesn't think the Trump presidency changes much with Maryland's voting patterns since the state didn't vote for Trump last year.
'I think that Annapolis is going to be where people are voting from next year,' she said.
Pittman said in an interview that Trump's actions give the Democratic Party a 'huge opportunity to grow.'
'So many people are being hurt by what the federal government — what the Republican Party at the national level — is doing. And so that's our job … to bring more people into the party.'
Pittman added that 'people who voted for Trump voted for a lot of reasons. And most of them didn't know that they were electing somebody who was going to threaten the economic well-being of the state.'
He will continue to serve as county executive through the end of his term in December 2026. The party chairmanship is an unpaid position.
Pittman said his experience running for county executive in 2018 and 2022, and as a community organizer prior to that, will make him an effective party chair.
'My training was building neighborhood organizations from scratch, and that's always been the way that I've governed and the way that I've thought about politics and government,' he said. 'The people have the power. They just need to be mobilized to show it.'
Pittman has directed national campaigns for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) and also worked for the National Low Income Housing Coalition.
The state party position will be 'very important' as Moore's 2026 reelection campaign ramps up, said Roger Hartley, dean of the University of Baltimore College of Public Affairs.
If former Republican Gov. Larry Hogan decides to run, 'he's probably the one Republican that would be a strong challenger to Governor Moore,' Hartley added.
State parties play a major role in fundraising, and also with coordinating and representing party organizations across the state, Hartley said. At the same time, state parties may not be 'as important as they used to be in the '50s, '60s and '70s,' he said.
'The governor's campaign will have a lot of interaction with Steuart Pittman, but … [the governor's] reelection campaign, his fundraiser, his organization is going to be more important than the statewide party organization,' Hartley said.
Doug Mayer, a Republican strategist who formerly served as Hogan's communications director, said he thinks state parties — both Republican and Democrat — 'are largely useless' and 'largely irrelevant relics of another century.' He added that politics is 'driven by the top of the ticket.'
'That's the biggest deal. What the party can do is raise money and not screw things up,' he said. 'When you're the Democratic Party in the state of Maryland, the position is largely ceremonial.'
Harris, the Republican Party chair, said state parties can 'definitely have influence on elections.'
'Politics isn't just what's going on in Annapolis or D.C. It is very much what is going on even more locally,' she said.
Ulman didn't respond to a request for comment from The Baltimore Sun. He said in an MD Dems email that serving as chair of the Democratic Party 'has been one of the great professional honors of my life.'
Ulman highlighted Democratic victories under his leadership, including U.S. Senator Angela Alsobrooks' defeat of Hogan last year, and Democrats maintaining a 7-1 advantage in the congressional delegation.
Alsobrooks said she's thankful to Ulman for partnering on her campaign.
'Chair Ken Ulman's leadership across our state has helped Maryland Democrats grow and thrive,' Alsobrooks said in an emailed statement to The Sun. 'Together, we celebrated a resounding victory last fall. He has left big shoes to fill.'
She added, 'But I know County Executive Steuart Pittman will fill those shoes with grit, determination, and a focus on mission. His work as a community organizer is such an incredible asset to our Party.'
Henry Snurr, the outgoing president of the Young Democrats of Maryland, said that Ulman always made sure that younger party members had a voice and was 'instrumental' in ensuring that Maryland met its youth target for Democratic National Committee chairs in 2024.
'Ken has been an amazing chair for young people,' Snurr said.
Snurr, who also sits on the Anne Arundel County Democratic Central Committee, praised Pittman as a good potential candidate to lead the party moving forward.
Anne Arundel County is one of Maryland's battleground counties. Snurr said having Pittman lead the party could be instrumental for counties like Anne Arundel at the ballot box.
'I think County Executive Pittman is a great pick, because, not only does he know how to get progressive things done, but he knows how to fight aggressive campaigns,' and tha'ts what the party needs right now, he said.
Charlene Dukes, first vice chair of the Maryland Democratic Party, told The Sun she wasn't interested in being chair of the party and said she believes Pittman is 'a person with whom I can partner with as closely as I did with Ken Ulman.'
'I believe that my skill sets and experiences will allow me to continue some work that we've begun there,' she said. 'I don't want to walk away from that and not pay attention at the really local level with regard to some of the things that we know we have to be ready for as we face elections in 2026.'
Central committee members from each county will cast votes for the next party chair on June 21 in Prince George's County.
----------
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
LI's Suffolk county offering tax breaks to NYC companies who relocate if Mamdani becomes mayor
Forget, Florida — come out East! Suffolk County will offer tax breaks to Big Apple companies to relocate there if Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani is elected mayor of New York City, the Long Island region's top official said Sunday. 'If Mr. Mamdani wins, I'm going to encourage many of the corporations that do business in New York City [to] come to Suffolk' about 70 miles east, County Executive Ed Romaine said on WABC 770 AM's 'Cats Roundtable' show. Advertisement Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine is urging New York City corporations to relocate to Suffolk if Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani is elected mayor. Dennis A. Clark 'We're going to give them tax breaks. They're going to be able to do better,' Romaine told host John Catsimatidis. Romaine made his alluring pitch to CEOs after Catsimatidis told him that Florida officials are trying to recruit Big Apple CEOs to relocate their firms to the Sunshine State, where many New York transplants already live. Advertisement Romaine said there's no need to travel that far south. 'Come out to Suffolk,' Romaine said. Romaine, a Republican, said he doesn't believe that Mamdani, currently a 33-year-old state assemblyman representing Astoria and western Queens, has the experience and wisdom to run the nation's largest metropolis. Mamdani has proposed raising taxes on billionaires and corporations in the city. LP Media Advertisement He noted that Mamdani's proposed free-bus fare program for the city 'sounds great' — but said someone has to pay for it. Mamdani has proposed $9 billion in higher taxes on billionaires and corporations to subsidize such initiatives as free bus fares, expanded free childcare and more affordable housing. Every morning, the NY POSTcast offers a deep dive into the headlines with the Post's signature mix of politics, business, pop culture, true crime and everything in between. Subscribe here! 'The taxpayers who pay the taxes, how much are they going to put up with?' Romaine said. Advertisement He said New York state is already suffering from an exodus because of the high cost of living that includes hefty taxes. Mamdani campaign spokeswoman Dora Pekec responded in a statement to The Post, 'Working people are being pushed out of the city they built, and it's because of corrupt politicians like [former Gov.] Andrew Cuomo and [current Mayor] Eric Adams,' who are running against her boss in November. 'Zohran will make this city affordable, and deliver a quality of life that ensures New York City is a magnet for workers, businesses, and opportunity,' the rep said.
The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
How foreign policy could crash Republican midterm prospects
This summer's MAGA revolt over the Epstein Files has challenged the longstanding assumption that President Trump has an unbreakable bond with the Republican base. Trump loyalists from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) to Steve Bannon to Tucker Carlson have recently criticized the president not just on the Epstein disclosures but also on Medicaid cuts in the 'One Big Beautiful Bill.' Yet new polling shows that another issue could cost Trump crucial support and substantially lower his standing among independent voters whom Republicans need in order to win future elections. While Republicans largely rallied around Trump following the June 22 bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities, recent YouGov polling commissioned by the Center for Economic and Policy Research demonstrates substantial political risks for the president and his party if he supports an expanded war involving Israel and Iran. When respondents consider the economic consequences of a broader conflict, as well as their trust in the justifications offered for involvement in such a war, Trump faces overwhelming dissent among Independents. These voters are about one-third of the electorate and currently about evenly split between Democrat-leaning and Republican-leaning. If an issue becomes important in an election and the Independent voters move strongly in one direction, that can swing the election. A clear majority of voters — 65 percent — reported they would hold Trump responsible if gasoline prices rose to $6 a gallon as a result of expanded U.S. military involvement. Among Independent voters, this sentiment rises to 69 percent. Further, when informed that economists would expect a significant rise in mortgage interest rates to result from an expanded conflict — potentially adding over $100,000 in lifetime payments for a typical home — 72 percent oppose U.S. military involvement, with two thirds of those expressing 'strong' opposition. Most polls treat foreign policy decisions as isolated events, simply asking whether voters support or oppose military action. But major interventions do not occur in isolation — they can impact gas prices, mortgage rates and overall confidence in politicians and their political parties. A true measure of public sentiment on expanded military involvement must account for these potential and even likely consequences, which often drive voter attitudes more than abstract strategic considerations. Donald Trump rose politically by highlighting Americans' declining trust in institutions, from government regulators and health experts to traditional media. But the polling shows that Trump himself faces serious accusations from his base of breaching public trust and caving to wealthy donors advocating unconditional support for Israeli policies that millions of voters view as wrong and dangerous. Sixty-three percent of respondents expressed concern that Trump's decision to attack Iran could be influenced by major campaign donors, a concern particularly strong among Independents. And two-thirds of voters — including nearly one-third of Republicans — feel that intervening in an Israel-Iran conflict contradicts Trump's core 'America First' promise. In June, Tucker Carlson accused Trump of being 'complicit in the act of war' following Israel's attacks on Iran, and influential MAGA voices like Steve Bannon echoed similar skepticism. Yet commentary alone is unlikely to shift conservative public opinion. People respond to tangible impacts in their lives. If Trump once again follows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into major military action in the Middle East, the consequences may extend beyond geopolitics and significantly impact the president's party in next year's midterm elections. Consider some midterm math. On all five questions related to U.S. intervention in Iran, voters who identify as Republican or Democrat overwhelmingly aligned with their respective parties. For example, by a ratio of 88 percent to 12 percent, Democrats said they did not believe that 'Trump is getting involved in this war for the sake of U.S. national security.' Republicans held the opposite view, with 77 percent believing national security was the reason and 23 percent not believing it. This leaves Independent voters as potentially decisive. According to current polling data, Independents are evenly divided between 'Republican-leaning' and 'Democrat-leaning,' generally indicating close national elections. However, on questions regarding U.S. participation in a war against Iran, Independents are solidly opposed, by a margin of two to one. This leads to an overall result of 63-37 saying that they do not believe that U.S. involvement in such a war is 'for the sake of national security.' While the June war between Israel and Iran appears to be over, another Israeli attack in the near future remains quite possible. Should Trump decide to join such an operation before the next election, it could significantly undermine Republican chances of retaining Congress. Mark Weisbrot is co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research. He is the author of 'Failed: What the 'Experts' Got Wrong About the Global Economy (Oxford University Press). Justin Talbot Zorn is a senior adviser at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, a Truman National Security Fellow, and served as legislative director for three members of Congress.
Politico
an hour ago
- Politico
‘More like a blue trickle': Dems are hoping for a blue wave that might not happen
That suggests Democrats are having trouble capitalizing on what they say is Republicans' shaky handling of economic and foreign policy. Around this time in 2017 — ahead of Democrats' monster 2018 blue wave year in which they gained a net of 41 House seats — Democrats were up about 6 percentage points in the generic ballot, noted Taglia, the Emerson pollster. That doesn't mean the blue wave dream is dead. Election Day is still 15 months away, and that same Emerson poll shows about a quarter of voters are currently undecided on the congressional ballot. Americans could start feeling the impacts of the megabill and other marquee policies like mass deportations well into campaign season, which could offer Democrats an opportunity to win back some voters who swung right in 2024. 'If we get to March of next year and we still see Democrats at 2 or 3 points up in the generic ballot, that is alarm bells for them,' Taglia said. 'They're going to want to be at least 4 points up. For their ideal result, probably more like 6 points … Then you're starting to look a little bit like a blue wave.' Redistricting could bite into Democrats' opportunities Texas Republicans unveiled a new congressional map Wednesday that, if enacted, would carve out five additional red-leaning districts. Those efforts, done at the behest of Trump, could throw a monkeywrench in Democrats' plans to reclaim the House. Now Democrats are trying to reforge relationships with voters in four newly created majority-Hispanic districts in Texas who swung right in 2024. 'Donald Trump and Texas Republicans are playing a dangerous game, and we're ready to defeat now-vulnerable Republicans next November,' said CJ Warnke, a spokesperson for House Majority PAC, Democrats' top House super PAC. 'We're bringing the full weight of our operation to the Lone Star State to make this backroom deal backfire and take back the House in 2026.' Republicans also hope to squeeze out a few more red districts in other states. Control of the House hinges on razor-thin majorities, and those redistricting efforts alone could significantly stymie Democrats' ability to retake the chamber. Some Democratic governors, including California's Gavin Newsom and New York's Kathy Hochul, have threatened retaliatory gerrymandering crusades ahead of midterms, though it's unclear how feasible these efforts will be because those states have ceded redistricting power to independent commissions, unlike Texas. Those states would have to rely on voter referenda or court orders to claw back this power, and they only have until early 2026 to pull it off. Tanden says she's optimistic California can counter Texas's gerrymandering by 2026. 'If someone was like, 'while Trump is president we're going to get rid of the commission,' people would be down with that.' Democrats are facing down messy primaries House Democrats are facing crowded primaries across the map. Some in the party worry that months of fighting over intraparty tactics or thorny issues like Israel's war in Gaza could splinter voters and drain resources that could be used in the general election. Democratic infighting over the idea of challenging incumbents has roiled the Democratic National Committee, where former Vice Chair David Hogg lost his position amid consternation over his plan to primary 'asleep at the wheel' Democrats.
