Wayne Gilchrest

SEVERNA PARK -- House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Mechanicsville) stayed on message Sunday while stumping for Democrat Frank Kratovil.

"Ladies and gentleman, we're ahead," Hoyer told a crowd of roughly 70 volunteers at a Democratic Party HQ in Anne Arundel County.

Hoyer praised the 1st Congressional District's current occupant, U.S. Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-Kennedyville), caliing him "one of the most considered, conscientious, intellectually honest Representatives with whom I've served."

Kratovil's opponent, state Sen. Andy Harris (R-Cockeysville), defeated Gilchrest in the February primary, but Gilchrest endorsed Kratovil over the summer.

Hoyer criticized Harris's temperment and called his television ads "junk."

Republican Congressman Wayne Gilchrest says his party has become more self serving, more narrow and is centered on "I want, I want, I want."

In an interview with Washington Post columnist Marc Fisher, Gilchrest criticized John McCain for receipting "memorized pieces of information in a narrow way," but praised Barack Obama for "constantly evaluating information" and using his judgment.

Maryland's 1st Congressional District hopefuls will square off in their first public debate this week.

State's Attorney Frank Kratovil (D-Stevensville), state Sen. Andy Harris (R-Cockeysville) and Libertarian Richard Davis will go at it for an hour and a half at Salisbury University starting at 7pm. The event will be free, open to the public and moderated by WYPR-FM's Don Rush.

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The Maryland Republican Party says Republican Wayne Gilchrest's kind words about the Democratic presidential ticket were most definitely an endorsement, despite the fact that the congressman, defeated in the GOP primary earlier in the year, says otherwise.

"By endorsing the Obama/Kratovil Team, the team of higher taxes, more wasteful spending, and bigger government, Gilchrest shows once again that he supports and encourages the type of policies that 1st District voters will reject," Jim Pelura, chairman of the state GOP, said in a statement.

Republican Wayne Gilchrest, who lost his House seat in a heated primary, is throwing his support behind the Democratic ticket this presidential election.

"My perspective is that the ticket is Mr. Obama and Mr. Biden that they have the breadth of experience, I think they are prudent, they are knowledgeable," said Gilchrest (R-Kennedyville) in an interview with WYPR on Wednesday. "We just can't use four more years of the same kind of policy that's somewhat hazardous, which leads to recklessness."

BALTIMORE - Republican Andy Harris' campaign changed gears on Friday with a new slogan.

The campaign's new motto - "Freedom, Opportunity, Change" - was reveled at the campaign's Friday fundraiser featuring former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-Mass.).

"People are simply tired of the way business is being done in Washington," Harris told reporters before his luncheon at the Center Club. "Sixteen months ago almost to the day I decided to run for Congress to change the way business is done in Washington."

Standing by Harris' side was Romney, who's record as governor received praise from the state Senator from Cockeysville.

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Republican U.S. Rep. Wayne Gilchrest wasn't crossing party lines when he endorsed state's Attorney Frank Kratovil (D-Stevensville) because he's never been a Republican, according to Andrew Langer - Maryland for McCain's Eastern Shore coordinator.

Gilchrest currently represents Maryland's 1st Congressional District, but was defeated by state Sen. Andy Harris (R-Cockeysville) in the February primary. Gilchrest endorsed Harris' Democratic opponent -- state's Attorney Frank Kratovil -- early Tuesday morning.   

Langer says that Gilchrist's claims that he is reaching across party lines to support Kratovil are nonsense.

"I don't see this as crossing party lines," said Langer, who also serves as president of the Institute for Liberty. "It makes it very clear to any moderate Republican who's thinking about voting for Frank Kratovil that Wayne Gilchrest was never a maverick. He was always a Democrat in Republican clothing."

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Republican U.S. Rep. Wayne Gilchrest wasn't crossing party lines when he endorsed state's Attorney Frank Kratovil (D-Stevensville) because he's never been a Republican, according to Andrew Langer - Maryland for McCain's Eastern Shore coordinator.

Gilchrest currently represents Maryland's 1st Congressional District, but was defeated by state Sen. Andy Harris (R-Cockeysville) in the February primary. Gilchrest endorsed Harris' Democratic opponent -- state's Attorney Frank Kratovil -- early Tuesday morning.   

Langer says that Gilchrist's claims that he is reaching across party lines to support Kratovil are nonsense.

"I don't see this as crossing party lines," said Langer, who also serves as president of the Institute for Liberty. "It makes it very clear to any moderate Republican who's thinking about voting for Frank Kratovil that Wayne Gilchrest was never a maverick. He was always a Democrat in Republican clothing."

U.S. Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-Kennedyville) is featured in the third and latest ad from the campaign of 1st District Democrat Frank Kratovil.

"I'm Wayne Gilchrest," the outdoors advocate says while standing by the waterfront. "I'm a Republican, but I'm reaching across party lines to support Frank Kratovil for Congress."

Gilchrest was defeated by state Sen. Andy Harris (R-Cockeysville), a more conservative Republican, in the Feb. 12 primary. The bitter battle and Gilchrest's refusal to concede the race to Harris left many under the impression that he would buck party label and endorse the man he would have faced off against had he won.