2008 presidential election

MITCHELLVILLE-U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Mechanicsville) told PolitickerMD.com Friday that he "absolutely" expects Democrats will unite behind the presidential candidacy of Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).

"The primary, to some degree, appeared to be tougher than it was," Hoyer said of the contest between Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.).

He explained that African-Americans are the "most loyal" Democratic voting bloc, and referred to women as the "largest" base for the Democrats "in terms of votes."

Hoyer said he was confident that white-collar workers, women, and seniors who supported Clinton would quickly see the "stark differences" between Obama and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), and boldly predicted that "95 percent" of Clinton's supporters will back Obama.

Former house delegate and state Sen. Mary Boergers (D), a pledged delegate to Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) told PolitickerMD.com today that she has not committed to voting for Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) in the November election, saying she first wants to see what "action's (Obama) takes to unify the party."

Boergers, who represented the people of Montgomery County in the House of Delegates from 1982-1990 and in the Senate from 1991-1994, also said she would vote for Clinton at the Democratic National Convention in August.

"I'm a pledged Hillary delegate," Boergers said. "That's what I was elected to do."

When Del. Saqib Ali (D-Gaithersburg) ran for a position in the state General Assembly in 2006 he faced challenges that most politicians do not face.

"Some people said to me ‘you have a funny name' and ‘you are a Muslim,'" Ali told PolitickerMD.com.  "They said just go home. Don't run."

Ali, who is of Pakistani and Indian descent, even had to deal with a protester who sat outside his home one-day in the summer of 2006 carrying a sign and shouting derogatory comments about Ali's religion.

The Democratic Party is already making a big push to paint presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain as a continuation of President George Bush's third term.

A little Photoshop magic could help make its case.

Party strategists unveiled this merged Bush, McCain photo to Barack Obama campaign volunteers Friday at the State Committee meeting. It carried the title "McBush?"

Volunteers laughed and cheered when the picture was unveiled.

HERSHEY -- Former Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson tried Friday night to boost John McCain's conservative credentials, saying he embodies GOP principles on the country's most important issues.

"We're not always going to agree with each other on the issues," Thompson said, speaking before the Pennsylvania Republican Party State Committee. "But we have to ask ourselves, among these issues, what are the most vital to the safety and prosperity of our country?" 

Security, taxes and the right to life -- the Arizona senator is on the "right" side of each, Thompson said.

"On all of these issues, John McCain has and will stand strong," he said.

Former Secretary of State Ralph Munro (R-Olympia) has known presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain since 2000, when his son George was an intern for the Arizona senator. At the time, Munro was leaning toward backing then-Governor George W. Bush for President when his son called him and said, "Dad, this guy is for real. You've got to meet him."

The meeting happened, and Munro became an instant supporter of McCain. He became a campaign chair for Washington state during McCain's 2000 presidential run, and still considers himself a strong supporter on the strength of McCain's integrity and knowledge.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Mechanicsville) issued a statement today expressing support for Sen. Barack Obama's (D-Ill.) presidential candidacy, but stopped short of a formal endorsement.

"Over the last 18 months, Senator Barack Obama has energized and excited millions of voters who believe that our great nation must move in a new direction," Hoyer said in a statement to PolitickerMD.com. "He is the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee, and I look forward to supporting his candidacy."

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Mechanicsville) endorsed Barack Obama for president today.

ANNAPOLIS-- Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Towson) told PolitickerMD.com today that "it's possible" he could endorse a presidential candidate by Wednesday, one-day after the final nominating contests in South Dakota and Montana.

Appearing at the District 30 Democratic Club Cookout and Fundraiser in Annapolis, Sarbanes would not say which candidate he would endorse. The representative from Maryland's 3rd Congressional District has long pledged to remain uncommitted until the process is finalized on Tuesday.

"I'm certainly not going to make a decision before Tuesday," Sarbanes said. "We're coming to the end of the process and I'll think you'll see a fair amount of closure taking hold."

For the first time in its history, the Maryland Libertarian Party will run a full slate of congressional candidates this fall. Gary Hoover was nominated in the 6th District last night to fill out the ticket.

"We're happy to have him," Maryland Libertarian Party Chairman Bob Johnston told PolitickerMD.com about Hoover. "He is really blunt and to the point."

On his campaign website, http://www.hoover4congress08.com/, Hoover describes how he was a Democrat for 32 years but left the party because "Democrats no longer hold the same values that I do." He had similar statements about the Republican Party.

Among the issues that he considers important, Hoover described the need to lower the deficit, reform Social Security and Medicare, and explained his desire to see the war in Iraq end.