Gilchrest son: Ehrlich's "egocentric motivations" delivered 1st District to Democrats
Former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. got strongly behind Sen. Andy Harris in the 1st District congressional race. With Ehrlich's backing, Harris offed Republican incumbent Wayne Gilchrest in the primary. But Harris was bested by Frank Kratovil, a little-known Queen Anne's County state's attorney, in the General Election.
Ehrlich has received a lot of attention for endorsing Harris, but not much blame for his role in sending the seat into the Democratic column.
Until now.
Gilchrest's son, Kevin, a teacher at the Radcliffe Creek School in Chestertown, has penned a blistering critique of Ehrlich's actions. Kevin Gilchrest calls Ehrlich "egocentric," and said the former governor got involved in the race mainly to bolster his own chances for a political comeback. Ehrlich's actions, Gilchrest writes, have highlighted the "utter and complete dysfunction of the Republican Party in the state of Maryland. Ehrlich orchestrated, Gilchrest said, the Republicans' "eating one of their own."
The letter was sent to the Baltimore Sun's editorial board, which gave it to us. With Kevin Gilchrest's permission, it is being published here, past the jump. To be sure, Kevin Gilchrest is not an objective observer. But his points are worth considering, and are likely shared by many Republicans in Maryland.
Dear Editor:
Frank Kratovil has won the race for the 1st Congressional District. The idea of a Kratovil victory was treated as a joke by his opponent, Sen. Andy Harris, during the campaign. Kratovil’s victory, though, which included a sweep of all nine Eastern Shore counties, is glaring evidence of the utter and complete dysfunction of the Republican Party in the state of Maryland.
Standing atop the ruins of the dilapidated GOP is former Governor Bobby Ehrlich, who heartily endorsed and campaigned for Harris, against incumbent Republican Wayne Gilchrest.
Ehrlich’s motivation for doing so was two-fold.
First, his personal politcal ambition: Ehrlich needed a strong ally in the First District to bolster support in the region for another gubernatorial run. Orchestrating Gilchrest’s defeat would accomplish this, he believed, as well as increase his stature in both the party and the state. Secondly, he had a personal vendetta against Republican Wayne Gilchrest due to the congressman’s strong, vocal opposition to Ehrlich’s push for slots in Maryland.
Ehrlich’s support for Harris was rejected by some in the GOP who worred that, by knocking off Gilchrest, an opening would be created for a strong Democrat challenger. Enter Frank Kratovil: young, charismatic, articulate, and well-funded. Ehrlich and Harris ultimately did what the Democrats could never have done: defeat Wayne Gilchrest, whose lowest vote total over the previous three general elections was 69 percent.
On paper, this race was an open seat pitting Kratovil against Harris. But in a larger sense, this contest was a battle between the two Republican giants in the state: Wayne Gilchrest vs. Bobby Ehrlich, with Frank Kratovil and Andy Harris serving as their surrogates.
It will be a while before the dust settles. But what is abundantly clear now is the fact that Bob Ehrlich’s two egocentric motivations concerning this race – his white-hot political ambition and his quest for revenge against Wayne Gilchrest – have cancelled each other out. By successfully ousting a fellow Republican, by eating one of his own, Bobby Ehrlich delivered the First District to the Democrats on a silver platter and in so doing, bust up his own political future.
Kevin Gilchrest
Comments
I couldn't have said it better myself.
Welcome to political oblivion, Bobby Haircut.
Posted by: MCG | November 18, 2008 12:29 PM
Kevin Gilchrest has some salient points? Even assuming that's true, the glaring omission from his examination of the 1st District election fails to include the endorsement of Frank Kratovil by Kevin's father, Wayne Gilchrest. If anyone assumes that Wayne Gilchrest's endorsement did nothing to swing the election to the Democrats, then perhaps a visit to a doctor is in order, preferably one who can prescribe medication countering delusions. Kevin Gilchrest notes his father's large majorities in past elections but doesn't make the connection between that and the staunch Republican district suddenly moving to the blue column coincident with Wayne Gilchrest's support of a blue candidate.
So, was Bobby Ehrlich's support of an alternate Republican candidate in the primary, against a sitting Republican, worse than Wayne Gilchrest's support of a Democratic candidate which resulted in the 1st District moving to the Democratic column?
Perhaps, just maybe, Wayne Gilchrest calculated that defeating a Democrat in two years would be easier than conducting a Republican primary campaign against a sitting Republican incumbent. Who was putting his personal ambition above party loyalties again?
Posted by: Andrew Rush | November 18, 2008 12:56 PM
Andrew:
Great point. To be sure, Gilchrest's endorsement had a huge impact on the race. Both sides acknowledge that the race significantly tightened after the endorsement was made.
Posted by: David Nitkin | November 18, 2008 2:07 PM
Kevin, your paps was a Republican? He's definitely one of a kind. Wayne endorsed Obama, voted for O'Malley, and endorsed Kratovil. He is a real man's Republican...he only votes and endorses Democrats. *Shrugs*.
I'm missing what Ehrlich has to do with any of it. So Harris lost, isn't that because people on the Shore didn't like a western shore person? Yah, Ehrlich secretly made Harris live in Baltimore County.
Bring out the tin foil hats Kevin and we can party. Maybe we'll even invite our "Republican" friend Wayne?
What a joke of a letter. Franchot is more Republican than Gilchrest.
Posted by: Jay | November 18, 2008 8:59 PM
How come Wayne didn't oppose Slots when O'Maley supported them?
Andy Harris and his Club for Growth funded challenge is emblematic of what the Club for Growth hasbecome nationwide- a stealth arm of the DCCC. They only target safe Republicans under the guise of beating RINOs...quite a feat!
Posted by: randy Sears | November 27, 2008 12:59 PM