Ferguson: Young face, old tactics
Canton this morning was swarmed supporters of Bill Ferguson, the 27-year-old Teach for America volunteer who is trying to unseat 27-year Senate veteran George Della. Notepads and lists in hand, the volunteers were putting these hangers on select doors. (This one was on a door step at Maderia and Fleet streets.)
The billet advertises a 46th district “Democratic Team” which names Gov. Martin O’Malley and popular U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski at the top of the ticket. Ferguson’s name also appears on the list of candidates, a not-so-subtle suggestion that the young challenger has been endorsed by the Democratic establishment.
The problem: Ferguson hasn’t gotten a nod from the top-of-the-ticket Dems. O’Malley’s website shows that the governor wants Della to win in the 46th. Ferguson,probably quite busy today, has yet replied to a message, who was greeting voters near a Canton polling location, said he believed the flier made it clear that the names on the ballot are his picks and not the other way around. 
Such billets are not unusual in the rough and tumble of Maryland politics. They frequently appear the day before or the day of an election, when there's not enough time for the record to be corrected.
Ferguson also didn’t check with Mikulski before using her name on the campaign piece, according to Simone Ward, the Senator’s campaign manager. “The Senator has not endorsed any primary candidates,” Ward said.
She said that it is more “appropriate” for a candidate to check before slapping her name on a door hanger. “They are trying to imply they’ve been endorsed,” she explained.
But, Ward put a positive spin on the faux endorsement. “It is an example of the local ticket supporting the Senator’s re-election bid,” she said.
The billet advertises a 46th district “Democratic Team” which names Gov. Martin O’Malley and popular U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski at the top of the ticket. Ferguson’s name also appears on the list of candidates, a not-so-subtle suggestion that the young challenger has been endorsed by the Democratic establishment.
The problem: Ferguson hasn’t gotten a nod from the top-of-the-ticket Dems. O’Malley’s website shows that the governor wants Della to win in the 46th. Ferguson,
Such billets are not unusual in the rough and tumble of Maryland politics. They frequently appear the day before or the day of an election, when there's not enough time for the record to be corrected.
Ferguson also didn’t check with Mikulski before using her name on the campaign piece, according to Simone Ward, the Senator’s campaign manager. “The Senator has not endorsed any primary candidates,” Ward said.
She said that it is more “appropriate” for a candidate to check before slapping her name on a door hanger. “They are trying to imply they’ve been endorsed,” she explained.
But, Ward put a positive spin on the faux endorsement. “It is an example of the local ticket supporting the Senator’s re-election bid,” she said.
Comments
I'm so sickened by Ferguson's tactics. If he actually does win he's going to have to spend a lot of energy to rebuild the bridges he has torched this election. He seems to be taking very bad advice from a lot of folks and doesn't seem to have any real sense of his own.
Posted by: Summer | September 14, 2010 1:34 PM
I was going to vote for him...but his dirty campaign changed my mind. It really is a shame.
Posted by: CantonVoter30 | September 14, 2010 2:23 PM
Wow, "Summer" and "CantonVoter30" must not have been paying attention. See the Sun's latest blog post on Della trying to have it both ways, telling white audiences he's for Bernstein, but black audiences he's not against Jessamy. And, to boot, did any 46th District voters get Della's sour letter? I got a copy as did others I know. Boy, he sounds like he's in real trouble, having to resort to outright lies. What a pathetic excuse of a legislator. He just revealed himself as a joke to me and to many others as well. It's time for a change. Della and his nepotistic ways need to go.
Posted by: pattersonparkvoter | September 14, 2010 2:45 PM
I've been paying a ton of attention. I also got his letter. What exactly are the lies you are referring to in that letter? If someone besmirched my character by way of thousands of 8 1/2 x 11 glossy mailers, I'd send a letter in response as well.
Posted by: CantonVoter30 | September 14, 2010 4:04 PM
Ferguson will start packing his things to move back to Rockville in about 4 hours. This phony pretend-change headcase is history. The voters of the 46th are apathetic, but they will come out to vote against a mud-slinger like Ferguson.
Posted by: PigtownClown | September 14, 2010 4:30 PM
I got a "letter" from the Della campaign, that made it look like it was from 4 community associations, Butchers Hill, Fells Point Prospect, and 2 others. Sorry, I forgot.
It was JUST as phony as this stuff.
It was simply 4 people in each neighborhood signing that they endorsed the 67yr old Della.
Posted by: Hey annie! | September 14, 2010 9:22 PM
@PigtownClown: You must feel like a moron. Not only did Ferguson win, he dominated. Are you embarrassed? You should be.
Posted by: Pigtown's Ignorance | September 15, 2010 1:46 AM