Wargotz to face Mikulski in November
Eric Wargotz, a Republican commissioner from one of Maryland's least populated counties, has earned the unenviable task of challenging Democratic incumbent Barbara A. Mikulski in the U.S. Senate election this fall.
Wargotz, a genial physician from Queen Anne's County, spent hundreds of thousands of his own dollars in outpacing tea-party favorite Jim Rutledge in the 11-way contest for the Republican nomination.
According to unofficial results early Wednesday from the Maryland Board of Elections, Wargotz received 38.7 percent of the statewide primary vote to 31.4 percent for Rutledge, a lawyer from Harford County. The other candidates were in the low- to mid-single digits.
Some Republican Party officials had expected outsider Rutledge to prevail. They said he clearly had the most enthusiastic and energetic cadre of supporters, drawing on some of the same tea-party energy that carried Republican longshot Christine O'Donnell to a surprise victory in neighboring Delaware's U.S. Senate primary.
But Wargotz, a more established figure with a bigger wallet, was the winner.
The general election will test his willingness to continue tapping his personal wealth. Mikulski, the state's senior senator and, according to polls over the years, the most popular politician in Maryland, has roughly $4 million in her campaign account and the ability to collect more, if she needs it.
According to the latest Federal Election Commission report, Wargotz's campaign would have been in the red earlier this month, had he not kept it afloat with his own money. The Queenstown candidate had loaned his campaign $575,000 as of Aug. 25.








Comments
Will Wargotz wear his "Crocodile Dundee" outfit to the debates? These teabagers! What a bunch of kooks.
Posted by: Rick | September 15, 2010 9:24 AM
I hope he does wear the "Croc Hunter" outfit. Fitting for him to look foolish while trying to fool people into thinking he's qualified enough to be a U.S. Senator. A commissioner from Queen Anne's County? You're kidding, right? Even if he does get elected (EXTREMELY slim possibility) he'll be eaten alive! He'll also be putting himself and his family in the poor house at the same time!!!
Posted by: Quinton | September 15, 2010 9:43 AM
I LOVE it. When my 21 year old kid gets excited over seeing an old women, who does look like a FAT LADY WITH BIG JAWS, I start noticing the little things. This is his world now, not mine anymore. He wants new, I taught him well, hence trust his common sense.
Posted by: Carole | September 15, 2010 10:20 AM
I am glad Wargotz won this primary. The other candidates were a joke. Tea Party candidates are not qualified enough to win the General Election in November for Maryland. We need to get rid of career politicians, Mikulski has done very little in her "political career." Ever since I was a very little kid I have been tired of her politics, we need a new leader in the U.S. Senate and I will be supporting Wargotz in the General Election. Was surprised that WBAL.com actually has Wargotz as the loser and Rutledge the winner? Yikes wonder what the deal is with the election tallies over there. Thank you Baltimore Sun for posting this story, it was written well and actually has a clear answer to what I have been looking for all morning.
Posted by: Nick | September 15, 2010 10:24 AM
We'll see
Posted by: Anonymous | September 15, 2010 10:31 AM
Clearly anyone would be better than Mikulski. She has shown herself time and time again to be an extreme ideologue on many issues.
It's time for a forced retirement.
Posted by: erudian | September 15, 2010 10:54 AM
You might be surprised that there is a real wave of discontent out there that might just sweep our Ms Mikulsy in to the dustbin of history. You never know. She hardly ever shows up nowadays anyways so how would we notice and without the majority of lefty loons in Congress to hide among what would she actually do. Seventy four is long enough to ride the political gravy train even for a Democrat.
Posted by: nickel | September 15, 2010 11:23 AM
Senator Babs has held a political office since 1971 and been entrenched on Capitol Hill for 34 years. I say it's time the voters give this career politician her pink slip come November.
Posted by: Grumble Jones | September 15, 2010 2:02 PM
I am offended by some of the comments posted, particularly "the other candidates were a joke." Personally, I think someone with Mr. Rutledge's background in white collar criminal prosecutions is EXACTLY what we need today in Washington (remember the Freddie/Fannie debacle). Also, I find it interesting that three doctors won -- Harris, Cardarelli & Harris. Perhaps they know more about the problems with Obamacare than our elected officials who never even read the legislation before approving it. As for Ms. Mikulski, I don't think a legislator who has been in office since 1977 and whose main campaign contributor is Emily's list has a lot in common with the citizens of Maryland. Perhaps we need to get back to the citizen legislators as envisioned by our Founders. Professional politicians are detroying our nation -- term limits are a MUST.
Posted by: esquiremom | September 15, 2010 2:24 PM
Mikulski a/k/a the senate's Pat Jessamy.
Posted by: larry | September 15, 2010 3:13 PM
I would like to say that I said, well also wrote, a very distasteful thing. My comment was "the other candidates were a joke," and I find that is a very hurtful comment. Even though it's out there I would like to apologize for even saying it. Running for office is a big deal and it's very important. I was so caught up with being excited on the election results that I didn't carefully plan out what I was going to say. I apologize for making that comment. There are no excuses for it but the next thing I wrote was about Tea Party which I am very oppose on, I guess I was trying to say all Tea Party candidates are a joke but still not one of them were. We shouldn't be saying hurtful things here in the first place. This is about sharing collective ideas and beliefs on what we would like to see happen with a turn around for our state. Thank you.
Posted by: Nick | September 16, 2010 12:04 AM
I saw an online interview with Mr. Wargotz, and I agreed with everything he said. Beating Senator Mikulski is quite a row to hoe, and I'm not actually of the opinion that it can be done, but it should be done. This state can re-elect the worst candidates, over and over, if they are democrats, due to the overwhelming democratic majority in Baltimore and Washington suburbs. I do not believe that Senator Mikulski well reflects the citizens of Maryland, and I think that it would be nice to send her into a well deserved retirement..
Posted by: Jethro Hooper | September 16, 2010 10:22 AM
Well, 74 years old would be a bit past the prime for any elected offical but in Barbara Mikulski's case it is way over due.
God help us this fall to obtain a better US Senator. Do we really need to have a state full of liberal progressives? That is so Joe Stalin. Get with it Maryland. The private sector needs to be our future. O'Malley and Mikulski think that the Government Plantation is the way to create jobs. That my friend is nuts.
Posted by: nickel | September 16, 2010 2:09 PM
I think all the old guard in Congress needs to be retired. They seem to see themselves as the enlightened aristocracy. I have been disappointed in Ms. Mikulski's voting record and have emailed and called her office many times to express my views. She (her office staff) dismisses them. My current concern is her support and co-sponsor of the DREAM Act Amnesty. Harry Reid has attached the bill to the Department of Defense Authorization bill in a backhanded attempt to force Amnesty through Congress. It's curious that major media outlets are misrepresenting the details of the DREAM Act to the public. It is actually an amnesty for illegals up to the age of 35 (see Center for Immigration Studies). It is a transparent political ploy for Mr. Reid, facing a tough election in Nevada, to attach the DREAM Act to the Defense Bill. And that Ms. Mikulski supports it. She does not have my vote.
Posted by: Kathy | September 17, 2010 12:54 PM