Romney announces Md. endorsements
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney announced Thursday that his campaign has received endorsements from more than a dozen GOP officials in Maryland -- including 10 members of the General Assembly and several former state party officials.
Included on the list are GOP Sens. Richard Colburn, who represents the Eastern Shore, and Joe Getty of Western Maryland. Also endorsing Romney: Howard County Republican Party Chairman Loretta Shields and Mary Kane, a former secretary of state who was Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.’s 2010 running mate.
The announcement comes a day after Romney and other GOP presidential candidates squared off at a nationally televised debate. In 2008, Romney carried 7 percent of the vote in Maryland's Feb. 12 Republican primary. Arizona Sen. John McCain, who ultimately won the nomination, won the state with 55 percent of the vote.
“It is an honor to have the support of so many in Maryland,” Romney said in a statement. “They share my goals in this campaign to reverse President Obama’s failed policies and get our economy moving again. I look forward to working with them as I bring this message to Maryland and the American people.”
In the statement released by the Romney campaign, Colburn said that “Mitt Romney has a proven record of creating jobs and cutting spending. President Obama has failed on these points and it has hurt the American economy.”
A poll conducted this month by ABC News and The Washington Post showed Texas Gov. Rick Perry leading Romney 29 percent to 23 percent in the race.
The complete list of Maryland endorsements announced by the Romney campaign include:
Sen. Richard Colburn, Eastern Shore
Sen. Joe Getty, Carroll County
Sen. Allan Kittleman, Howard County
Del. Kathryn Afzali, Frederick County
Del. John Cluster, Baltimore County
Del. Adelaide C. Eckardt, Eastern Shore
Del. Donald Elliott, Carroll and Frederick counties
Del. Michael Hough, Frederick County
Del. Nic Kipke, Anne Arundel County
Del. Steven Schuh, Anne Arundel County
Robert Goodwin, former United States ambassador to New Zealand
Louis Pope, national committeeman
Joyce Terhes, national committeewoman
Mary Kane, former secretary of state
John Kane, former Maryland Republican Party chairman
Audrey Scott, former Maryland Republican Party chairman
Chris Cavey, former Maryland Republican Party first vice chair
Chuck Gast, former Maryland Republican Party first vice chair
Christopher Rosenthal, Maryland Republican Party treasurer
Brenda Butcsher, Garrett County Republican Party chairman
Loretta Shields, Howard County Republican Party chairman
Mark Uncapher, Montgomery County Republican Party chairman
