Western Md. seat rated “toss up” by political observer
Political prognosticators in Washington have been quick to note the fast evolving dynamics in Maryland’s 6th Congressional District, with one stalwart analyst moving the race to the “toss up” category because of a proposed new congressional map.
Though it’s not yet clear whether Republican Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett will run for an 11th term in the new district -- or whether other candidates might emerge -- the editor of House races at the nonpartisan Cook Political Report predicted the proposed new map would make it “very difficult” for Bartlett to hold on.
Cook now includes the Western Maryland District among 11 Republican-held toss up seats across the country. The 1st Congressional District, which initially had been considered a possible target of the redistricting effort, was moved to the safer “likely Republican” category. The 1st District is represented by Republican Rep. Andy Harris.
Bartlett “has to introduce himself to areas that are culturally opposite,” said Cook’s David Wasserman. “If Western Maryland is fairly Cracker Barrel than Montgomery County is pretty Whole Foods.
“Democrats would have to end up with a fairly flawed candidate to lose to Bartlett,” Wasserman predicted.
An analysis of the new district shows that 51 percent of its voters chose Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley in the 2010 election, compared with 35 percent in the current configuration for the 6th District.
Comments
Thanks for the O'Malley number, Mr. Fritze.
Do you know how other Democratic candidates performed in the new 6th? Obama, Mikulski?
Posted by: Baltimoron | October 5, 2011 9:33 PM
David Wasserman sounds like he's either from NY West Side or DC's Cleveland Park ultra lib packed with Political Left Junkies areas. Total stereotype thinking. No analysis of how many new voters, race, economic status, ethnic(Indian, South Asian, African American, affluent Chinese/Koreans, etc.) Who is leaving Barteltt's district? Is the portion of Montgomery being attached the 6th the same as most of Mtgy? Answer No.
And the Carroll and Frederick portions of the district that will remain are hardly Hicksville-higher income, professionals, and tax adverse voters.
Did a Sun editor proof this article, decide that it is ridiculously thin and unbalanced? Who decides this stuff? Some Trib reporter in Chicago who sucks up to Rahm Emmanuel? Sounds like it? I doubt Wasserman's ever been to Western MD, or knows that the bulk of current, let alone future voters in the district, aren't in Western MD.
Posted by: didactic1 | October 7, 2011 4:27 PM
How many "new" v "old" voters? Party lineups old v new? Independents(which are trending antiObama). We would think the Sun editiors would weigh this. The Wasserman consultant sounds as if he works for the DNC or Democrat candidates. Does he? Did he? Just a bit of balance please? A bit?
Posted by: didactic1 | October 8, 2011 10:04 AM