Musical Chairs

The Musical Chairs of Maryland Politics will now be in full swing with Congressman Ben Cardin's official entry into the U.S. Senate race. Cardin's entry into the race opens up his 3rd District seat, and that seat will attract several prominent area politicians. Several Delegates and State Senators will likely toss their hat into the ring and, at the very least, test the waters. This will be specifically true in Baltimore County, but the Howard County and Anne Arundel County sections of the district may also see some candidates. The good news is that this will allow new Republican candidates a better opportunity to win these seats.

The Republican Party will field a strong andidate for Cardin's seat. Cardin's popularity in the district really hindered any effort to make a serious challenge for the seat while he was the incumbent, with totals hovering around one-third of the vote. But despite those numbers, the Republican Party has a good chance of winning the seat if the party presents a strong candidate.