They've Got Your Number
If your phone is ringing, chances are it's a politician. Or his wife. Or another popular elected official. Or a national figure. Or an actor.
The live and computerized calls coming to telephones across Maryland mark the last ditch effort to sway voters to a candidate and get them out to the polls for tomorrow's party primaries.
In Maryland's U.S. Senate race, Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin's campaign launched what insiders said was a massive get-out-the-vote effort that by tomorrow will have meant more than 250,000 live volunteer-to-voter calls and roughly 75,000 targeted visits to potential voters' front doorsteps.
His leading opponent in the Democratic primary, former NAACP president Kweisi Mfume, is continuing phone banking efforts begun weeks ago and will deploy volunteers to knock on doors on primary day, his campaign said.
Mfume is also relying heavily on mobilizing black churchgoers. His campaign reported major literature drops yesterday at "mega-churches" in Baltimore and the heavily democratic Prince George's and Montgomery counties -- part of an effort to put more than 60,000 Mfume brochures in the hands of potential voters over the weekend.
Democrats up and down the ballot in Maryland have had to work harder to target voters than they expected when this year's race began.
Other campaigns had been counting on on a competitive gubernatorial primary between Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley and Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan to swell the ranks of interested voters tomorrow. But Duncan's exit from the contest in June forced campaigns to ramp up their own efforts.
In the Senate race, Mfume spent yesterday making multiple appearances at churches in the Baltimore region, two dozen of his volunteers plotted strategy for boosting turnout in Montgomery County.
Cardin kept a busy schedule over the weekend, barely stopping on Saturday to smell the sizzling ribs in supporter Robert Horton's Baltimore front yard before stepping on the porch, and picking up the microphone.
"With your help I will be Maryland's next United States Senator,"Cardin told the 50 people gathered in beach chairs and at picnic tables. Moments after he finished his remarks, he went barreling down I-95 to the next of six rallies over two days.
"He's doing exactly what he needs to," said state Sen. Nathaniel McFadden (D-Baltimore), who attended the event in Horton's rambling front yard. "These folks are ready to come out for him on Election Day."
Matthew Mosk and John Wagner
By Phyllis Jordan |
September 11, 2006; 9:27 AM ET
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Posted by: Rufus | September 11, 2006 1:48 PM
Ike looses the primary
The early edition: This time, Ike will not be able to exploit the "white guilt," in Montgomery County.
Muslims are supporting Ike 100%while Jews are pretending to supportIke.
He is going to loose.
Posted by: Newshound | September 11, 2006 2:54 PM
Silverman's signs are a joke in the county. He puts "want less traffic" signs on major campaign 'developer' lands! It's almost a giant ironic joke. I don't care much for Ike's policies, but as a person I like him more than Silverman.
Posted by: Bryan | September 11, 2006 4:58 PM
Ike's going to "loose"? What is it he's going to "loose"? His necktie? His belt? After you learn how to spell, please write back and explain why you were wrong about the outcome of the election, and why you felt the need to turn it into a religious issue. And then you can explain how you could possibly know anything about what two such large and diverse groups feel and whom they support. Goodnight, Mr. Ficker.
Posted by: Pepe le Moco | September 11, 2006 8:01 PM
Pepe with friends like you, Ike doesn't need anybody running against him. He still won't win.
Posted by: Robin Ficker | September 11, 2006 9:08 PM
The County Executive race does have a third candidate. Do not under estimate Robert Raymond Fustero.
Fustero is the guy who got 20% of the democratic votes when Kathlene Kennedy Townsend was a gubernatorial candidate.
This time, Fustero is listed first on the ballot. As per section 203 of the amended 1975 Voting Rights Act, renewed in 2006, voters have a Spanish version the official specimen ballot.
In the numbers game, who knows, Fustero could even help Silverman to be the winner.
Posted by: Fustero Fan | September 12, 2006 12:13 AM
The deluge of political phone calls I have received in the last day or two has been a monstrous turnoff! The call assumes that I am unaware of the issues and that I don't know that the primary will be held on the 12th. The candidate is insulting his/her base.
From now on call me and I'll cross you off my list!
Posted by: Wizard | September 12, 2006 3:14 PM
Paging Robin Ficker: Two days ago you said Ike wouldn't win. Let me guess; now you'll say it was a conspiracy against you. Sad.
Posted by: Pepe le Moco | September 13, 2006 2:10 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
"His campaign reported major literature drops yesterday at "mega-churches" in Baltimore and the heavily democratic Prince George's and Montgomery counties..."
Are those churches participating in political campaigning? If so, why are they allowed to maintain their tax status?