Winners and Losers

A few of this week's winners and losers in Maryland politics:

WINNERS
Prince George's County Council Chairman David Harrington (D) and County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D): The Prince George's Democratic Central Committee nominated Harrington to succeed the late Gwendolyn Britt as state senator -- in a 12-11 vote. He defeated former state delegate Rushern L. Baker III, a past and probable future opponent of Johnson. Rosalind S. Helderman reported the story.

LOSERS

State Schools Superintendent Nancy Grasmick: Democratic legislative leaders have come up with a plan that could end the tenure of Grasmick, who is perhaps Gov. Martin O'Malley's least-favorite senior appointed official. Their bill would effectively rescind Grasmick's recent four-year reappointment, and allow O'Malley's new school board appointees to decide whether to extend her tenure beyond this year. Here is the full story by John Wagner.

Former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. (R): Ehrlich backed former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani for the Republican presidential nomination. Giuliani dropped out of the race this week, and Ehrlich, who was Giuliani's mid-Atlantic chairman, is looking for a new candidate. Even before Giuliani left the race, Ehrlich told the Post, "My blunt assessment is that Maryland is probably not going to play an important role" in the nomination process.