Ehrlich makes it official

Former Maryland governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. has made it official, reporter John Wagner says. He kicked off his campaign “to recapture the State House” on Wednesday morning with promises to cut the sales tax, expand the number of charter schools and make the state more friendly to small businesses.

“Welcome to history, part two,” Ehrlich told a crowd of close to 200 gathered at Rockville Town Center for the official announcement of his rematch with Gov. Martin O’Malley, the Democrat who in 2006 ended Ehrlich’s tenure as Maryland’s first Republican governor in a generation.

Ehrlich said he thinks he is “uniquely placed” to return to Annapolis to confront what he described as a culture of “unending excuses” and “petty politics that stand in the way of progress.”

Ehrlich pledged to work to roll back a 1-cent increase in the state sales tax that the Democrat-led legislature passed in 2007 with O’Malley’s support. He promised to double the number of charter schools in Maryland, which have grown to 42 since he authored the state’s first law allowing their creation in 2003.

And Ehrlich pledged that small businesses would again have a friend in the State House, after four years of what he described as stifling policy choices by O’Malley and lawmakers.

8:48 a.m.
Ehrlich to formally enter race Wednesday

Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s long walk to the starting gate will end Wednesday morning when the former Maryland governor announces that he plans to reclaim his old job, Maryland Politics reports.

On Tuesday the current governor, Martin O'Malley (D), proposed debating Ehrlich (R) -- this Saturday. On WBAL radio, where Ehrlich hosts a weekly talk show -- on Saturday.

Ehrlich will announce his candidacy in Montgomery County, a key battleground, at 10 a.m.