maryland newsline’s chat area

Party politics aren’t exactly crystal clear these days to the Democratic nominee in Maryland’s 6th Congressional District.

Though Jennifer Dougherty voted for Sen. Hillary Clinton last month in Maryland’s Democratic primary, she said she’s not sure which presidential nominee would help her more at the polls in November.

She’s glad she only had to make the decision once.

“I wasn’t asked to endorse anybody, and I’m happy about that,” said the former mayor of Frederick. “I’ve already cast my vote in the primary, I’m not a superdelegate — I don’t get to make another choice.”

Speaking at her campaign’s office above her restaurant, Jennifer’s, in Old Town Frederick, Dougherty said she’s mulled the merits of running alongside either Clinton, D-N.Y., or Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.

She agreed she could stand to benefit from portions of the Democratic electorate both candidates are associated with. Obama has had strong support from young voters, while Clinton brings female voters.

Dougherty said she originally supported Clinton for the senator’s well-fleshed-out plans. But now, she thinks Obama’s strong speeches and apparent desire to stay above the fray will lead him to the nomination.

“I think the nod goes to the new-school guy right now,” she said. “Obama is inspirational — he makes people want to get involved in a positive way.”

In her first campaign since losing a bitterly fought primary for her mayoral seat in 2005, she said she’s learned a lesson about rough campaigns.

“Obama, which is why he’s so impressive, he stays out of that — the nasty side of politics — and I’m gonna try to stay out of that, too,” Dougherty said. “I don’t want to relive painful experiences.”

-By Capital News Service’s Ben Meyerson

Although Sen. Barack Obama beat Sen. Hillary Clinton convincingly in Maryland’s Democratic primary — 60.6 percent to 35.9 percent - eight counties denied the Illinois senator a clean sweep.

Allegany, Garrett and Washington counties in Western Maryland; Caroline, Queen Anne’s and Worcester on the Eastern Shore; Cecil County in northeastern Maryland and Carroll County in central Maryland each went for the New York senator, according to unofficial results from the Maryland State Board of Elections.

Clinton’s biggest vote margin came in Cecil County, where she beat Obama by 2,209 votes. Her smallest vote margin came in Caroline, where she beat Obama by 78 votes.

David Paulson, communications director for the Maryland Democratic Party, declined to comment on the county returns.

But he did have something to say about voter turnout. “Well over 800,000 Democrats were so inspired to go to the polls in the sleet, ice and dead of night,” Paulson said. “And we know that both candidates inspired the turnout.”

According to the Maryland State Board of Elections’ unofficial primary presidential results, 821,682 Democrats headed to the polls on Tuesday, well ahead of the 486,449 who voted in 2004 and the 514,653 in 2000.

–By Maryland Newsline’s Michelle Williams