Talbot GOP selects Haddaway
By: CHRIS WILLIAMS, Staff Writer
EASTON - As far as the Talbot County Republican Central Committee is concerned, Jeanne Haddaway is its heir apparent to succeed Kenneth D. Schisler in the Maryland House of Delegates.
"I think we felt all along that Miss Haddaway has been preparing herself for this since high school," Republican Central Committee chairman John Rothert said Saturday. "This isn't something she woke up to four months ago and said 'I want to do this.'"
The committee nominated Haddaway after a 4-1 vote Saturday morning at the Talbot Republican Headquarters at 22 Dover St. Harry Muir of Caroline County received one vote. The decision came after the six candidates competing for Schisler's vacated District 37B seat met with the committee Thursday night to vie for the group's endorsement. Committee members include Arlene Baybutt, Haddaway, Lynn Henley, Barbara Kendall, Al Lawing Jr., Brad Miller and Rothert. Haddaway and recently appointed committee member Miller did not participate in Saturday's vote or discussions on the candidates.
"We felt the candidates were all good," Rothert said, "we just felt that Jeanne offers the greatest opportunity for the Republicans to hold the seat in three years when that seat comes up for election."
Haddaway, 26, is a Talbot County resident and a current member of the Republican Central Committee.
In addition to Haddaway and Muir, a retired Maryland State Police trooper, the other four candidates interested in the job include James Newcomb Jr. of Caroline County, Jeff Powell of Wicomico County, Brad Powers of Talbot County and Stevie Prettyman of Wicomico County. The seat was vacated when Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich appointed Schisler as chairman of the Maryland Public Service Commission, a state board that regulates gas, electric and telecommunications companies.
The central committees from each county in the 37th District - Caroline, Dorchester, Talbot and Wicomico - are conducting interviews with the candidates with the goal of reaching a consensus opinion to send to Ehrlich who will make the final appointment.
Wicomico's group issued a short list of their top three choices Friday. The group's first choice was Newcomb, a Federalsburg resident and current Dorchester County soil conservation district manager. Haddaway and Powell were the second and third choices respectively. John Bartkovich, chairman of the Wicomico Republican Central Committee, said the group's decision is by no means final.
"We would like to at some point to negotiate with the other central committees and come to some kind of consensus with our choices," Bartkovich said.
Thursday night's interviews with the Talbot committee were held at the Welcome Center on Harrison Street. Immediately following the open interview sessions, the committee went into a closed session to discuss each candidate.
At age 26, Haddaway is the youngest of the candidates and emphasized her experience as an intern in Annapolis and volunteer work on the campaigns of Ehrlich and President Bush. Haddaway received the highest number of votes in the 2002 election to the Talbot County Republican Central Committee and has a degree in political science from Salisbury University.
"I think that the combination of my youth, my energy and my public relations background will benefit me," Haddaway said. "I have developed a plan for election that includes fundraising and a three-year calendar of events in all four counties that I would implement if selected."
Newcomb, 32, emphasized his role in soil conservation and said his work would translate well into the General Assembly.
"Soil conservation has many of the same duties and responsibilities, strategies and goals that I personally hold," Newcomb said, "and that's the responsible use of natural resources and our environment."
Muir, who has run three times for the House of Delegates, emphasized his experience working with Congressman Wayne Gilchrest and his current position on the Caroline County Republican Central Committee. Muir urged the committee to consider that Caroline has not had a representative in 17 years.
"I think Caroline County has been in the barrel long enough," Muir said. "I think we should have a crack at having a voice in Annapolis."
Powell is a self-employed real estate broker and former Dorchester County Commissioner who now lives in Salisbury with his wife and four children. He is the only one of the candidates who ran for the seat in the 2002 election. Powell said he understands "the political realities of the situation," referring to the perception that a Talbot County candidate would have an advantage in the next general election because it has the largest share of the district - 42.9 percent of the population and 51 percent of the registered Republicans. But Powell also believes he has the experience and skills for the job.
"I think the right person given that seat will give you a real leg up in the next election," Powell said.
Powers is the newest Republican of the candidates, switching from the Independent until last May. He retired from the Maryland Department of Agriculture in October and pointed to his experience in assisting with writing agriculture bills and on the economic development task force, as well as numerous testimonies in Annapolis as résumé bullets that would serve him well if chosen for the job.
"You're not allowed to call it lobbying in Maryland," Powers said of his experience in state government, "but I've done a lot of education."
Stevie Prettyman, current Wicomico County Council member, supports conservative spending and agreed with the other candidate that Maryland citizens are over-taxed. Prettyman said building bonds with Democrats would be a key strategy if selected.
"You have to cross the aisle," Prettyman said. "You have to be able to hold hands for a common goal - and that common goal is the best for the people you serve."
The next stop for the candidates will be the Health and Public Services Building in Denton for interviews with the Caroline County Republican Central Committee, Tuesday, June 24, at 7:30 p.m. The last of the series of interviews will be with the Dorchester County Republican Central Committee on Friday, June 27, at 6:30 p.m.
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You're up!
Our committee wound up with 3 votes for Jim Newcomb, and 1 each for Haddaway, Muir, and Powell. Caroline County has not had a single resident delegate since 1994 (and only one for one term, a Dem, since 1982) and that overrode all other consierations (though Haddaway's background in environmentalism was also problematic for some). Newcomb was considered the stronger of the 2 native sons, even though Muir is on our CC.
Our committee also decided NOT to participate in any intercounty caucus, but instead to send our recommendations directly to the Governor.