Inside the school, not much is going on. Turnout is "a lot lighter ..

[rodeodance]

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/showdown06/

November 7, 2006
by Washington Monthly Election Day Blog
Washington Monthly Election Day Blog

BLADENSBURG, MARYLAND, 11.45 a.m.

As you turn into the driveway of Bladensburg Elementary School, a seven-foot tall poster of Michael Steele greets you. Steele looks, well, awkward. There's something vaguely uneasy in his smile, and he seems unsure of what to do with his hands. One is open, the other half-clasped, like he intended to make a fist but never got around to it. Above his head, in caps, are the inspiring words: MAKE THE DREAM A REALITY! (The poster doesn't elaborate on the nature of that dream.) Down the left side are endorsements from eight individuals, but none from an organization.

Inside the school, not much is going on. Turnout is "a lot lighter than I expected," said Robert Ambrose, one of the chief judges for this polling station, who has served in that capacity for the past five years. The quiet is misleading, though. As the race between Steele and Democrat Ben Cardin has tightened, Prince George's County has quickly become a vital battleground for the Republican Party. A Steele victory in Maryland would greatly improve the GOP's odds of holding onto the Senate.

The Republican strategy in Prince George's County--a solidly black and Democratic place--is the same as it has been since the start of the Karl Rove era: Shave a few points off the black vote. The dynamic of a white Democrat facing a black Republican has produced some unfortunate--but not unexpected--treachery, as the Post reported this morning. In the past 24 hours, an "official voter guide" from "Ehrlich-Steele Democrats" has been circulating. It features the images of several black leaders: county executive Jack B. Johnson, former country executive Wayne K. Curry, and former NAACP president Kweisi Mfume. None of the men has endorsed Ehrlich; only Curry supported Steele. Signs have also popped up reading "We R Not Slaves to the Democrats." And finally, there's this remarkable flier: "Ben Cardin Promises to Attack Jesus Christ, Pastors, Churches and Christians and to Take Away Blacks' Freedom If He Is Elected." Funny--I never saw Cardin make any such promises in his campaign speeches.

-- Jesse Singal
The Washington Monthly