An interesting thing about lists is that most everybody makes them over damned near everything: Grocery lists, song lists, “What to do about that itch?” lists… You know what I’m talking about. Anyway, this not-so-subtle prelude is to a list I’m going to write below. Can you dig it? Of course, you can.
This list is of who and/or what is now “in” and now “out” as concerns the influencers of the MDGOP – as a result of the great change that took place at last weekend’s MDGOP convention in which Citizens United’s David Bossie ousted Longtime MDGOP National Committeeman, Louis Pope. Yeah, yeah, yeah…I know what you’re thinking: “Come on, Steffen, what is it with all of this “inside-baseball” stuff lately?” Well, I can go a bit harder and higher with an inside fastball or two, if you’d like, but I don’t think that THAT’s really necessary.
Anyway, I repeat, this is nothing other than my list of who is “in” and who is “out” as concerns being an influencer in, to and for, the state MDGOP hierarchy as a result of what went down at last week’s MDGOP convention.
Ready? Good, because here is the list of the “Ins…”
IN:
David Bossie (MDGOP National Committeeman-Elect), Nicolee Ambrose (MDGOP National Committeewoman), Insurgents within the GOP, the New Kids on the Block (not the band, but think: Delegate Robin Grammer, Christina Trotta and the like…) The Liberty Movement, Boxing Gloves with which to do battle, Conservative Republicanism, Fearlessness and a few other things I’ve likely missed.
Now, for the “Out” list…
OUT:
Defeated MDGOP National Committeeman, Louis Pope (who, believe it or not, had someone request that he be placed on the Rules Committee for this summer’s National GOP Convention at yesterday’s delegation meeting – a request that was met with a resounding “Hell no!”), MDGOP State Chair Diana Waterman, the Establishment within the MDGOP, Kid Gloves, which had been used to play Patty-Cake with (rather than trying to slap your opponents silly), Rockefeller Republicanism, Fearfulness, and a few other things I’ve likely missed.
The biggest “OUT” I hadn’t listed above is Maryland’s Republican Governor Larry Hogan. Yes, it’s a bit strange calling a GOP Governor with an incredibly high approval rating “OUT,” but I do have my reasons for calling him an “OUT” as concerns being an influencer with the MDGOP apparatus – the first of which is that he is “OUT” compared to where he previously stood with said apparatus.
Formerly, I could see the MDGOP Executive Committee bowing to any/all demands Larry and his administration may have had. Larry Hogan was both the King AND the King-Maker. Now, or at least once the new Executive Committee takes office following this summer’s National Convention in Cleveland, not so much. This new Executive Committee will, I predict, call things as it sees them for the good of the party as a whole – and not specifically for any one man/woman or King over all others.
The second reason I am calling Larry Hogan an “OUT” right now is that his administration did itself no favors by having/allowing the LG, Boyd Rutherford, to nominate/endorse Louis Pope for re-election against Committeeman-Elect, David Bossie. It really didn’t. And, as I wrote a week ago, Bossie knocking off Pope, though just one change – changes EVERYTHING as concerns the votes on the MDGOP Executive Committee. It completely swings the balance of power.
I’m not saying that David Bossie specifically or the Executive Committee as a whole is going to buck Larry Hogan for the sake of bucking him – no, not at all. Politics is politics and, once the dust settles, everyone still needs to work together and all of that nicey-nice stuff. But, I am saying that I think that anything Larry Hogan may want or says he needs – just like anything else that will come across the Executive Committee’s table – will now be looked at without a rubber stamp attached.
And, there you have it. Thus concludes this little exercise in list making….
…For what it’s worth.