GOP’s Wayne Gilchrest Faces Tough Test

The Associated Press

Tue, Feb 12, 2008 (5:26 a.m.)

Rep. Wayne Gilchrest feels like he's back in the Marines, shining his belt buckle for inspection, only now he is trying to polish his conservative credentials in a hotly contested Republican primary.

The nine-term incumbent faces two serious challengers in Tuesday's GOP primary, in which he is a moderate under attack for allegedly not being conservative enough.

Gilchrest was one of only two Republicans to vote last year for a timeline for withdrawal from Iraq, and his criticisms of the Bush administration's conduct of the war have chafed many Republicans in the district.

Gilchrest and his primary opponents, state Sens. Andy Harris and E.J. Pipkin, are all trying to portray themselves as the true Republicans in the race.

Gilchrest campaigned recently with former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, two GOP favorites in the state. He's been talking up his experience in Congress, which dates to the days when Gingrich wielded the gavel.

"I'm glad to be here for Wayne. Wayne is an old friend," Gingrich told the crowd.

In the state legislature, Harris and Pipkin both have proposed measures sure to curry favor with Republican primary voters. Harris proposed a state holiday to commemorate former President Ronald Reagan, and both Harris and Pipkin have proposed measures banning illegal immigrants from receiving in-state tuition.

"There's no question that in this race, all three candidates are trying to carry the conservative mantle," said Harris, who is backed by former Gov. Robert Ehrlich and the most conservative activists of the party.

After the primary, however, some expect the winning Republican will stop talking up his conservatism. That's because Democrats hold a slight advantage in party registrations in the district, though it has not sent a Democrat to Congress in a generation.

"I don't know if trying to prove you're the most conservative is necessarily going to win this race," said Salisbury University political scientist Harry Basehart.

You wouldn't know it from recent campaigning by the three leading Republicans. All three appear to be hoping to prove they're the best Republican.

"The First Congressional District is overwhelmingly right of center," Harris said. "It will elect a conservative Republican every time."

Still, Steele is worried about the Republican sniping in the First District primary, saying last week that the infighting is hurting Republicans' chances of regaining a congressional majority.

"We cannot get there if we continue to put bull's eyes on each others' backs and making a circular firing squad," he said.

The GOP victor will face the winner of a contested Democratic primary. Queen Anne's County State's Attorney Frank M. Kratovil Jr. is the front-runner, having raised more than twice as much money as his nearest opponent, Cambridge lawyer Christopher Robinson. Kratovil also has the endorsements of Gov. Martin O'Malley and other leading Maryland Democrats.

Gilchrest was unchallenged in 2006 on the GOP side and went on to beat a little-known Democrat with 68 percent of the vote.

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On the Net:

Gilchrest: http://www.gilchrest.org

Harris: http://www.andyharris08.com

Kratovil: http://frankkratovil.com

Ellie