2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumCan Martin O’Malley become the Gary Hart of the 2016 campaign (sans the scandal)?
Young Gary Hart aides Martin OMalley, left, Doug Wilson, Trevor Cornwell, Chris Phillips and Gary Robinson in the San Francisco area in advance of the 1984 Democratic convention. Wilson and Cornwell are among the Hart alumni helping OMalley in his presidential bid. (Photo courtesy of Debbie Shore)
When Martin OMalley turned 21 while working Gary Harts campaign ahead of the 1984 presidential primary, the candidate bought the young staffer his first legal beer.
More than 30 years later, OMalley is the long-shot candidate. And his campaign is raising a figurative glass to his old boss, hoping to pull off a similar underdog victory in the New Hampshire primary.
If he somehow could vault upward, then maybe he becomes the alternative that Gary Hart became in New Hampshire, in Iowa after 1984, said Dante Scala, a political science professor at the University of New Hampshire.
And OMalley is reminiscent of Hart at this point in the race in many ways little money to speak of, a short staff and single-digit poll numbers.
Its a heavy lift, Scala added. Im not predicting this is going to happen...
OMalley served as mayor of Baltimore from 1999 to 2007, then Maryland governor from 2007 to 2015. His supporters in New Hampshire like former Obama co-chair Mary Rauh and Concord attorney Jay Surdukowski are quick to point to his accomplishments in those positions, like his push to legalize same-sex marriage and raise the states minimum wage. Rauh and Surdukowski signed on as campaign co-chairs, along with former senator Peter Burling and Manchester attorney Dave Allen.
Hes the only candidate who can point to 15 years of executive experience, and that experience accomplished great progressive results, Rauh said in a campaign call this week.
That record should stand out among the final three, Surdukowski said. He heralded the recent debate as OMalleys best moment of the campaign so far.
Some might say Bernies too hot and Clintons too cold and OMalleys just right, Surdukowski said.
They both downplayed OMalleys low standing in national polls below 5 percent nationally and in New Hampshire.
Hes guided by principles, and not by polls, Rauh said.
New Hampshire and Iowa are both places that are unimpressed by polls and pundits, Surdukowski said. Theres a great tradition of the Jimmy Carters and the Bill Clintons and the Gary Harts.
read more: https://politics.concordmonitor.com/2015/11/politics-election/can-martin-omalley-become-the-gary-hart-of-the-2016-campaign/
Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley, top right, looks toward the Dawson house (Dawson family victims of deadly firebombing) during a ground-breaking ceremony that will turn the house, located in the 1400 block of E. Preston Street, into a community center. (Kenneth K. Lam)
FSogol
(45,599 posts)Recursion
(56,582 posts)Lots of stuff changes in January...
...
Todays_Illusion
(1,209 posts)bigtree
(86,024 posts)...or has it?
Watch me make you disappear...or, did I?
Nye Bevan
(25,406 posts)or makes some kind of monumental mistake. O'Malley would leapfrog over Bernie in a heartbeat. I imagine that senior Democratic party figures are determined that O'Malley should stay in the race as a backup candidate who is actually credible in the case of such an eventuality.
elleng
(131,457 posts)Considering what Dem party has done vis a vis debates, I tend to disagree, but will be very pleased to be mistaken.
FSogol
(45,599 posts)elleng
(131,457 posts)elleng
(131,457 posts)and that experience accomplished great progressive results, Rauh said in a campaign call this week.
That record should stand out among the final three, Surdukowski said. He heralded the recent debate as OMalleys best moment of the campaign so far.
Some might say Bernies too hot and Clintons too cold and OMalleys just right, Surdukowski said.