Maryland Democrats and their Trump Obsession

Maryland Democrats really are getting their jollies these days wanting to talk about Donald Trump.

First, Statewide wannabes Chris Van Hollen and Kevin Kamenetz tried to get Larry Hogan on the record about Trump:

Two prominent Maryland Democrats on Monday joined calls for Gov. Larry Hogan to say whether he would support Donald Trump if the GOP frontrunner wins the nomination.

Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz, a Democrat who some believe is eyeing a gubernatorial campaign in 2018, and Rep. Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat currently running for Senate, said at an event in Baltimore County that it is time for Hogan to “come clean.”

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“He can’t have it both ways. He can’t say I’m for Chris Christie and I’m out here campaigning in New Hampshire on state time … and then all of a sudden say he’s disgusted with national politics,” Kamenetz said in response to a reporter’s question. “He needs to tell us, ‘Are you for Trump or are you against Trump?'”

Van Hollen added: “Gov. Hogan needs to come clean on this and tell the Maryland public where he stands.”

Van Hollen and Kamenetz of course are not the only two Democrats who are playing this game with the Governor. Gubernatorial wannabe John Delaney was also playing it.

We are not asking Governor Hogan to travel to another state, we are just asking a very simple yes or no question. Will Governor Hogan support Donald Trump’s campaign if he becomes the Republican nominee for President?

Delaney could have had the opportunity to ask Governor Hogan in person, except Delaney blew off the meeting that Governor Hogan had recently with the state’s Congressional delegation.

John Delaney could’ve asked Governor Hogan about Trump at a recent meeting with the delegation. But he blew the meeting off.

Of course Chris Van Hollen was there and he didn’t have the size to ask the Governor to his face, so maybe not.

The Trump phobia of course continues down to the Congressional level. Former Salisbury Mayor Jim Ireton is trying to make a name for himself as the Democratic cannon fodder to run against Andy Harris in the 1st Congressional District, and this is what he had to say:

@RepAndyHarrisMD endorsed Carson who endorsed Trump. He’s just wrong. Vote #IretonForCongress in #MD01 #MDPolitics pic.twitter.com/7GD1aFj5AA

— Jim Ireton (@JimForMD) March 15, 2016

Ireton of course had less dignity than the Democrats attacking Hogan, by merely implying that Harris would do what Ben Carson asked of him. And while you can question the judgment of Harris in endorsing Carson in the first place, there is certainly nothing to imply that Harris would be endorsing any other candidate before the primary.

The Democrats obsession with Trump is somewhat understandable. The Democrats want to talk about anything other than what’s going on here in the state of Maryland. They don’t want to talk about Governor Hogan’s 70% approval rating. Kevin Kamenetz sure doesn’t want to talk about his role as one of the whining ingrates complaining about state funding after Governor Hogan and the Board of Public Works had to come to the rescue of students that Kamenetz thought didn’t deserve an air conditioned school. Jim Ireton just wants somebody to notice him as he becomes the next Democratic footnote among a string of failed candidates who can’t break 30% in November. So the obsession among Maryland Democrats to try and put Republicans on record about supporting Donald Trump is logical insofar as the Maryland Democratic Party is such a pit of failure right now that they have to try and get something to stick to Republican opponents, and figure why not try this out.

What the Democrats probably don’t want you to notice, though, is the fact that they are the ones ideologically simpatico with Donald Trump. They’re for taxpayer funded abortions, just like Trump. They’re for single-payer health care, just like Trump. They’re anti-gun, just like Trump. They’re huge donors to Hillary Clinton. Just like Trump. They’re for higher taxes, just like Trump.

The idea that the Democrats are trying to tag Republicans in Maryland with guilt by association with Trump could be the last act of a party desperately trying to stay relevant. Or it could just be deflection from the realization that Maryland’s Democrats and Donald Trump might as well be joined at the hip.