On Oct. 17, former President Donald Trump is scheduled to host a fundraiser for Republican Dan Cox of Frederick County and his gubernatorial campaign at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida.
It will cost $1,776 to attend the event’s private cocktail reception and $25,000 raised for a photo with Trump and Cox, according to a photo of an invitation to the fundraiser that The Hill published Thursday.
Trump first endorsed Cox for Maryland governor in November 2021, when Cox was pitted against former Commerce and Labor Secretary Kelly Schulz, whom Hogan supported.
Blue goes blue
Michael Blue, the Republican vice president of the Frederick County Council, has endorsed Democratic nominee Julianna Lufkin in the race to succeed him in District 5, representing the northern part of the county.
Blue, 63, lost in the July primary to Mason Carter, 18, who graduated from Walkersville High School in May.
“I can’t support somebody that has no life experience, that just graduated high school,” Blue said in a phone interview.
Carter said in a phone interview that Blue’s endorsement of Lufkin will not change his approach to campaigning.
“He’s his own person. He can endorse who he wants to endorse,” Carter said.
Carter is a self-described “MAGA Republican,” whose political inspirations are Trump and former Frederick County Councilman Kirby Delauter.
Blue said Carter would be a “figurehead” on the council for people who mentored him, like Delauter.
And, he said, a mature 31-year-old like Lufkin is more suited for the rigors of County Council service than an 18-year-old, regardless of party affiliation.
Lufkin announced Blue’s endorsement in a post to her campaign Facebook page on Wednesday — with the caption “Extra-Special Bipartisan Endorsement Alert.”
“I am beyond honored by the support of Michael Blue, a dedicated and hardworking public servant,” Lufkin wrote in her Facebook post.
Hough on the gov.’s race
During a forum on Wednesday, county executive candidate Jessica Fitzwater, D, asked her Republican opponent, state Sen. Michael Hough, to disclose whom he supports in the Maryland gubernatorial race.
“I’m wondering, do you support your friend Dan Cox for governor?” Fitzwater said to Hough during a Rotary Club of Frederick forum Wednesday at Dutch’s Daughter.
Like Hough, Cox is a Frederick County resident and member of the county’s delegation to Annapolis.
Hough has not said whether he supports Cox.
“I’ve made the conscious decision that, when I left state politics, that I was gonna focus my energy and my time on running for Frederick County executive,” Hough said during a podcast interview with the News-Post on Sept. 9.
Fitzwater brought up Cox on Wednesday when the candidates talked about the county Sheriff’s Office 287(g) agreement, which allows U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to train law enforcement officers to ask the immigration status of those booked at jails.
Fitzwater answered the 287(g) question, then Hough did. During her rebuttal period, Fitzwater mentioned Cox.
Hough asked the debate moderator, “Is it my turn?” The moderator paused, then said, “Uh, that’s it for that question,” and moved on.
When asked by the News-Post about Hough’s comment, Cox said, “That’s just simply very, very focused work on his part to make sure he’s zeroed in on Frederick County issues.”
“I commend him for focusing on Frederick County issues,” he said.
Councilman bashes developer during 15-minute monologueFrederick County Councilman Kai Hagen and developer Tom Natelli do not see eye to eye on the county’s plan to preserve Sugarloaf Mountain and the area surrounding it.
During a Sept. 13 council meeting, Hagen made his thoughts especially clear in a 15-minute monologue, which he said has “been a long time coming.”
Hagen, known for lengthy responses from the council dais, began by saying “this won’t be short,” prompting chuckles and sighs from council colleagues.
“He bought farmland zoned [for agricultural use] with the idea that, with public pressure and time and playing the long game and lots of money and putting money in elections and influencing people and having a lot of high-priced land-use experts and attorneys, he could get zoning changes,” the Democratic councilman said of Natelli.
Natelli, like other members of the public who give testimony during council meetings, was granted three minutes to comment, in which he could respond to Hagen.
“It’s so disheartening to me, after putting my life into this county, after I present fact after fact, to find people like Mr. Hagen, here, personally disparaging me because he can’t present facts,” Natelli said.
Hagen believes Natelli’s land should be in the preservation plan, which will restrict development. Natelli has said his property, along a corridor the county and the state have identified as a strategic area for growth, should be omitted.
As Hagen wrapped up his comments, Council President M.C. Keegan-Ayer, D, said, “I’m speechless.”
“Good,” Hagen said. “I’m not.”
