By Pamela Gentry, Senior Poltical Producer

Posted March 27, 2008 – Maryland congressman Albert Wynn (D), has decided to leave office early, hoping to allow his presumed successor Donna Edwards to step in quickly.

Wynn lost to Edwards in the February primary.  He’ll now re-start his career as a partner at Washington law firm Dickstein Shapiro LLP.  

 Wynn released a statement saying, “It has been a great honor to serve as a member of Congress representing the wonderful people of the 4th District. However, it is time to move into another phase of my life and I am very excited to be joining such an outstanding firm.”

Edwards, a community activist, will face off with the Republican challenger now in a special election.  Because the district is heavily Democratic, she will most likely win the seat.  If so, she would be the first Black woman to represent Maryland in the United States House of Representatives.
 
“My leaving early will also allow our Democratic nominee Donna Edwards the opportunity to successfully navigate a special election and be sworn in this summer. This will not only give her seniority in the incoming Congressional class of ’09, but more importantly, will allow her to get off to a fast start in serving the citizens of our community. I offer her my best wishes and stand ready to assist in any way possible,” said Wynn.

 New ethics rules don’t allow former members of congress to lobby their congressional colleagues for one year. Wynn’s early resignation will start the clock giving him a head start on completing the required moratorium.

There is also some good news for Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).   Wynn endorsed the senator earlier this year and his apparent successor has as well.  Should Edwards win the special election she too will give her super delegate vote to the Illinois senator.
 

By Pamela Gentry, Senior Poltical Producer

Posted March 27, 2008 – Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) has decided she’s in this race, regardless. Does she know something we don’t about the delegate tallies and the popular vote?

I think so.  

 I’ve heard from some Texas Democrats that Clinton’s ground troops in the Lone Star State, in preparation  for the state convention, were given marching orders to do “whatever it takes” to nab more pledged delegates from her rival, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).

But for the second time in as many days Clinton told reporters that the pledged delegates, which are awarded based on the results of their state elections, have the right to change their minds, and don’t have abide by election results.

  “We talk a lot about so-called pledged delegates, but every delegate is expected to exercise independent judgment,” she said.

That sounds like what I heard from folks in Texas.  They’ve been asked to ignore the “pledged” election results? Earlier this week during a conference call, Howard Wolfson, Clinton’s campaign spokesman, flatly denied the campaign was using this tactic. 

Now a new Gallup poll shows the Dems’ battle for the nomination could be driving each candidate’s supporters to Republican challenger John McCain.   The survey found that 28 percent of Clinton’s supporter would vote for McCain if Obama got the nomination, and 19 percent of Obama’s supporters would vote for McCain, if Clinton got the nomination.

 This could be part of the Clinton’s strategy as well.  If she stays in long enough to cripple the party, the power play could cost the Democrats the White House. 

The leadership of the Democratic Party should take some advice from Obama Girl’s new video, and persuade Clinton to step aside.   If the party can’t deal with the Clinton machine, the party doesn’t deserve to win.