November 18, 2010

Mooney considers state party top job

Still "recovering" from his loss to Democrat Ronald N. Young on Nov. 2, three-term state Sen. Alexander X. Mooney said he is considering running for Maryland GOP's top job.

"People have asked me to think about it and I haven't said no to it," said Mooney (R-Dist. 3) of Urbana. "It takes a lot of time and it doesn't pay anything, and I need to make money to support my family."

The Maryland Republican Party convenes Dec. 11 in Annapolis to elect new leaders. Nominations must come in the form of three signatures from central committee members from at least three counties, and be turned in by 6 p.m. Dec. 10, according to Ryan Mahoney, spokesman for Maryland State Central Committee. Though Mooney, the executive director for the National Journalism Center in Washington, D.C., is worried about taking on such a hefty role without compensation, he believes he could do it well.

"I love politics and I'd be good at raising money for the party," Mooney said. "The job is high profile and would allow me to continue to fight for the Republican principles that I believe in."

The new chair will succeed Audrey Scott, who took the reins from Jim Pelura in November 2009. Mahoney said others rumored to be considering the state party's top spot are Mike Estève, leader of the Maryland Federation of College Republicans; Sam Hale, who was field director for Brian Murphy, who lost his gubernatorial bid; Murphy himself; and Eric Wargotz, who lost a bid for U.S. Senate. SOURCE: Gazette

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