Why has no Maryland lieutenant governor ever become governor? Maryland has had nine lieutenant governors since the office returned in 1971, and not one has ever been elected governor. In this episode, longtime Maryland political journalist Josh Kurtz digs into the history and the odd politics of the job. Before the vote for governor and lieutenant governor next week, he asks why the office has been a dead end here when it is a springboard in many other states. Josh talks through the history with the people who lived it: Former Governor Parris Glendening Former Lt. Governor Michael Steele Jolene Ivey, Doug Gansler’s 2014 running mate Blair Lee IV, son of the state’s first modern lieutenant governor York College political scientist Anthony Sparacino Former Delegate Kumar Barve The topics include: Why Maryland candidates must pick a running mate before the primary How other states choose their number two An unsuccessful push to let Md. nominees wait until after the primary The dramatic fate of the 2018 Kamenetz/Ervin ticket Questions or ideas? Email marylandnow@blendedpublicaffairs.com or find us on Facebook. Thanks to Nate Carper of Carper Cre8tive for technical support.

Maryland Now is brought to you by Blended Public Affairs Why are Maryland’s energy costs climbing, and who’s to blame? In this episode of Maryland Now, Dori Henry, Josh Kurtz and David Nitkin are joined by return guest Mike Powell, an attorney with Gordon Feinblatt’s energy and environmental practice and the former lead attorney for the Maryland Department of the Environment. Mike was on our very first episode, which looked back at electricity deregulation in the 1990s. With affordability a top issue in an election year, Mike breaks down why it’s a simple story of supply and demand. Maryland imports about 40% of its power, plants have retired faster than new demand has been served, and solar alone can’t cover peak needs. We also dig into data centers, BGE and Pepco rate increases, the state’s aggressive climate goals, offshore wind, and the political fight over whose backyard gets the next power project. In this episode: Why Maryland imports roughly 40% of its power and what that means for prices How PJM, the regional grid, fits in and whether it deserves the blame Why solar helps with baseline costs but not peak capacity, and what batteries can add Why local opposition keeps slowing solar, battery and wind projects Whether natural gas should be a “bridge fuel” while renewables catch up Data centers: villain, savior, or both? “Bring your own generation” and the property tax upside Why Maryland’s climate targets may be out of reach, and what the Climate Change Commission is weighing Mike’s one policy change, and a 10 year forecast for Maryland’s energy picture Questions or ideas for a future episode? Email us at marylandnow@blendedpublicaffairs.com, and find us on Facebook. Maryland Now is brought to you by Blended Public Affairs. Technical support by Nate Carper, Carper Creative.

Maryland Now, brought to you by Blended Public Affairs This episode, Dori Henry, Josh Kurtz, and David Nitkin head to Capitol Hill for a wide-ranging conversation with Congressman Steny Hoyer, the dean of Maryland's congressional delegation, who retires in January after more than four decades in Congress, and Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth, who first walked into his office as an intern in 2011 and now serves alongside him. Together they look at how Congress got here, what it will take to fix it, and what a mentor and his protégé have learned from each other. In this episode: How Congress has changed since Hoyer arrived in 1981, from the Tip O'Neill and Bob Michel era to the confrontational politics he traces back to Newt Gingrich Why Hoyer says Congress's problem is psychological, not structural Elfreth on the bipartisan freshman retreat where she saw glimmers of hope that opposing sides can come together to do hard things The 1983 Reagan and O'Neill Social Security deal, and why reform is harder today Both lawmakers on Congress's failure to check the executive branch The mentors who shaped them, from Mike Busch and Mike Miller to Hoyer's friendships across the aisle Elfreth's work on the Armed Services Committee and what it means for Maryland's military installations Advice for the next class of new members, from Elfreth's call for curiosity to Hoyer's Edmund Burke lesson Got a question or topic you want covered this season?  Reach us at marylandnow@blendedpublicaffairs.com, and find us now on Facebook too. Technical support by Nate Carper, Carper Creative.

Maryland Now — brought to you by Blended Public Affairs This episode, Dori Henry sits down for a roundtable on women in Maryland politics, joined by Alex Hughes, founder and president of Blended Public Affairs and former longtime Statehouse staffer, Sophia Silbergeld, one of Maryland's top political fundraisers, and Martha McKenna, president of McKenna Media and co-founder of Emerge Maryland. The conversation covers where Maryland actually ranks on women in office, why the fundraising grind keeps talented women off the ballot, and how a shift in multi-member district culture changed the expectation that one woman in a district was "enough." Martha shares the story of how Sarah Elfreth's 2016 wake-up call helped fuel a wave of women running in 2018, Sophia makes the case that campaigns win by connecting with voters, not by running on identity, and Alex traces how Annapolis culture has shifted since the early 2000s. Dori also revisits the moment a sitting Maryland comptroller told a young intern to "walk again," and how much the culture has, and hasn't, changed since.  In this episode: Where Maryland ranks nationally on women holding legislative office, and which state is ahead of us The "million dollar question," sustaining the pipeline of women candidates past the first wave How Sarah Elfreth was motivated to run, and how the 2016 election helped spark the wave of women who ran and won in 2018 How Annapolis's culture has changed, and hasn't, since the early 2000s Why personal brand and storytelling matter as much as a resume, and what that means for women candidates specifically Advice for any woman considering running, volunteering, or getting more involved Got a question or topic you want covered this season? Reach us at marylandnow@blendedpublicaffairs.com, and find us now on Facebook too. Technical support by Nate Carper, Carper Creative.

A quick note: Maryland Now is taking a short break this week. Enjoy this favorite episode from last season, and join us back on October 1st for a brand new episode. In this "Roundtable" edition of Maryland Now, hosts Dori Henry, Josh Kurtz, and David Nitkin dive into the quirky, surprising, and often controversial world of Maryland's official state symbols. From the 1893 Chicago World's Fair to classroom lobbying efforts by elementary school students, the group explores how 26 different icons, ranging from the iconic blue crab to the prehistoric Astrodon johnstoni, became part of the state's official identity. The episode goes behind the scenes of the legislative "sausage-making" in Annapolis, revealing why some symbols represent deep-seated heritage while others are the result of persistent student campaigns, political compromises, and even a bit of lighthearted debate over the state's official dessert. In This Episode: The World's Fair Spark: How a 19th-century disagreement over a national flower led to the "snowball effect" of state symbols across all 50 states. The "Bad Bill" of 2001: The humorous story of how a group of Allegany County students successfully lobbied for the Calico Cat, despite pushback from legislators who thought the General Assembly had "gone to the cats." The Jousting vs. Lacrosse Compromise: A look at the legislative maneuver that kept Maryland's traditional state sport intact while elevating Lacrosse to its own official status. The Smith Island Cake Crusade: How a humble multi-layered dessert from a small island community became a staple of Maryland pride (and a lesson in the power of grassroots lobbying). Repealing History: A serious look at the 2021 decision to officially repeal "Maryland, My Maryland" as the state song and the ongoing search for a replacement. Dinosaur Drama: Why a 112-million-year-old "Star Tooth" found in Prince George's County is the only dinosaur officially recognized by the Free State. Questions or Story Ideas: Email us at marylandnow@blendedpublicaffairs.com. Audio and technical support by Nate Carper of Carper Creative. Maryland Now is brought to you by Blended Public Affairs. Don't Forget to Subscribe Wherever You Get Your Podcasts! And follow us of Facebok too