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Democratic Rep. John Delaney's flirtation with next year's governors race has inspired an early shadow primary in the state's westernmost congressional district, where a half dozen prominent Democrats are expressing an interest in his seat.

The wealthy former banker, in his third term representing the Montgomery County-based 6th Congressional District, has said he will make a decision about whether to run for governor in late June. A decision to run would set up a bruising primary for a rare open Maryland congressional seat in 2018.

An open seat would also offer Maryland Republicans their best opportunity to pick up a second seat in the state's congressional delegation next year. State GOP leaders say no candidates have yet emerged, but they expect interest even if Delaney runs for re-election.

The 6th District, which stretches from Potomac to the mountains of Western Maryland, is the most competitive district in the state. Delaney won re-election in the last midterm election by less than 3,000 votes.

Del. Aruna Miller of Darnestown is the second Democrat to announce an interest in running for the seat. The chair of the women's caucus in the General Assembly told The Baltimore Sun that she is "definitely in" if Delaney decides to pursue a campaign for governor.

A civil engineer, Miller got involved in politics after George W. Bush's victory in the 2000 presidential election. She and other Democrats said they are preparing campaigns for the district now out of necessity.

"In order to keep the district Democratic we're going to have to start as early as possible," said Miller, 52. "I'm going at it full-throttle."

Miller's decision comes days after Maryland House Majority Leader C. William "Bill" Frick filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission allowing him to raise money for the seat.

Frick, a 42-year-old attorney from Bethesda, has also said he will run for the seat if Delaney challenges Republican Gov. Larry Hogan next year.

"If Congressman Delaney chooses to take on Larry Hogan, we need a strong Democrat who can hold this seat," Frick said. "I am prepared to be that strong Democrat."

Three other state lawmakers and one prominent businessman told The Sun they will also be interested in the congressional seat if Delaney runs for governor. The number of people publicly stating their interest in a seat held by an incumbent of the same party is unusual, even when the incumbent's future is uncertain.

"People are getting their [butts] kicked out here, and they need someone to stand up for them in Congress," said Democratic state Sen. Roger Manno. "That's why I'm considering it."

When Rep. Elijah E. Cummings of Baltimore was considering a run for Senate in 2015, only one other high-profile Democrat announced he was interested in the seat, the Rev. Jamal H. Bryant. The Baltimore pastor ended his nascent campaign eight days later.

Though no Republican candidates have emerged, state GOP chairman Dirk Haire said the 6th District is on his party's radar. Former Secret Service Agent Dan Bongino nearly unseated Delaney in 2014 even though national Republicans largely wrote off the district. Delaney has performed far better in presidential election years, when Democratic turnout is generally higher.

"If the seat is open," Haire said, "I expect it to be hotly contested and a very good pick-up opportunity."

Bongino has since moved to Florida, where he ran an unsuccessful House campaign last year.

The early jockeying among Democrats underscores the potential for a feisty primary in a region that has become the party's political center in Maryland. Last year's Democratic primary in the neighboring 8th Congressional District drew nine Democrats and five Republicans and became the most expensive House contest in the nation.

Then-state Sen. Jamie Raskin won that election. One of the other candidates in that race, Kathleen Matthews, is now the interim chair of the Maryland Democratic Party. Another contender, businessman David Trone, has remained visible in political circles. He told The Sun that he, too, would consider running in the 6th District if Delaney didn't.

Trone, Frick, Manno and Miller are scheduled to attend the Western Maryland Democratic summit in Flintstone this weekend an annual event closely watched by state politicos. The event is also expected to draw several potential candidates for governor, including Delaney.

"My focus has been on [running for] county executive under the assumption that John Delaney will continue his exemplary work in Congress," Trone said in a statement. "But if John decides to run for another office, he would have my full and enthusiastic support, and I would consider running for the 6th District seat before making a final decision."

Trone's interest has the potential to change the dynamic. The liquor retailer spent more than $13 million of his own money on his campaign for the 8th District last year, blanketing airwaves in the expensive Washington media market. If Trone appears to be taking a serious look at the 6th District, it would put pressure on other Democrats to begin fund raising now.

But it will be difficult for any of the potential candidates to raise money until Delaney clarifies his plans. Few will want to put money behind a candidate who ultimately may not run.

Frick and Miller said they have spoken with Delaney, and have his blessing to begin laying the groundwork for a campaign. Delaney confirmed those discussions, but warned against reading anything about his own intentions next year into them.

The congressman reiterated that he hasn't made up his mind about next year.

"I said I was fine with them doing it," Delaney said. "I don't think there's any downside to them raising some federal money."

Delaney has shown a willingness to invest his own personal fortune in his campaigns meaning he will not have to scramble to raise early money for a governor's race, and he has to worry less than others about Democratic challengers at home.

Delaney unseated Republican Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett in 2012 after Democrats in Annapolis redrew the boundaries of the district to favor their party. He defeated Republican Amie Hoeber by 16 points during last year's presidential election.

Del. Kirill Reznik of Montgomery County said the seat is "something that I'm looking at." He noted his legislative district lies wholly within the 6th District giving him a possible advantage in name recognition.

Reznik said repeatedly he thought Delaney was "doing a great job," and that "I actually don't want even want him to go."

The possibility of an open seat has also drawn attention from Del. Andrew Platt of Gaithersberg, who has some experience running in the district. Platt worked for former state Sen. Robert Garagiola's congressional campaign in 2012.

The Democrat said he is "taking a serious look at it."

"I think there are going to be enough millionaires and insiders in this primary, and I'm not one of them," he said. "You have to stop sending the same type of people to Washington."

john.fritze@baltsun.com

twitter.com/jfritze

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Maryland Democrats begin to line up for competitive congressional district just in case - Baltimore Sun

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) delivered the news in a phone call to House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) Thursday morning. | Getty

Democrats are pushing a short-term government funding extension to the brink, renewing talk of a possible shutdown if lawmakers cant reach an agreement by Friday.

After House Democratic leaders vowed to withhold support for a short-term funding bill if Republicans plow ahead with a vote to repeal Obamacare this week, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Thursday night objected to a deal that would unanimously approve a one-week stopgap that's expected to clear the House on Friday.

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Schumer raised last-minute objections "because we still have to resolve the issue of poison-pill riders" before they pass the one-week funding bill, he said on the floor. The New York Democrat added that "we are indeed making great progress."

Democrats declined to elaborate on the nature of the policy restrictions holding up an agreement. But aides said that an agreement to keep the government open until the new fiscal year starts in October is well within reach, suggesting that the last-minute objections are likely to be resolved on Friday.

The GOP's planned Obamacare repeal still cast a shadow over the funding debate, however, after House Democrats threatened to oppose a short-term bill if Republicans pressed for a health care vote this week.

If Republicans pursue this partisan path of forcing Americans to pay more for less and destabilizing our county's health care system without even knowing how much their bill will cost Republicans should be prepared to pass a one-week [funding extension] on their own," House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland said in a statement.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi delivered the news in a phone call to House Speaker Paul Ryan on Thursday morning. Hoyer had a similar conversation with House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California.

"They are in a lose, lose, lose situation," Pelosi said about Republican efforts to repeal Obamacare. "The minute they cast that vote they put doo-doo on their shoe, tattoo on their forehead."

Republican leaders still haven't made a decision about whether to bring the Obamacare repeal to the floor this week. But privately, senior GOP sources say a vote is more likely next week.

The Rules Committee, which controls floor debate, will meet Thursday afternoon but it's unclear what's on the panel's agenda.

Ryan dismissed Democrats' threats, saying he's confident the government won't shut down.

"The reason this government funding bill is not ready is because Democrats have been dragging their feet," the Wisconsin Republican told reporters. "I'm confident we'll be able to pass a short-term extension."

A Democratic leadership aide said Democrats are still open to supporting a short-term extension if the overall budget talks are "headed in a good direction and we just need time to do the paperwork etc."

But that cooperation is greatly impeded if Republicans attempt to use a [the one-week extension] to jam the Trumpcare bill through the House," the aide added.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said that while he agreed with House Democrats on the importance of keeping the government funded before "rushing through" an Obamacare repeal, he was not yet prepared to ask his caucus to adopt the same strategy. "We're not up to that yet," he told reporters.

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Current government funding runs out at midnight Friday. After settling major outstanding issues over border wall funding and Obamacare subsidies earlier this week, leaders seemed on track for a deal, but all agreed they would likely need a short-term extension to work out final details.

Now House Democrats say its outrageous to ask them to negotiate a bipartisan funding deal in good faith while Republicans are working behind the scenes to jam through a bill dismantling Democrats signature legislative achievement.

Schumer sounded a far more positive note than Pelosi on Thursday morning in a floor speech, saying that I believe we are close to a final agreement. But the New York Democrat also warned the House against pushing through an Obamacare repeal bill whose "chances of survival in the Senate are small," citing procedural hurdles that would require the measure to clear 60 votes in the upper chamber.

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said in a floor speech Thursday that we expect to pass a stopgap bill to give senators time next week to examine a longer-term funding bill.

Other Senate Democrats said they are supportive of House Democrats' anger over the Obamacare repeal vote but don't seem ready to commit to the same strategy.

"I certainly would be appalled if the House Republicans, at a time when people aren't paying attention, try to jam through a health care bill that will hurt millions of Americans," Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said, while stressing she had been in meetings all morning and wasn't briefed on House Democrats' plan.

But will Democrats hold up a one-week extension as leverage? "I don't know what they're doing in the House right now," Murray responded.

Its unclear whether House Republicans have enough votes to pass a short-term funding extension without Democratic help. Conservative lawmakers hate temporary spending bills and generally oppose them. Republicans can afford to lose only 22 votes.

"I dont have the power to shut down government. I wouldnt do it, its not in my value system," Pelosi said in a news conference Thursday morning. "Ive bailed them out several times so they didnt shut down government," the California Democrat added.

GOP leaders are still coming up short in their effort to round up enough votes to pass the latest Obamacare repeal plan. Most conservatives are on board, but GOP leaders are having a hard time persuading moderates to back the bill, which would allow states to opt out of providing key Obamacare provisions.

Seung Min Kim and John Bresnahan contributed to this report.

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Democrats push government funding debate to the brink - Politico

Tennessee Sen. Mark Green is President Trump's nominee to become Army secretary. Ayrika Whitney/USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee

Mark Green(Photo: Jed DeKalb)

WASHINGTON Nearly three dozen House Democrats are asking the Senate to reject Tennessean Mark Greens nomination as Army secretary, arguing he cannot be trusted to ensure that lesbian, gay, bisexualand transgender soldiers are able to serve without discrimination or harassment.

LGBT soldiers are willing to make tremendous sacrifices to protect our rights and freedoms, the lawmakers wrote in a letter. It would be deeply disrespectful to their service to appoint a secretary of the Army whose history of homophobia and transphobia makes it clear that he is not willing to do the same for them.

The letter, dated April 24 and made public Thursday, was addressed to Sen. John McCain, the Arizona Republican who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, the committees top Democrat. The committee will be responsible for holding Greens confirmation hearing.

Thirty-one House Democrats signed the letter, including Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy III, chairman of the Congressional Transgender Equality Task Force. None of the letters signers are from Tennessee.

Green, a former Army officer and West Point graduate who was deployed three times overseas, was nominated earlier this month by President Donald Trump to become Army secretary. Green iscurrently a Republican state senator from Tennessee whose conservative philosophy lines up closely with the tea party.

Multiple LGBT groups have denounced Greens nomination, calling him a social issues warrior who has worked to undermine LGBT rights at every turn. One of the groups, GLAAD, has released audio from a radio program in which Green, discussing transgender bathroom issues and ISIS, said his responsibility as a state senator was to crush evil.

Read more:

Caitlyn Jenner latest to criticize Tennessee's Mark Green as Army secretary nominee

Muslims, LGBT advocates prepare to fight Mark Green's nomination as Army secretary

LGBT advocates bridle at Trump's choice to lead Army

Intheir letter, House Democrats mentioned some of the same concerns about Green, including his sponsorship of a bill in the Tennessee Senate that would have barred local governments and public universities from instituting non-discrimination policies to governthe private companies with which they could work. Critics say that shields companies that discriminate against LGBT people.

The Democrats also point out that Green co-sponsored a bill that would have forced transgender students to use the bathroom that matches their legal sex rather than their actual gender and that he voted for a bill that would have allowed providers of mental health care to refuse to treat LGBT people.

The Armed Forces have made great strides in welcoming LGBT soldiers into their ranks since the repeal of the dont ask dont tell policy on military service, the Democrats wrote.

Their letter also cites an Army memo accompanying the 2016 decision to allow transgender Americans to serve in the military. The memo notes that the Army is open to all who can meet the standards for military service and that the military remains committed to treating all soldiers with dignity and respect.

Unfortunately, nothing in Mr. Greens record suggests that he shares that commitment, the Democrats wrote.

Green could not be reached for comment.

But in a post on his Facebook page earlier this week, Green accused hiscritics of "cutting and splicing my words to paint me as a hater."

Green wrote that every American has a right to defend their country and that he has never considered himself anyone's judge.

Green also has come under fire from a Muslim advocacy group because of past statements he made that the organization considers derogatory toward the Islamic faith and its followers.

Reach Michael Collins at 703-854-8927, at mcollins2@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @mcollinsNEWS.

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House Democrats call on Senate to reject Mark Green as Army secretary - The Tennessean

TALLAHASSEE As a sign of "increasing weight" in the legislative process, Senate Democrats have enough votes to block a key priority of House Speaker Richard Corcoran, who wants to increase the property tax exemption for homeowners.

The House this week voted 84-30 for a proposed constitutional amendment (HJR 7107) that would increase the homestead exemption by $25,000. But the measure is strongly opposed by city and county governments that would lose more than $750 million in annual revenue.

The Senate homestead-exemption measure (SJR 1774), sponsored by Sen. Tom Lee, R-Thonotosassa, has passed only one committee.

But the issue is important to Corcoran, a Land O' Lakes Republican who vowed in his opening-day speech of the 2017 session to "fight for another $25,000 homestead exemption that will give Florida's homeowners over $700 million in savings."

Lee acknowledged the proposed constitutional amendment is part of the discussion between Senate and House leaders as they try to reach agreement on a series of issues to conclude the legislative session on May 5, including passing a new $83 billion state budget.

But the 15 Senate Democrats have the power, if they stay united as a caucus, to block the amendment, given that the Republicans are missing two of their members. Sen. Frank Artiles, R-Miami, resigned last week and Sen. Dorothy Hukill, R-Port Orange, has been unable to attend the session as she recovers from cancer treatments.

It means the 23 Senate Republicans in the Capitol are one vote shy of the 24 votes, three-fifths of the Senate's 40 members, required to place a constitutional amendment on the 2018 ballot.

Senate Democrats discussed the amendment in a caucus meeting Thursday morning, with Minority Leader Oscar Braynon of Miami Gardens calling the proposal "devastating" to local governments. For instance, Miami-Dade County would lose $76 million, Hillsborough County $45 million, Broward County $40 million, Pinellas County $27 million and Pasco County $10.5 million if the constitutional amendment passed, according to local government advocates.

Sen. Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth, said an increase in the homestead exemption would increase the unfairness in a tax system that favors long-time homeowners over new residents, renters and commercial property owners.

"We're pretty united on that issue," Clemens said about a caucus stand against the amendment. "It's an issue that hurts the poor. It hurts renters and it hurts small businesses. Why would we want to do that?"

Sen. Perry Thurston, D-Fort Lauderdale, said Democrats, who as the minority party are often overrun on majority votes, "do have the power" to stop the homestead-exemption amendment, as Republican backers need to get to 24 votes on the issue.

Clemens, who will lead the Senate Democrats after the 2018 elections, said the ability to block the amendment is a sign of the minority party's rise in the Senate, after picking up an additional seat last year. The Democrats will battle to claim the Artiles seat in the coming months and then try to further narrow the margin in the 2018 elections. Republicans have controlled the Senate since the 1990s.

"I think President (Joe) Negron is very aware of our increasing weight in the process," Clemens said "But I'm not sure yet that the (House) speaker is. It is very difficult for any Senate president to make promises without the support of the Democratic caucus at this point."

Lee said amendment supporters will have to factor in the potential for Democratic opposition.

"That's one of the challenges, trying to figure out how to craft it in such a way that it would garner the necessary three-fifths vote," he said.

Lee also said he and other amendment supporters are looking for a way to decrease the financial impact on local governments.

"That's part of what we're trying to work to mitigate, to see if there is a way to thread that needle," he said.

For once, Florida Democrats have possible votes to block key Republican initiative 04/28/17 [Last modified: Friday, April 28, 2017 7:07am] Photo reprints | Article reprints

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For once, Florida Democrats have possible votes to block key Republican initiative - Tampabay.com (blog)

Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.) will present his investigative report to lawmakers at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee headquarters Thursday night. | AP Photo

House Democrats are going to extreme lengths to conceal a report on the partys problems.

After nearly five months, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.) presented his investigative report to lawmakers during a members-only gathering at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee headquarters Thursday night.

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Only about two-dozen lawmakers showed up for the presentation, which sources described as "dense but thorough." But members were not allowed to have copies of the report and may view it only under the watchful eyes of DCCC staff.

The presentation didn't focus on Democratic messaging and instead was heavily skewed towards money -- how much the DCCC brings in, from where and how those funds are spent.

Some Democratic lawmakers and staffers complained that the cloak-and-dagger secrecy was overblown and actually makes the findings look worse than they are. But the DCCC is sticking by its strategy.

Like any healthy organization, the DCCC always works to evolve and grow after each election cycle, and we were happy to have Congressman Maloney as part of that effort this year, spokeswoman Meredith Kelly said.

This analysis is based on strategic information about our organization and meant for internal purposes, not public consumption, she added.

A spokeswoman for Maloney referred questions to the DCCC.

The report provides recommendations on how the DCCC should modernize its data collection and overhaul its media operation, according to sources who were briefed on it. The document is also said to criticize the organization for the lack of diversity in consultants whom the DCCC employs.

Maloney offered suggestions for how DCCC should regroup ahead of the 2018 midterms, including hiring someone specifically in charge of diversifying the group's consulting ranks.

Lawmakers have privately criticized the way the DCCC operates for years, saying party leaders are too heavy-handed behind the scenes. Finger-pointing reached a fever pitch after the election: Democrats picked up just six House seats despite predicting far higher gains, prompting rank-and-file members to demand immediate changes.

The Maloney report did not criticize specific members of leadership, according to sources.

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Maloney was tapped to lead the post-mortem after flirting with a challenge to DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Lujn (D-N.M.), a leadership ally, in December.

Multiple sources credited Lujan for his cooperation, saying he was totally transparent about the inner workings of the DCCC during the investigation.

The New York Democrat delivered a lengthy analysis to lawmakers of where Democrats went wrong in the election during a party retreat in February. His latest report is a thorough review of DCCC operations and practices.

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House Democrats bury 2016 autopsy - Politico