Do Maryland Republicans have a “Plan B” if QAnon Republican Dan Cox wins the July 19 Republican gubernatorial primary?
The gubernatorial race ends on July 19 if Cox wins his primary.
Democrat Wes Moore, Rushern Baker, Peter Franchot, or Tom Perez would handily win the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022.
Take heart.
America’s second-most educated state will never elect a QAnon conspiracy theorist Maryland’s 63rd governor.
But do enough of Mr. Cox’s Trumpian supporters understand Maryland’s political calculus?
They might – but they don’t care.
Donald Trump’s Maryland Republican Party would rather cut their nose off to spite their face.
“If the Republicans just elect a true conservative, the Democrats’ eyes will open, and they’ll vote for that person.”
That’s stupid and flawed logic.
Though it’s seemingly more important for Trump and Cox supporters to make a statement – electing a “true conservative” over a “Republican In Name Only (a RINO) – even if it means losing a general election to a Democrat.
Former state Commerce Secretary Kelly Schulz is as conservative.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) is a conservative.
But Larry Hogan and Kelly Schulz do not peddle crazy. They never have, and they never will.
Though it is crazy that energizes far-right Trumpian Republicans.
And Kelly Schulz must defeat crazy before passing go.
What Happens If Dan Cox Wins Maryland’s Republican Gubernatorial Primary?
Is there a “Plan B” for Maryland Republicans if Cox wins the primary?
Paging MacGyver!
What is Maryland Republican Party Chairman Dirk Haire’s “Plan B?”
The state GOP would have to suck it up and support Cox, no?
Would Dirk Haire risk his credibility to assuage the shallow alt-right and QAnon wings within the Maryland Republican Party?
Consider this: Mr. Haire’s wife, Jessica Haire, could become the Republican nominee for Anne Arundel County executive on July 19.
Jessica Haire is a pragmatic conservative; she’s nothing like Dan Cox.
Plus, Cox is backing Jessica Haire’s primary opponent, Herb McMillian, in the Anne Arundel County Republican executive primary.
Would Jessica and Dirk Haire hold a joint campaign rally with “Big Lie” promulgator Dan Cox in Anne Arundel County, one of Maryland’s most politically purple-leaning counties?
No way.
The all-star legal couple would then need to explain why Dan Cox recently attended a Pennsylvania-based QAnon weekend conference.
See the video below.
Would a pragmatic conservative like Barry Glassman, the Republican’s comptroller candidate, or Maryland Republican attorney general candidate Jim Shalleck, a skilled and serious attorney, stand beside Dan Cox at a political rally?
Probably not.
Maryland down-ballot Republicans will suffer significant losses in November if Dan Cox wins the GOP gubernatorial nomination.
It would take a decade or more for the Maryland Republicans to recover from their losses if their primary voters nominate Dan Cox for governor.
What is Larry Hogan and Kelly Schulz’s “Plan B” if Dan Cox Wins the GOP Primary?
Would Larry Hogan and Kelly Schulz back the Democratic gubernatorial nominee if Cox wins the GOP gubernatorial nomination?
Who knows?
Mr. Hogan has his eyes set on the White House in 2024.
It’s unlikely that Mr. Hogan publicly backs whoever emerges as the Democratic nominee.
But privately, however? That’s a different story.
Mr. Hogan would likely have no problem privately backing Peter Franchot, Rushern Baker, or Wes Moore.
You’ll recall that Peter Franchot refrained from endorsing Ben Jealous’ 2018 gubernatorial run out of deference to Mr. Hogan.
Notably, Mr. Hogan and Mr. Franchot, for the most part, have maintained an excellent professional relationship over the last seven years that Hogan has served as Maryland’s governor.
Both men are crucial allies for one another on the Maryland Board of Public Works.
But Larry Hogan’s gubernatorial legacy is on the line if Dan Cox wins the GOP primary over Kelly Schulz.
There is no “Plan B” for Mr. Hogan.
Beat Dan Cox is “Plan B.”
Would Larry Hogan and Kelly Schulz Support Cox?
Play this out.
Cox wins the Republican primary on July 19.
Hogan won’t call Dan Cox to congratulate Cox on winning the Republican primary.
And there won’t be a lunch at the Governor’s Mansion with Hogan and Cox, followed by a flowery press conference that ends with an orchestrated handshake and hug.
(Is Dan Cox even vaccinated? He won’t say.)
Larry Hogan despises the Trump wing of the Republican Party.
But even more so, Hogan despises Dan Cox.
Oh, but what about “Maryland Republican Party unity?”
LOL.
Oh, sure, some of Maryland’s far-right Republican activists would rally behind the Cox/Agatha Truncbull ticket.
But many won’t.
If Cox trumps Schulz on July 19, you can forget “party unity.”
Please consider that Larry Hogan isn’t Ted Cruz.
Mr. Hogan would likely rather keep his dignity than grovel before Donald Trump and Trumpian-like candidates.
You have a better chance of seeing God this summer than Larry Hogan and Kelly Schulz endorsing Dan Cox for governor.
And why would they endorse Cox?
Let’s play a game of “Remember When,” Tony Soprano’s least favorite form of conversation.
The Best of Dan Cox’s Outlandish Accusations
The Shadow Government Suggestion
Do you remember when Dan Cox accused Larry Hogan and Kelly Schulz of belonging to a shadow government?
Uh-huh.
So, Larry Hogan and Kelly Schulz mingle inside the so-called “Deep State?”
Right.
The always-rational Cox suggested Larry Hogan and Kelly Schulz were working to take down former twice-impeached President Donald Trump (and the United States).
Mr. Trump does a pretty good job of taking down himself.
The Chinese Community Party Accusation
Do you remember when Dan Cox claimed Larry Hogan and Kelly Schulz were agents of the Chinese Communist Party?
LOL.
Dany Cox Unsuccessfully Sued Larry Hogan
Think back to 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic first ravaged the world.
Dan Cox, who isn’t a medical professional, unsuccessfully sued Larry Hogan to block restrictions and closures that Hogan imposed to curb the coronavirus spread.
Now Mr. Cox is blathering about “medical freedom.”
It’s Dan Cox’s body; it’s his choice!
If only Dan Cox applied the same logic to women’s reproductive rights.
Impeach Larry Hogan? Dan Cox tried – but he failed
And how could Larry Hogan forget when Dan Cox tried impeaching him during the 2022 legislative session?
Maryland’s House Rules and Executive Nominations Committee unanimously told Dan Cox to go away.
Is There An Independent Candidate Standing at the Ready If Cox Wins The Primary?
Kyle Sefcik is running for Maryland governor as a Maryland unaffiliated.
But Mr. Sefcik launched his gubernatorial from a position of anger.
He’s pissed about Maryland’s COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns.
You won’t find too many policy differences between Dan Cox and Kyle Sefcik, a Montgomery County-based nonprofit organizer, and fitness club owner.
So, no, there are no viable Maryland Independent or unaffiliated candidates running for Maryland governor.
If Kelly Schulz Beats Dan Cox in the GOP Primary, Does Cox Pull a Trump?
Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential election.
But Dan Cox, like Donald Trump, insists without evidence that widespread voter fraud led to a stolen presidential election.
There was no widespread voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election.
Joe Biden won.
Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential election.
The 2020 presidential election results are not in dispute.
Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential election – and that’s that.
Mr. Trump and Dan Cox are acute threats to American democracy.
Perpetuating the “Big Lie” that Trump won the election is fundamentally dangerous to the American republic.
But some Republicans cannot handle losing elections.
It should not surprise you if Dan Cox denies the 2022 Maryland Republican gubernatorial primary results if he loses.
Be ready for Dan Cox to pull a Trump.
Kelly Schulz is Boxing With a Clown
Do you watch HBO’s hit show “Succession?”
If you don’t watch Succession, you should; it’s television’s finest dark comedic drama since “The Sopranos.”
The show teaches MBAs everything they didn’t learn in business school.
Think back to last December.
Do you remember “Succession’s” season three penultimate episode?
Similar to the current status of Maryland’s Republican gubernatorial primary, Succession’s season three, episode eight featured two people from different worlds angling for similar prizes.
Succession antagonist Logan Roy, played by acting virtuoso Brian Cox, fired off one of the most consequential lines of the series during the episode.
“I can win any bout with a boxer-fuck, but I don’t know how to knock out a clown.”
In that scene, Logan assessed whether Lukas Matsson, played by Alexander Skarsgård, was of sound body and mind before agreeing to merge his media giant Waystar Royco with Matsson’s new-age streaming company GoJo.
Republican Kelly Schulz can win the general election, no doubt.
But Schulz still faces the looming threat of a clown, Dan Cox, winning the Maryland Republican primary.
As Logan Roy mused, how do you box a clown?
You don’t get into the ring with a clown.
Why do you think Kelly Schulz isn’t seen with Dan Cox at candidate forums?
Because you never get into the ring with a clown.
There Is No “Plan B”
Many Maryland Republicans still like Donald Trump.
Trump endorsed Cox in a state that Trump lost by over 30 points in the 2020 presidential election.
How does Kelly Schulz convince enough Maryland Republicans that a vote for Dan Cox is a wasted vote?
This Schulz campaign ad is a start.
(Kudos to Brian Griffiths of The Duckpin Blog for his reporting.)
But it’s not enough to knock out a clown.
Hit him harder, Madam Secretary. Don’t stop hitting him.
There is no “Plan B” for Kelly Schulz.
Winning is her only choice.
