As Governor Steers Maryland to the Left, Talk Turns to 2016
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — As the Maryland Senate debated a crackdown on guns last week, one Republican after another objected that amendments were being smothered by the Democratic majority in its haste to send Gov. Martin O’Malley the bill he wanted.
"I haven't put a whole lot of brain power or effort or time into 2016," Gov. Martin O'Malley said.
But the opponents had no chance, as allies of the governor passed sweeping gun restrictions, the final victory in a series of triumphs that capped one of the most successful 2013 legislative seasons of any governor in the country.
Besides gun control legislation, Mr. O’Malley coaxed a liberal wish list from the General Assembly session that ended Monday: repeal of the death penalty, a $1.7 billion subsidy for offshore wind turbines and a bump in the gasoline tax to pay for mass transit and roads.
Republicans fumed that Mr. O’Malley had steered well to the left of Maryland residents’ concerns, and denounced his agenda as a punch list for a 2016 Democratic presidential primary campaign. Mr. O’Malley — largely unknown outside Maryland, though he is mentioned in presidential speculations alongside Govs. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York and John W. Hickenlooper of Colorado — said the bills were smart policy and in step with state residents.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/10/us/omalley-steers-maryland-to-the-left.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
