Editorial

And Now … Time To Govern

We congratulate not just the winners in November 7’s election Tuesday but also the losers. With some exceptions, this has been a spirited and illuminating campaign that focused on managing growth, restoring Chesapeake Bay and other issues that matter in our region.

Our thanks to all who’ve run and served.

Now it’s time to govern.

Governor-elect Martin O’Malley has advanced a very detailed Bay protection plan that promises enforcement and needed change in strategy.

Controlling unwise development was a key issue for both John Leopold, the Republican who bucked a Democratic tide to build the narrowest of leads, and George Johnson in the Anne Arundel County executive race. With absentee and provisional ballots still to count, either man could win the right to carry out that promise.

In electing Rep. Ben Cardin to the U.S. Senate, smart Maryland voters rejected the race card played by Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, whose supporters lined Rt. 4 on Election Day with insulting signs saying that African Americans were victims of Democratic slavery.

For Gov. Robert Ehrlich, the loss was bitter indeed. We have had our differences with the governor as far as some of his appointments, his overall approach to conservation issues and a pettiness that he sometimes brought to the political fray.

By the same token, we’ve liked and respected Governor Ehrlich, and we agree with our readers who hold that divided government can be a good thing. Just look at the scandal and stupidity that overtook Washington in this new millennium with Republicans running the whole show.

We think this election also shows the benefits of shoe-leather campaigning and winning votes person by person. That was the strategy of Leopold, who smashed the established icons in both the primary and in building his lead. Door to door was also the path Del. Sue Kullen followed to be the first woman Calvert County voters have sent to the General Assembly.

Congratulations, voters, on a job well done. We’ll all be watching to see that the men and women do their job we’ve elected them for.