Democrats gather for unity picnics

By ALAN BRODY, Staff writer

As Democrats nationwide recuperate from a long and bruising presidential primary campaign, party leaders in Maryland are hoping to mend fences and rally around presumptive nominee Sen. Barack Obama with a series of unity picnics that will take place over the next two weekends.

Southern Maryland Democrats will gather Sunday afternoon at Gilbert Run Park for the free event that is expected to draw local, state and national elected officials.

‘‘The point is to come together and get behind our candidates ... and begin to build some enthusiasm and lay the groundwork for friendships and get us to a point where we're poised to work together on behalf of Senator Obama and obviously, Steny Hoyer," said Calvert County Democratic Central Committee Chairman Christopher Reynolds, whose group is hosting the event along with the local parties in Charles and St. Mary's counties.

Local Democrats acknowledge that the protracted and at times piercing primary caused some rifts, but expressed confidence that unity will prevail for the good of the party.

‘‘No organizational structure, army or religious group [has] ever succeeded without unity," said Frank Lancaster, a longtime party foot soldier who is president of the 4th and 5th Districts Democratic Club of Charles County.

The first unity event last month in Montgomery County, which also included Prince George's County Democrats, drew about 300 Democrats, 100 more than expected, said David Paulson, state Democratic Party spokesman.

‘‘It's basically just a way of getting Democrats together without asking for money and without making people work," he said. ‘‘It sets the stage hopefully in every district for getting those people together and agreeing on their unity ... because it was a long, drawn-out primary and we do have very passionate people who worked for both Senator Obama and Senator Clinton."

Although Maryland is a near-lock to give its 10 Electoral College votes to Obama, Democrats aren't taking anything for granted, particularly after the exhausting 16-month primary sharply divided key party constituencies that will be critical to the November general election.

Ardent supporters of Sen. Hilary Rodham Clinton may need extra time to come to grips with the disappointment of her defeat, said St. Mary's County Democratic Club President Cindy Slattery. ‘‘For those folks, expecting them to suddenly just jump ship and put the Obama [paraphernalia] on is probably asking a lot."

Maryland's status as a reliably blue state likely means Obama will make few, if any, stops, meaning it's up to local activists to mobilize volunteers and galvanize voters, Lancaster said. Most of the national party's focus between now and November is expected to be on swing states like Pennsylvania and Virginia.

‘‘I think that's fundamentally a flawed position," said Lancaster. ‘‘There's nothing like hands-on candidacy."

Obama's state campaign director Mike Novelli recently said he's coordinating with the national campaign to have Obama or his wife Michelle possibly attendÊ a state party fundraiser in Baltimore at the end of the month, but nothing has been finalized.

The chances of Obama visiting Southern Maryland are even more remote, so local party leaders said it's important to generate their own enthusiasm.

‘‘It's unreasonable for us to expect him to come down here and see us but that doesn't stop us from building some enthusiasm, getting some signs and having some local fun," Reynolds said.

Regardless of Obama's presence in Maryland, Paulson said the picnics are designed to engage Democrats across the state and highlight the party's efforts to win all eight Congressional races in November. Democrats, who currently hold six seats, have been buoyed by recent wins nationwide in traditionally safe Republican districts. One of the two incumbent Republicans, Rep. Wayne T. Gilchrest (R-Md., 1st) was defeated in the GOP primary in February, giving Democrats their best chance to capture the seat in years. The other Republican incumbent, Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett (R-Md., 6th) must fend off a challenge from former Frederick Mayor Jennifer Dougherty.

Closer to home, Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md., 5th) is running for a 14th term against four-term Charles County Board of Education member Collins Bailey (R).

The campaign has so far generated little attention, although Bailey's campaign has recently received formal endorsements from one-time presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) and Del. Anthony J. O'Donnell, the top-ranking Republican in the Maryland House of Delegates.

But party leaders expect the general election campaigns will be in full swing by Labor Day after a summer sabbatical from full-scale campaigning at the national level.

‘‘I think there was so much energy invested by so many people ... living Tuesday night to Tuesday night, and staying up late to see what was going to happen," said Slattery, who stayed neutral during the primary contest. ‘‘[Now], people are reassessing where they are."

The party events now also provide an opportunity to build the political infrastructure that will be key to the 2010 gubernatorial election, in which local and statewide offices are up for grabs, she added.

In the end, Slattery expects even the most hardcore Clinton loyalists will rally around Obama because he represents core Democratic Party ideals that trump individual preferences.

‘‘While the candidate was front and center, it's the psychology that got you there," she said.

‘‘At the end of the day, we're Democrats and we want to win the White House and we're going to find a way to reach out to each other and work to elect a Democrat."