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Ed Hale Sr., a Baltimore businessman, sports team owner and longtime Democrat, ended speculation about his party affiliation and declared Wednesday that he will run for governor as a Republican.
Hale described himself as a moderate, but said his party switch was rooted in political pragmatism more than ideology.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no way I could win running against Wes Moore with that machine he鈥檚 got,鈥� Hale said of the incumbent Democratic governor. 鈥淗e takes all the money and oxygen out of the room. I can鈥檛 do it. I鈥檓 a pragmatist and I鈥檓 a moderate person. That鈥檚 just the way I am.鈥�
Hale made the announcement 鈥� 鈥� in an east Baltimore waterfront park that he once owned and sold to the city. It came after he hired Annapolis pollster Patrick Gonzales to look at a head-to-head race between himself and Moore.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 believe I had a chance, based on the polling that was done, to beat him,鈥� Hale said of Moore. 鈥淚 had a chance, but it was not as good as it would be running as a Republican.鈥�
Hale said later that the poll only looked at him against Moore and did not include other Republicans who have filed or announced for governor, or who are the subject of speculation.
Hale, 78, is well-known in the business community but is an unpolished political candidate.
鈥淪o, the big thing here is, I like building things. 鈥㊣ like making things. I like hiring people. That鈥檚 the way it is,鈥� Hale said. 鈥溾�￤hat we have right now are these career politicians with smiling faces that really, really don鈥檛 give a sh-t. You all know it. I do. I care.鈥�
While Hale was blunt about his reasons for switching, Senate Minority Leader Stephen S. Hershey Jr. (R-Upper Shore) was equally blunt, casting doubt on Hale鈥檚 affiliation switch and portraying him as a political opportunist.
鈥淲e鈥檝e built a Republican movement in Maryland that stands for more than just opposition to the far left 鈥� it stands for authentic leadership and a clear governing philosophy,鈥� Hershey said in a statement. 鈥淥ur voters expect more than opportunism 鈥� they expect commitment.鈥�
Hershey noted that Hale has 鈥渟pent decades鈥� supporting Democrats.
In remarks to reporters, Hale noted his relationships with former Baltimore mayor and Maryland Gov. William Donald Schaefer, a Democrat. He also spoke about raising money for Democrats including Dutch Ruppersberger, the former Baltimore County executive and congressman, and former Sens. Ben Cardin and Barbara Mikulski.
鈥淚 did it because they were going to win and if you don鈥檛 do that, you鈥檙e just not very pragmatic or prudent,鈥� Hale said.
But he noted he also voted for Republicans, including former Govs. Larry Hogan and Robert Ehrlich.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just the way that I am. I want to vote for the winner,鈥� he said.
Hale grew up in Baltimore. He said his record 鈥渟tands for itself鈥� more than political affiliation.
鈥淚f you want to talk about labels, I鈥檓 the wrong person,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e born in Baltimore 鈥� I鈥檓 from east Baltimore not too far from here 鈥� and you鈥檙e automatically a Democrat. But I stopped thinking about party affiliation except when I voted.鈥�
He described his Democratic affiliation as a business tool.
鈥淚f you鈥檙e building anything, you have to go with the party that鈥檚 in place, so you have someone to call to get a permit,鈥� Hale said. 鈥淚 can sugarcoat it any way you want, but that鈥檚 the tool.鈥�
Hershey, in his statement, questioned Hale鈥檚 commitment to core Republican principles.
鈥淭he Republican nomination for Governor will not be handed out to the highest-profile defector from the left. It must be earned,鈥� Hershey said in his statement. 鈥淢aryland Republicans expect their leaders to stand firm on limited government, lower taxes, and personal responsibility.
鈥淲e鈥檒l be scrutinizing Ed鈥檚 record closely to ensure he genuinely embraces our values, not simply our party label,鈥� Hershey鈥檚 statement said.
Hale may also find himself at odds with Republicans aligned with President Donald Trump.
鈥淣ow, I am not a Donald Trump guy. I鈥檓 going to make that very clear,鈥� Hale said, but added that he would try to work with the president, who is very unpopular in Maryland.
Hale said he would not 鈥減oke鈥� Trump as Moore and other Democrats have done.
鈥淵ou have to have some pragmatism and common sense 鈥� so that you know that you鈥檙e going to be doing the right thing to make jobs in the state of Maryland,鈥� he said.
Hale laid out a platform of opposing taxes and fees and accused Democrats of misrepresentation as some, including Moore, claimed to have cut taxes.
鈥淚 want to attack 鈥� what we all know is a problem,鈥� Hale said. 鈥淚 think we have dishonest people telling us things that are just not true, making us try to try to make us believe that these things are true, that the taxes are not going up. That fees are not going up. We all know it鈥檚 not true.鈥�
He said he backs nuclear power as a way to lower energy costs in the state and hinted at a tough-on-crime position, calling for juveniles as young as 14 to be jailed and for parents to be held responsible.
鈥淚 think we should lower the date that they could go to jail 鈥� the age 鈥� down to 14,鈥� Hale said. 鈥淚f that鈥檚 the one stealing the cars and doing that, put them in jail. Find the parents and get judgments against the parents, too. That will begin the parenting.鈥�
Hale joins a growing field of Republicans who have formally filed or announced for governor.
, who previously ran an unsuccessful campaign for U.S. Senate, and Carl A. Brunner Jr., a Carroll firearms instructor, have both formally filed for the GOP nomination.
Freshman Del. Christopher Bouchat (R-Frederick and Carroll) said he will聽 rather than re-election to the House. Carroll County farmer Kurt Wedekind has also said he will seek the Republican nomination. Neither Bouchat nor Wedekind have formally filed their candidacy.
And then there is the ongoing speculation about Hogan mulling a possible return to office. The former two-term governor has used social media to stoke that speculation.
Hale himself raised the possibility of another Republican former governor 鈥� Ehrlich 鈥� attempting a comeback.
鈥淚f Larry Hogan wants to run, if Bob Ehrlich wants to run 鈥� I鈥檝e heard that, too 鈥� have at it. Let鈥檚 have a contest,鈥� he said.
Hale鈥檚 announcement Wednesday does not make him a formal candidate. He must change his party registration, something the Talbot County resident said he could do as early as Wednesday.
Hale must also register his campaign committee with the Maryland State Board of Elections, as well as financial disclosure forms. Hale said some of that may also be done as early as Wednesday afternoon.
He cannot file his formal candidacy with the state board until he chooses a running mate.
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