Soccer Dad

Duncan withdraws

According to WBAL news, Montgomery County Executive, Doug Duncan will announce that he is dropping out of the race for governor of Maryland.

Multiple sources tell WBAL he will announce he is withdrawing from the race, and will say his decision is based on health concerns.

Rep. Albert Wynn, D-Md., who endorsed Duncan, said the candidate called him this morning to say he was dropping out. Wynn said Duncan told him he was making the decision because he had been diagnosed with clinical depression.

Since it's being put like that, we can assume that he was recently diagnosed and came to his decision quickly. I hope that he gets the treatment he needs so he can function normally. It must be an extremely difficult decision to give up on an ambition, but Duncan must feel he's doing the right thing especially since he seemed to be gaining on O'Malley.

(This decision would appear to be have been made very quickly and suddenly as the Washington Post's Maryland political blog, Maryland Moment noted a number of fund raisers Duncan had planned for this week.)

Those who will benefit most from his decision are Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley who will not have to compete against the increasingly competitive Duncan and the Baltimore Sun, which was going to endorse O'Malley and now won't have to waste its time trashing Duncan when it only need focus on Governor Ehrlich.

Those who lose out, will be Governor Ehrlich who now will likely face O'Malley with the Mayor at full strength, not tired out from a bruising primary fight and the Washington Post, which was going to endorse Duncan in the primary.

Once again I'd like to wish Mr. Duncan a speedy and full recovery.

UPDATE: Fellow MBA'er Monoblogue has taken a more serious look into the implications of the Duncan withdrawal - including speculating that Duncan's Lt. Gov. candidate Stuart Simms might be tempted by the open Attorney General seat. And thanks for the MBA :-) There's more in this Washington Post article.

Technorati tags: Maryland politics, Doug Duncan, Election 2006.