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If Wednesday鈥檚 鈥�1000 Women for Peter Franchot and Monique Anderson-Walker Luncheon鈥� was a test run for the July 19 primary 鈥� to see whether the comptroller鈥檚 gubernatorial campaign can mobilize its supporters when needed 鈥� the event was a runaway success.
Franchot and his running mate, a former Prince George鈥檚 County Council member, packed the main ballroom at Martin鈥檚 Crosswinds in Greenbelt. Somewhere in the vicinity of 1,100 people 鈥� mostly Black women 鈥� attended the marathon gathering.
No small feat on a weekday afternoon.
鈥淚 was not exactly sure what to expect,鈥� said Prince George鈥檚 County Council member Ed Burroughs III (D) afterward. He said the robust turnout was a sign the campaign is clicking. 鈥淭here was a lot of excitement and optimism and hope about what the Franchot/Anderson-Walker team would bring to the state.鈥�
The luncheon was a 鈥減eople-raiser鈥� 鈥� a rally, essentially 鈥� not a fundraiser. Campaign Manager Ben Smith said donations from 鈥渟ponsors鈥� were expected to cover the event鈥檚 costs, primarily the venue, a gourmet meal for 1,000+ people, and a DJ who spun both retro classics and contemporary hits. (More on him below.)
The campaign also provided transportation for attendees, many of them seniors, who live in the central and southern parts of the Prince George鈥檚, the state鈥檚 vote-rich Democratic stronghold.
Former state Senator and Department of Aging secretary Gloria Lawlah (D), a lead organizer, said she had to turn people away due to space constraints.
鈥淲e had opinion leaders. We had old-timers who鈥檝e worked civic associations. They鈥檙e in churches. They鈥檙e in their private clubs and organizations,鈥� said Lawlah. 鈥淲e tried to put the tables full of people who could influence other people鈥檚 opinion about voting for this ticket.鈥�
鈥淪eniors have been isolated,鈥� Lawlah added, 鈥渟o they were really ready to get out and have fun.鈥� She predicted the luncheon will 鈥済enerate a lot of energy for the campaign.鈥�
Prince George鈥檚 is always a hotly-contested battleground and this year the competition is even more intense. Of the nine Democrats running for governor, three are Black, including former Prince George鈥檚 County Executive Rushern Baker. Another Black candidate, Wes Moore, has the support of Prince George鈥檚 County Executive Angela D. Alsobrooks (D) and State鈥檚 Attorney Aisha N. Braveboy (D).
Two other gubernatorial contenders are candidates of color. Most of the white candidates have chosen running mates of color.
The 鈥�1,000 Women鈥� program included an opening and welcome, an invocation/blessing, music, two greetings, introductions, speeches and a keynote address. Many attendees headed for the exits after Franchot gave his stump speech.
The comptroller offered a grab-bag of promises that included improved access to health care, borrowing help for would-be homeowners and 鈥渉undreds of thousands of new family-supporting jobs.鈥� He drew applause when he said that during his first three months in office, state employees would focus on fixing potholes, clearing roadside trash and answering the phone.
鈥淚f you think I鈥檝e done a good job as your comptroller,鈥� Franchot said, 鈥渢he people of the state of Maryland ain鈥檛 seen nothing yet. This is going to be a transformative experience.鈥�
Franchot gave out his personal cellphone number during his remarks, as he often does. (He noted that he doesn鈥檛 have Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr.鈥檚 cell number, even though the two have served together on the Board of Public Works for seven years. 鈥淵ou have to call staff and work up through the ranks. No, you can call me directly.鈥�)
Anderson-Walker spoke movingly of her parents鈥� influence on her life, and she offered a recital of her work in Upper Marlboro and Annapolis, with some criticism of her former council colleagues sprinkled in.
She faulted them for attempting to raise property taxes during the pandemic and for pursuing a redistricting plan that critics said protected incumbents. There were murmurs of approval through the room.
Her praise of the four-term tax collector included the dubious claim that he is 鈥渓argely responsible鈥� for Maryland鈥檚 $8 billion surplus. 鈥淗e doesn鈥檛 answer to anybody,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hat excited me about Peter was that he鈥檚 a standup person.鈥�
Franchot and Anderson-Walker were effectively upstaged by an introductory speaker, Del. Darryl Barnes (D-Prince George鈥檚), the long-serving head of the Legislative Black Caucus.
Working in tandem with DJ 21 Flavors, Barnes (whose walk-up music was Kendrick Lamar鈥檚 鈥淏e Humble鈥�) offered a warning for the other gubernatorial campaigns.
鈥淚 want you to let them know,鈥� Barnes roared, as the Teddy Pendergrass version of 鈥淭urn Off the Lights鈥� played, 鈥渢hey might as well turn off the lights.鈥�
