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Where's the love?
Despite a strong pro-business record and the almost unheardof prospect of winning statewide election as a Republican in heavily Democratic Maryland, gubernatorial candidate Bob Ehrlich has yet to win endorsements from several key business groups. With the race as close as it is, the failure of the business community to line up behind Ehrlich has some people puzzled and could be a key factor come Nov. 5.
The Prince George's and Bethesda-Chevy Chase chambers of commerce, for example, had not formally endorsed Ehrlich or Democrat Kathleen Kennedy Townsend as of Oct. 23, and may decide not to endorse either. Other groups, such as the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, Maryland Bankers Association, Maryland Association of Realtors and the Maryland Chamber of Commerce also have yet to make a public endorsement.
Some of them, like the state chamber, have a policy of not endorsing candidates. Others have resisted making an endorsement for a different reason: They're afraid to support a candidate who winds up losing for fear the winner will seek retribution.
"The business community is afraid to be caught on the wrong side," says John Kane, president and CEO of the Elkridgebased Kane Co., and a trustee of the Maryland political action committee of the Greater Washington Board...