(Oh, and the man who served as Ehrlich's lieutentant governor is no less than the outspoken, and often-controversial current chairman of the Republican National Committee, Michael Steele.)
If Ehrlich wins his old job back, and Tuesday night goes well for Steele nationally, look for the two old running mates to join forces again in the near future. Depending how the 2012 GOP presidential field shapes up, and what dynamics shape that race, Ehrlich could find himself as a vice-presidential running mate in as little as two years' time.
But for that to happen, Ehrlich will have to knock off O'Malley, who has opened up a strong lead after two had been running neck-and-neck for months.
If Ehrlich reminds you of Bush, O'Malley gives off a distinctly Clinton vibe: young, cerebral, wonky, and telegenic. But O'Malley can do Clinton even better. Bubba could play the sax, but O'Malley fronts his own band, O'Malley's March.
O'Malley's national ambitions are a sort of open secret here in Maryland, and he has been working to raise his profile on the national stage for years, even before becoming governor. He delivered a speech on homeland security priorities in Washington after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks when he was still only the mayor of Baltimore.
While O'Malley and Barack Obama today are political allies — the president stumped for O'Malley just recently — the governor was an early endorser of Hillary Clinton in the 2008 Democratic primaries.
If there is anything to the speculation that she is looking to try another run for president in 2016, the aging Hillary could do well to select a youthful running mate who reminds voters of the best qualities of her husband.
If Hillary doesn't run, O'Malley could well jump into the fight for the top spot on the 2016 ticket — either in a wide-open field to succeed a retiring Obama, or to take down the incumbent if a Republican bests Obama in 2012.
Article comments
1 - Dave Nalle
My favorite bit of Maryland history was when Governor Marvin Mandel rigged the state lottery. Made Agnew look halfway honest.
Dave
2 - Baronius
Neither of these guys is going to become a national figure. Bob Ehrlich is pro-choice Republican. Martin O'Malley is viewed as a screwup for his inability to get the state's slot machine plan off the ground. Maryland is a small, non-swing state with late primaries. It isn't even adjacent to an early-primary state. There's just no reason for either of them to move up the ladder.