Robinson Joins Democratic Slate for District 39

Last week's primary shocked Montgomery County, sending at least two incumbents into early retirement from political service.

It also launched the political career of newcomer Shane Robinson, a 33-year-old former Peace Corps worker who won the third spot on the Democratic ticket for the District 39 House of Delegates.

His victory came after meeting residents door to door.

"I was able to engage with people and to connect at that level," Robinson said Sunday.

Robinson, who works for a nonprofit management firm in McLean, Va., has lived in Montgomery Village for about three years, but has had family there for about 15. Since college, he said, the longest he has lived in one place is a mud hut in Zambia.

He now is part of a Democratic slate that includes incumbents Charles Barkley and Kirill Reznik, both of Germantown, which will face Republican challengers Jim Pettit, Al Phillips and Bill Witham in the Nov. 2 general election.

Robinson's seat on the Democratic slate followed Del. Saqib Ali's decision to challenge Sen. Nancy King of Montgomery Village. King, first elected to the House in 2002, was appointed to the position in September 2007 after Sen. Patrick J. Hogan resigned to take a position with the University of Maryland.

Ali's bid came up short. King was re-elected by a 249-vote margin, 3,641 to 3,392.

"We just couldn't pull it off," said Ali of Gaithersburg.

"I think there was a lot of nastiness in the race and hard fought and expensive on both sides. We came up just a little bit short."

King apologized for running such a negative campaign.

"I've run five political races in Montgomery, and I've never had to go on the negative side before because of the opponent I had and the race he was running I didn't have much choice," she said.

King said she and the three House candidates decided Saturday to run as a team, with common mailings and joint appearances.

District 39 includes parts of Montgomery Village, Germantown, Washington Grove, Darnestown and North Potomac.

Two other Democrats lost their bids for re-election. In District 19, state Sen. Mike Lenett of Silver Spring lost to Del. Roger Manno, also of Silver Spring.

County Councilwoman Duchy Tractenberg (At large) of North Bethesda came in fifth and therefore off the general election ballot.

Incumbents Marc Elrich of Takoma Park, Nancy Floreen of Garrett Park and George Leventhal of Takoma Park survived. Hans Riemer of Silver Spring is the fourth candidate.

The state senate race in District 14 continues. Del. Karen Montgomery of Brookeville leads Sen. Rona Kramer of Olney by 96 votes with overseas ballots still needing to be counted.

In District 17, state Sen. Jennie Forehand of Rockville fended off a challenge from former Del. Cheryl Kagan of Rockville. Forehand is ahead by 360 votes.