Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. yesterday held a Cabinet meeting in Rockville to promote his plans in the state’s most populous county that is also home turf for potential gubernatorial opponent — Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan.
Mr. Ehrlich said the Cabinet meeting at Rockville City Hall, which capped 13 public appearances by various Cabinet officers throughout the county, demonstrated the administration’s “deep commitment” to improving the environment, the economy and public safety.
While the events touted the governor’s record in the back yard of a potential rival, Mr. Ehrlich said yesterday’s trip was no different from previous Cabinet outings to Western Maryland, the Eastern Shore and Prince George’s County.
“This is nothing new,” said Mr. Ehrlich, a Republican. “We’ve done it all over the state [and] today is Montgomery County’s time.”
Earlier in the day, Mr. Ehrlich toured of the planned route for the Intercounty Connector, an east-west highway through the county between interstates 270 and 95.
The project has been planned for decades but repeatedly stalled by environmentalist protests. However, Mr. Ehrlich, a Republican, made the road his top transportation priority and cleared the way for construction to begin next year.
Mr. Ehrlich also appeared side-by-side yesterday with Mr. Duncan, a Democrat, at a luncheon meeting of the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce. Both received warm applause while delivering pro-business speeches and both refrained from political jabs at each other.
“They played nicely together,” said Joy Young, president of the Rockville Chamber of Commerce.
Despite agreeing on economic development, Mr. Ehrlich and Mr. Duncan have contrasting views on most major issues — though neither personally acknowledged those differences yesterday.
Mr. Duncan has been critical of Mr. Ehrlich’s leadership on such crucial issues as medical malpractice reform. He also opposes the governor’s plan to legalize slot-machine gambling at horse tracks to help increase funding for public schools.
The county executive also supported the new tax on health maintenance organizations, which resulted in higher premiums for patients after the Democrat-controlled General Assembly overrode the governor’s veto of the tax bill.
A spokesman for Mr. Duncan underscored the political rivalry when he described his boss’ enthusiasm for the governor’s visit.
“We think it is great the governor is spending time in Montgomery County,” said spokesman David S. Weaver. “The more he visits, the more he will come to realize he is out of step with the views of those who live in this part of the state.”
He also noted that Mr. Duncan will be visiting the governor’s back yard, namely, Annapolis, later this week.
The county executive is scheduled to testify at a hearing on a Democrat-sponsored bill that would strip from the governor his authority to sell state land, instead requiring the governor to get permission from the legislature.
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