Kelly Schulz’s campaign for the Republican nomination for governor is warning its supporters that Democrats may soon be meddling in their primary.
In one letter to supporters, Schulz senior campaign advisor Doug Mayer suggested that the Democratic party has focused advertisements against more moderate players instead of fringe Republicans who would have no chance during a general election in November.
The Democratic Governors Association, also known as the DGA, has spent $12 million in Illinois on attack ads to stop a Black Republican U.S. Army veteran from battling the incumbent in the fall. His competition in Illinois has already touted allegiance to former President Donald Trump.
Maryland could be next on the DGA hit list to make Trump-backed Dan Cox the GOP nominee, warned Schulz’s campaign advisor.
“All of which is to one end goal, which is to defeat Kelly Schulz, so they can end up facing a very fringe Republican in the general election,” Mayer said.
The idea is nothing new, both parties have been doing it for decades. But in this case, it has “gathered considerable steam and financial support,” Mayer said.
But it's unclear whether that’s the plan in Maryland.
Brandon Stoneburg, the Democratic party spokesperson, said his party is focused on their primary.
“We have a lot of talent and character among our candidates and we're confident we're going to win in November no matter who the Republicans send out there,” he said.
Sam Newton, the DGA’s deputy communications director, pointed to a recent internal poll that he said found Schulz failing to gain momentum against Cox.
“It’s telling that her campaign is already looking for excuses,” Newton said in a statement.
That poll found Cox defeating Schulz by a wide margin when GOP voters were told of Trump’s endorsement of Cox and Gov. Larry Hogan’s endorsement of Schulz, who served in his cabinet for seven years.
A recent Baltimore Sun-University of Baltimore poll found Schulz leading Cox by six points with about 43 percent of Republican voters remaining undecided.
