Western Maryland radio host Dave Norman chose a novel way to loosen up Gov. Martin O'Malley for an interview this morning: he asked the governor if he had a question for him.

The occasionally-pensive Mr. O'Malley fired off a zinger at Mr. Norman, before taking some tough questions himself.

"What is your favorite food?" the governor asked.

After some deliberation Mr. Norman gave up an answer: "Steak."

Key members of the Gilchrest machine continue to line up behind Democrat Frank M. Kratovil Jr. in his bid to represent Maryland's 1st Congressional District.

Lynn Caligiuri, campaign finance director for Rep. Wayne T. Gilchrest, a Republican defeated in the February primary by state Sen. Andy Harris, said today she is joining the Kratovil campaign.

"“Obviously many of us were disappointed in the Republican primary results. But we now have an opportunity to send someone to Washington to continue to represent our values and end the partisan attacks and divisiveness that has rendered Congress ineffective and unresponsive,” Caligiuri said. “Frank Kratovil is the right choice.”

Mr. Gilchrest after in the bitter primary, many Gilchrest's staffers attended a "Republicans for Kratovil" breakfast on the Eastern Shore. Gilchrest has yet to endorse a candidate in the November race.

State Sen. Andrew P. Harris, Baltimore County Republican, outraised his Democratic opponent, Frank M. Kratovil Jr. 2-to-1 in the last quarter, according to fundraising totals released by the campaigns this afternoon.

The Harris campaign said it collected $401,000 from January to the start of this month and had $204,000 cash-on-hand.

"Doubling our opponents fund totals clearly shows Andy Harris is gaining momentum heading into the general election," said Chris Meekins, Harris' campaign manager.

The Kratovil campaign reported bringing in $189,000 over the quarter, and having $180,000 cash-on-hand.

"We're pleased with it, we feel like it puts us on track to wage a competitive campaign," said Erik Gulbrandsen, Kratovil's communications director.

Harris ousted long-time incumbent Rep. Wayne T. Gilchrest in February's Republican primary election, and Mr. Kratovil broke through a crowd of four candidates to win the nod from Democrats.

Kratovil supporters, including top Gilchrest taffers, say the Harris win opens the seat for a Democrat. But Republicans have handily won Maryland's in the last two statewide and Presidential elections.

The general election is November 4.

Spotted moving staffers and politicos out of the State House this week: Office Movers, a Kane Company.

That would be Kane, as in John Kane, former chairman of the Maryland Republican Party.

Lawmakers frequently talk about doing the "heavy lifting" of cutting programs from the ever-growing state budget or taking hard votes on tax measures. It would appear, however, that GOPer movers were doing the truly "heavy" lifting this week.

All denizens of the Maryland State House are to be relocated throughout Annapolis by next week, as contractors replace piping in the historic building. (And kick up large clouds of asbestos in the process.) "Heavy" demolition is expected to begin by the end of the month, and be completed by January, when lawmakers return for the 2009 session.

Maryland House Speaker Michael E. Busch wore tennis shoes with his gray suit on the House floor yesterday.

Why the dapper choice in footwear?

Mr. Busch, who stands through most of the session while presiding over the House, chose tennies because he knew it would be a long session, a spokeswoman said.

After Queen Anne's County State's Attorney Frank M. Kratovil Jr. won the Democratic primary in Maryland's 1st Congressional District he packed up his family and drove to the only place to go after winning: Disney World.

Kratovil, who now faces state Sen. Andrew P. Harris, a Republican, drove to Orlando, Fla., with his wife and four boys. They also visited Universal Studios, he said yesterday.

Disney started the now-cliched ad campaign with Super Bowl MVPs spouting the phrase "I'm going to Disney World!" back in 1987.

No word yet on whether Harris also took his family.

Comptroller Peter Franchot, who dove into the spotlight last week after hearing rumors Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller wanted to get rid of two of his three deputy comptrollers, appears to have had good reason to be worried, although not because of anything Miller did.

Miller was expected to target the Position Identification Numbers (PINs) of two top Franchot aides for removal — effectively firing them. PIN targeting has generally been frowned on in Annapolis.

Franchot is no stranger to targeting PINs. In 2005, when he was a subcommittee chairman of the House budget committee, Franchot targeted 56 PINs for removal, most of whom were appointed by then-Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.

Senate lawmakers this called Franchot on his apparent reversal on the merits of PIN-targeting, but hen demurred, saying he had learned the demerits of micromanagement.

The antagonism between Franchot and Miller grew after Franchot took over the state comptroller's office last year.

Miller last week called the state Comptroller's office a "one-stop politics shop" for Franchot, a man he said is "an embarrassment to the state of Maryland."

The Association of Government Accountants does not agree Miller's assessment. The group is awarding Franchot the William R. Snodgrass Distinguished Leadership award.

Those who like to wear their politics on their sleeve should check out these wares from "FreeMD" available on the DIY Fashion site: Cafe Press.

The inspiration comes from Republican lawmakers occasionally quiping that Annapolis and it's one-party rule by Democrats is "Moscow on the Severn."

Former O'Malley spokesman Steve Kearney and Democrat colleague Damian O'Doherty's shop, KO Public Affairs LLC, now has a Web site called KO Punch. Get it?

OK, but who's view are the expressing? They weighted in on the O'Malley-Grasmick feud and today on the Eastern Shore congressional race.

Yet here's the disclaimer: "Views expressed on KO punch are not necessarily the views of KO Public Affairs. Likewise, those appearing on KO Punch are not making any endorsements of KO Public Affairs LLC. "

— Tom LoBianco, Maryland politics reporter, The Washington Times

Gov. Martin O'Malley announced today he has ended his effort to ouster state schools Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick.

O'Malley at a news conference instructed the Democrat-controlled General Assembly not to proceed with legislation to restructure Grasmick's contract so he could remove her.

O'Malley, a Democrat, had made it clear he wanted to remove Grasmick, whom he inherited in his first year as governor, despite a recent study showing Maryland has the fifth-best public school system in the country.

The governor's dissatisfaction with Grasmick is perceived by some people as personal, considering she tried to take over Baltimore's troubled school system when O'Malley was mayor.

The issue is whether O'Malley really wants a state goverment that works together, or didn't have the political clout to remove Grasmick.

— Tom LoBianco, Maryland politics reporter, The Washington Times