Biden’s back, Buckel’s upset, Moore signs a baseball — or a crystal ball? — in notes

 Forget prediction markets. 

When it comes to Wes Moore’s chances of becoming president (he insists he’s not running), Kathy Murphy may have the inside track. 

Murphy, manager of the Westernport Branch of the Allegany Library System, has a so-far — it’s a sample of one — can’t lose system: Signed baseballs. We’ll explain.

Moore encountered Murphy during a visit Friday to the temporary space that serves as the library branch after a 2025 flood damaged the former site just down the street. 

Murphy produced the baseball and a pen and asked Moore for a favor. 

“The last person I had sign a baseball for me became president,” Murphy said as she held out the ball and asked for his autograph. 

Moore obliged but noted perhaps she should sign the ball instead. He insists he is not running for president in 2028. 

“Don’t forget ‘governor,'”Murphy reminded Moore to ensure he included his title. 

“You’ll have to remember to come back and add ‘president,’” she said. 

Murphy, speaking to a reporter after, fessed up to the identity of her other presidential autograph: Bill Clinton. 

Take that, prediction markets. 

Buckel bucks Trone’s big bucks

House Minority Leader Jason C. Buckel (R-Allegany) bemoans what he sees as “growing outside influence” in his District 1B race, claiming that former U.S. Rep. David Trone has “heavily funded” Rhiannon Brown, the Democrat candidate running the Allegany County district.

“Western Maryland deserves representatives who understand our communities, our values, and the challenges facing working families here at home,” said Buckel said in the written statement Thursday. “The left-wing politics being imported into this race by David Trone, [Gov.] Wes Moore, and their political allies do not reflect Cumberland, Allegany County, or Western Maryland.”

Buckel neglects to mention that little of the $148,305 he has raised, according to campaign finance reports filed this week, came from “Cumberland, Allegany County or Western Maryland,” but from all over the state and country.

Brown, the owner of Queen City Scoop Shop in Cumberland, has raised a total of $8,253.10, which includes a $6,000 donation earlier this month from Trone, who is running for the congressional 6th District seat that includes Allegany County. Brown also got $967.27 last month from U.S. Rep. April McClain Delaney (D-6th), whom Trone is trying to unseat.

Trone, the millionaire founder of Total Wine, has thrown over $300,000 of mostly his own money, into in-state campaigns this election cycle. McClain Delaney has given more than $50,000 of her own and her campaign’s money to state and local candidates.

Trone had a blunt replay to Buckel’s claim that Trone is “heavily funding” Brown. “Damn right I’m fighting to send a MAGA Republican packing,” Trone said in a written statement Thursday.

Neither Brown nor Buckel has primary opponents, meaning they will meet in the general election.

Joe? Is that you?

One day after the Democratic National Committee released its “autopsy report” on the 2024 loss of former Vice President Kamala Harris (D) to President Donald Trump (R), the Maryland Democratic Party said Friday that Harris’ former boss is coming to the state next month.

Former President Joe Biden, who stepped back from his own bid to make way for Harris in 2024, will be the keynote speaker at the state party’s “Fight Back & Win Gala” on June 27 at Maryland Live! in Anne Arundel County.

“I’ve always believed that democracy isn’t a spectator sport, and the men and women of the Maryland Democratic Party are doing the work that matters,” Biden said in a statement. ‘Knocking on doors, making phone calls, and putting in the time nobody sees but everyone benefits from. It’s going to be a special night, and I’m honored to spend it with the folks who are fighting to move Maryland – and this country – forward.”

The state party framed the event as a response to the current political climate in Washington, D.C., and as a boost for Democratic nominees who won their June 23 primaries for local, state and federal offices. Price of admission to the gala, which will follow a daylong summit on topics such as lobbying and advocacy, building a coalition and connecting with diverse communities, starts at $100 and runs to $10,000 for a top-tier table.

Statements from Gov. Wes Moore and state Party Chair Steuart Pittman credited Biden’s one term in office with helping almost 250,000 Marylanders get health insurance through the Affordable Care Act, cancel $3.6 billion in student loan debt for about 57,000 people in the state and land $2.8 billion in private sector investment.

“Those results in Maryland don’t happen without President Biden, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome him as our keynote speaker,” Pittman said.

The DNC’s 192-page “autopsy” of the 2024 campaign was criticized by many in the party, which tried to distance itself from many of the findings. Among them, that voter “registration is a priority for Republicans, and it must again be so for Democrats,” and that Biden’s White House “did not position or prepare” Harris when Biden stepped aside and she became the party’s presidential nominee.

“Had the White House explored and evaluated ways to leverage Kamala Harris earlier in the administration, perhaps it would have improved the President’s standing, and it certainly could have helped prepare her to lead the ticket,” the report said.