Conservative thrashes Maryland GOP voters for embracing far-right 'crank' over mainstream candidate

On Wednesday, writing for The Bulwark, conservative writer Jim Swift slammed the Maryland GOP for choosing an extreme-right nominee for governor — and all but ensuring they will slide into irrelevancy in the state by "elevating a crank."

This comes after Maryland Republicans chose Dan Cox, an election denier, over Kelly Schulz, the choice of sitting Republican Gov. Larry Hogan — an outcome the Democratic Governors' Association had been hoping for.

"There has been a lot of unserious whining about Democrats trying to pick their opponents this election cycle. In this case, some commentators suggested that the DGA poll was bunk — that the Democrats were inflating the numbers for Cox to help build support for him, since he’d be an easier Republican to defeat. But the polling outfit is a reputable one and the poll looked solid," wrote Swift. "Well, the results are conclusively in, and as of 2 a.m. Cox is beating Schulz by 16 points, double the gap in the DGA poll. That margin will shrink as mail-in ballots are counted, but the race is over: The AP called the election for Cox around 11 p.m."

"So Maryland Republicans now have Dan Cox as their nominee for governor and the similarly nuts Gordana Schifanelli as their nominee for lieutenant governor," wrote Swift. "Don’t be surprised if you hear unhappy conservative commentators kvetching about how the Dems’ strategy of spending small change on Cox caused his lead to double. But the reality is that the base wants what the base wants, and Maryland Republicans wanted them some Dan Cox."

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Cox is likely to face off against author and charity CEO Wes Moore, who as of press time has a strong lead in counted ballots but has not been called the winner.

"Aside from a win for Larry Hogan’s own daughter yesterday — she clinched the Republican nomination for state’s attorney in St. Mary’s County — it seems that Larry Hogan Republicanism is all but over," concluded Swift. "The Maryland GOP will likely have one lonely Trumpy congressman, Andy Harris, whom the Baltimore Sun called an 'unrepentant Jan. 6 co-conspirator.' They used to have Roscoe Bartlett, a fascinating, honorable man who now lives off the grid. A few Maryland Republicans might want to go join him in the wilderness."

You can read more here.