Reilly to Replace Greenip, For Now

On Tuesday, the Anne Arundel County Central Committee chose Councilman Edward R. Reilly to finish the Senate term of the retiring Janey Greenip. In an 8-5 vote, Reilly held off favorites James King and David Boschert. In the end, it was likely Boschert's late endorsement of Reilly which ultimately tipped the scale.

Honestly, I rooted for Delegate James King. Though he often takes cheap shots from fringe members of his party, he continues down the same path that got him elected in 2006. While King would undoubtedly be interested in building membership in the Republican party, that goal usually takes a back seat when it comes to making small compromises in order to deliver for the citizens of District 33.

In his defense, Reilly also has to broker settlements from his seat on the Council. Otherwise, county government would come to a grinding halt. Hence, that's the real reason 7-0 votes often emerge from the County Council. Granted, Reilly could legitimately be criticized for some of the questionable policy decisions supported by the Republican controlled Council and Executive.

Now, how does this all affect the 2010 election? Presumably, Boschert no longer has any plans to pursue this seat. Perhaps, he'll proceed with his backup strategy of challenging Leopold in the primary. As for Reilly and King, I think we may have witnessed Round 1. I wouldn't be surprised to see these two duke it out in next year's primary. As for Reilly's replacement in Council, well that's anyone's guess.