Outspent, Leopold still won county executive bid

As Phil Bissett awaited his fate in the Republican county executive primary Tuesday night, his south county home was filled with family, friends and pictures of the Bissetts with Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.

A similar party took place on the outskirts of Annapolis, where Republican hopeful David Boschert, a state delegate from Crownsville, talked with supporters in a packed back room at Country Inn and Suites.

Half an hour away from Mr. Boschert's shindig, Del. John Leopold watched the returns from his Pasadena home, with only his girlfriend and his Himalayan cat, Francois Rabelais, at his side.

By Wednesday afternoon, the candidate with the smallest party - and likely the least amount of hors d'oeurves - claimed the Republican nomination for the county's top office.

Running a largely one-man campaign with no buttons, TV ads or bumper stickers, Mr. Leopold overcame a spending frenzy by his rivals in winning the right to face the Democratic executive nominee, Sheriff George F. Johnson IV, in the Nov. 7 general election.

He credits shoe leather, sign waving and top-notch constituent service for creating personal connections with voters that put him over the top in the primary.

"I've always believed citizens want to see the candidate personally," said Mr. Leopold, who ran for governor of Hawaii in the 1970s after serving as a state lawmaker there. "The formula has worked consistently for 30 years."

Turnout for the primary was 34 percent, up 2 percent from four years ago.

Out of 33,130 votes, Mr. Leopold won 37 percent. Mr. Bissett, the 2002 Republican nominee, was second with 31 percent. Mr. Boschert was third with 26 percent. The other two candidates - Tom Angelis and Greg Nourse - fell far behind.

A precinct-by-precinct breakdown of the primary was not available Friday afternoon, but Mr. Leopold was expected to do well in north county, especially District 31, which he has represented for 20 years in the House of Delegates.

The winning touch

By mid-August, Mr. Leopold had $412,000 in campaign funds. He lent himself $266,000.

Compared to his rivals, Mr. Leopold spent relatively little on publicity. Between January and August, he spent $79,000, while Mr. Bissett spent $137,000 and Mr. Boschert spent $167,000.

Mr. Leopold admits he "gambled" by not spending as much in the primary. Instead, he hit the streets. He said he has knocked on 17,000 doors in the past 3½ years.

He was also a fixture on busy county roads, standing and waving to drivers while holding his signature bright red "Leopold" sign.

Mr. Leopold used his office to forge bonds with voters. He sends cards to constituents on special occasions - earning an Eagle Scout badge, for example - or when they've lost loved ones.

He said he places a high priority on helping his constituents with their individual problems. "There's no such thing as a small problem," he said. "Even if I couldn't solve it, I always get back to them."

In a tight race with a low turnout, personal contact gave Mr. Leopold an edge, said Erik Robey, a Pasadena resident and vice chairman of the Maryland Republican Party.

"(Voters) want to be able to put a face and a handshake behind their candidate," he said.

Former county executive John Gary, a Bissett supporter, said newspaper endorsements played a role in the primary's outcome.

He said The Capital's endorsement of Mr. Boschert took votes away from Mr. Bissett, especially in the County Council 6th District, which covers Annapolis.

"Every vote that Boschert took in the 6th District was a nail in Phil Bissett's coffin," said Mr. Gary, adding that The (Baltimore) Sun's endorsement of Mr. Leopold bolstered his showing in north county.

Looking ahead

Dan Nataf, a political science professor at Anne Arundel Community College, said Mr. Leopold attracted a diverse range of Republicans who weren't as concerned about ideology.

But to win in November, Mr. Leopold will have to go beyond door knocking, said Mr. Nataf, director of the college's Center for the Study of Local Issues.

"The retail approach is difficult in the general election," he said.

During his General Assembly tenure, Mr. Leopold earned a reputation as a moderate who didn't always tow the GOP line. His cat is named after a 16th century intellectual monk who irked the establishment.

In one mailing to Republican voters, Mr. Bissett attacked Mr. Leopold for opposing the governor on a state takeover of Baltimore City public schools, Baltimore Gas and Electric rate hikes and other key issues.

While Mr. Ehrlich didn't formally endorse anyone in the executive race, Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele, who is running for U.S. Senate, endorsed Mr. Bissett.

Mr. Ehrlich's ties to Mr. Bissett go back to the 1990s, when they were seatmates in the House. Mr. Ehrlich's running mate, Kristen Cox, and his chief of staff, Chip DiPaula, were featured guests at Bissett fund-raisers.

Mr. Leopold defends his Republican credentials, noting he was named National Republican Legislator of the Year in 2000 and helped craft the national Republican Party platform in the 1980s.

"To me, that's about as inside as you can get," he said. But he added "Once the election is over, people look to their elected representatives to submerge their party label."

In Sheriff Johnson, Mr. Leopold faces a candidate who won nearly two-thirds of his primary's vote.

"John's got a reputation as a very staunch campaigner, but so am I," Sheriff Johnson said. "I don't let any grass grow beneath my feet."

Both take different approaches to campaigning. While the sheriff has at least two TV spots and about $325,000 in his war chest, Mr. Leopold has no plans to buy TV or radio airtime in the near future.

The sheriff has raised more than $1 million in the past three years, regularly travels with an entourage of advisors and has more than 200 volunteers. Mr. Leopold estimates he has around 30 volunteers and advisors, and he usually flies solo on the campaign trail.

In terms of issues, both candidates agree on the need to control growth and improve education.

But they have their share of differences. Sheriff Johnson supports a $60 fee on properties to fix and prevent environmental damage from stormwater runoff. Mr. Leopold opposes the fee.

Mike Rendina, Sheriff Johnson's campaign manager, said the sheriff will stress his management experience and use his volunteers to reach out to voters.

"By yourself, there's only so much you can do," Mr. Rendina said.

Mr. Nataf said Sheriff Johnson's law-and-order image may not play well with the Democrats' traditional base of women and minorities. But he said the sheriff is the type of Democrat who appeals to independents.

Mr. Leopold is fond of quoting statistics and laws during public appearances. To win over voters, Mr. Nataf said he'll have to shed his policy-wonk image.

"Leopold needs to define himself more as who he is," Mr. Nataf said.

Mr. Gary predicted the sheriff and Mr. Leopold will split the north county vote. He said the sheriff has an advantage because he's better known in the rest of Anne Arundel.

"(Mr. Leopold's) going to have his hands full with George Johnson," Mr. Gary said.