Challenger faces uphill struggle in District 5 race

Tito Baca must love a challenge.

The Democrat running for the District 5 County Council seat is trying to unseat incumbent Republican Cathy Vitale, who got 70 percent of the vote four years ago.

The district encompassing the Broadneck Peninsula is solidly red. More than 23,000 of the district's voters are Republican while roughly 18,500 are Democrats.

In the past four years, Ms. Vitale of Severna Park has raised more than $80,000 for her re-election bid. Mr. Baca's campaign finance reports were not available this morning, but he admits having a shoestring budget.

Still, the 36-year-old college professor from Arnold...