Redmer 'Not Thinking About' Challenging Bevins

The draft Al Redmer for Baltimore County Council movement may have forgotten to invite one person.

Al Redmer.

"Every four years, if not every two, the phone starts to ring with folks asking or begging me to run for county executive or congress or state Senate," said Redmer, who last served in the House of Delegates in 2003. "You name it and there's someone who's suggested I should run for it."

"There's no way I'd characterize it as a draft Al Redmer movement unless I missed the rally," said Redmer, who lives in Middle River.

But Redmer didn't miss the rally, so to speak.

Redmer is the subject of an effort to pull him back into elected politics and challenge first term Democratic Councilwoman Cathy Bevins for the 6th District seat. Last month Del. John Cluster made a point of telling contributors at his own fundraiser that they should encourage Redmer to come out of retirement.

"It could be a Republican seat and Al's the right guy to run," Cluster said. "I see that he still has that fire in his belly to do the right thing for the public."

Redmer, then from Perry Hall, served in the House of Delegates from 1990 to 2003 when he was named Maryland Insurance Commissioner by then Gov. Robert Ehrlich.

Parts of Redmer's former district including Rosedale and Parkville are part of the current 6th Council District.

Cluster said he believes Bevins is vulnerable to a challenge despite the fact that redistricting has made the seat safer for the Democratic incumbent.

"I just see Cathy Bevins voting for everything that [County Executive] Kevin Kamenetz wants including the rain tax," Cluster said.

The fee, officially called the storm water management fee, passed by a vote of 5-2 with Bevins voting for the fee.

"A third Republican on the council could really change the dynamic," Cluster said.

In 1990, a tax revolt in the county resulted in three Republicans being elected to the council and an anti-tax Democrat being elected to the district that includes Dundalk. Doug Riley became the first Republican to chair the council that year.

Redmer doesn't think the path to victory is so clear cut.

"In making a safer seat for David Marks, the council also created a very safe seat for Bevins," Redmer said. "It decreased the opportunity for any Republican to win a council seat in the 6th District."

Included in the new district is the precinct that includes Hillendale—the same area that in 2002 helped then Councilman Vince Gardina, a Democrat, hold off a challenge by Jim Ports, Redmer's Republican colleague from Perry Hall.

Redmer said he spent all of about "7 minutes looking at the numbers." Still, he said he believes that a candidate with his experience could make inroads with the right funding and hard work.

One possible source of funding could be David Cordish. Bevins said in November that a vote during the comprehensive rezoning process last fall made an enemy of the developer and casino owner.

"He isn't saying 'no,'" Cluster said of Redmer.

True enough. But Redmer said he's also not giving the race much thought.

"I'm trying to grow my business," said Redmer, who is president of the Redmer Insurance Group. "While we're doing well, I'm not in a position where I feel comfortable taking my eye off that ball."

Read more:

• Cathy Bevins: Politically Walking Dead