Evening star., 1950-07-24
Mcke|din 10 Try
Third Time for
Governor | Seat.
Davis and Murkey
Also in Race for
6. O. P. Nomination
BY The Asseeiased Pres.

BY the Assoeiaied Press
BALTIMORE, July 24.-Theo-
dore Roosevelt McKeldin, former
Mayor Of Baltimore, announced
today he will seek the Republican
nomination for Governor, an Office
he twice has sought unsuccess-
fully.
Two other Republicans are in
the f1eld-State Senator Roy Tasco
Davis of Montgomery County and
D. John Markey Of Frederick
County. a World War II brigadier
general who came within few
hundred votes of winning a United
States senatorship in 1916.
Mr.. McKeldin'S announcement
touched off speculation that Sen.
ator Davis at least might with
draw from the race.
Conferences Are Held.
Mr.. McKeldin's decision was
made over the week end after a
week-long series of political con-
ferences.
He issued this statement:
zone of the most difficult things
for a man in public life to learn
is to discipline himself to discount
the pleasant and encouraging ex-
pressions of persons who urge him
to become a candidate for Office.
During recent weeks, however.
so impressive has been the steady
stream of generous and substant-
ial offers of support from people
in and out active politics and from
members of both parties that I
have decided to become a candi-
date for Fovernor. -.
"I am content to submit my rec
ord for the consideration of the
voters of Maryland. I will file my
certificate of candidacy within the
next few days."
Mr.. McKeldin is an attorney.
He Immediately became the man
to beat for the Republican nomi-
nation, for he is perhaps the
party's most widely known figure
around the State.
Speaks Often.
He frequently has as many as
five or six speaking engagements
a day. Hardly a Sunday goes by
but what he teaches a Sunday
school class at some church or
occupies the pulpit-sometimes at
as many as three churches a Sun
day, frequently three different de-
nominations. He and his family
are Episcopalians.
Il Gov. Lane beat him by a little
more than 10000 votes in the 1916
general elections-268,0 ,084 to 221,-
752. The margin was narrower
10000 votes-when he ran against
former Gov. Herbert r. O'Connor.
now a United States Senator, in
1912.
In 1943 he became Mayor Of
Baltimore for four years, breaking
through the long domination Of
the Democrats in the city.
Mr.. McKeldin's announcement
raised the possibility that the pri-
mary this summer may evolve into
a battle for control of the Repub-
lican Party in Maryland.
ReBuffed by France.
Jacob France. Republican ma
tional committeeman for Mary
land, demonstrated at the party's
1948 State convention that he
has this control. The demon
stration was in the nature of a
rebuff to McKeldin.
There have been conferences
between them since in an effort
to get together. Several months
ago there was a series of meet
ings in which the France group
sought to get all the Republican
leaders together on a candidate
for Governor so there would be no
primary struggle for the nomina-
ton. -
There never was an understand
ing. McKelden was only a some
time participant in the jockeying,
so the efforts to agree on one
man broke down-seemingly be-
cause no one could guarantee that
McKelden wouldn't get into the
race.
The candidacy of Senator Da-
Wis has the blessing of Commit
teeman France. So the stage may
be set for a bitter primary be-
tween the McKelden and France
fayOac