Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1962-07-19
4 Chosen;
Democrats
Snub Lee


mittee of its bombshell list
of candidates to complete
the partys November slate for
the House of Delegates, appar-
emily leaves unanswered the
Countys No. l political ques-
ton in both Democratic and Re-
publican camps.
The question going the
rounds is blair Lee" and what
happens since the State Cen
trail Committee snubbed the
Countys No. l vote getter.
The four surprise candidates
announced by the Democrats
are John P. Moore. Lathrop E.
Smith, Samuel B. Sterrett, and
Mrs. Phillip Marit) Thorson.
Moore, a lawyer, was an I'M
successful candidate for the
Circuit Court judgeship nomin-
alton in the recent primary;
Smith, County campaign chair
man for defeated gubernator-
ial candidate David Hume, is
former member of the County
Council and of the County
Board of Education. He is
chairman of the board of SUI
pervisors of Soil Conservation
in the County.
Sterritt, defeated candidate
for the House of Delegates on
the County Democrats ticket, is
vice president of the Western
Suburban Democratic Club. He
is an attorney and tax special
list; Mrs. Thorson, active in the
Fair Representation Program,
is a member of the Mont
gomery County P-TA Council,
is former chairman of the
Health and Welfare Council and
was a delegate to the White
House Conference on Children
and Youth, 1860.
Blair Lee, member Of and
chairman of the COunty's dele.
cation to Annapolis for eight
years, ran for u. S. Senate on
the MahOney ticket in the
May Primary, carried the
County in his own right, but
lost at the State level. The
day before the State Central
Committee announced its ap-
pOintments, Lee made public
announcement he was avail
able for nomination.
The committee, however, DOM
mated 4-3 by members elected
from the so-called County Dem
ocrats ticket, by passed Lee.
His name did not come before
committee for consideration.
Lee said this week, it APP
peared to him that State Cen
trail Committee chairman "Ann
Brown, Mrs. Schweinhaut and
the others want to do it alone"
(Mrs. SchWeinhaut in the DEM
ocratic candidate for State SEN
atte) Earlier he had said, Its
Mrs. Browns ball game" In re-
spone to questions concerning
the part he will play in the COM
ing campaigns, Lee said, I'll
be working t. for some"
Armchair strategists among
the Democrats presently are
evaluating width of the breach
in the party that some say has
occurred from the Lee snub.
Still others feel that failure to
nominate ]. Donald Claggett,
one of the near-winners in the
primary race was a "sad mis-
take;" while others are con-
WINGED the Central Committee
made "the big boo-boo' in over
looking Alger Barbee, present
delegation member, and repre-
sentative of the conservative
wing of the party.
On the other hand, Republi.
cans see what they describe
as mot strong appointments"
in the House Of Delegates
race by Democrats as "the
best break in years."
Some party members, includ-
ing brass, are of the opinion
Lee Democrats will show their
displeasure by staying away
from the polls or voting in the
COP columns. They hope, too,
with he so-called liberal wing
of the Democratic Party calling
the shots, a good many of the
conservative Democratic votes
will come their way.
In the meantime, the Republi-
cans have their own kettle of
fish coming to a boil at Rich
ard Montgomery High School
on July 26, at 7:30 pm. At the
appointed hour, precinct chair.
men, members of the COP State
Central Committee, candidates
for the House of Delegates, and
heads of the Republican wo-
mems organization, the Mems
Republican Club and the Young
Republicans get together to
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