Wednesday, May 7, 2008

before election, praisner treats supporters to ice cream

County Council candidate Don Praisner, pictured here at IHOP last month, held an ice cream social this weekend for friends and supporters.

About sixty well-wishers came out to Seibel's Restaurant in Burtonsville Saturday for an ice cream social and fundraiser supporting Democrat Don Praisner's bid for his wife's former County Council seat.

"It's kind of continuing a tradition my mom had," says daughter Alison Praisner Klumpp, a teacher at Fairland Elementary School. While it wasn't a yearly event, the social was held "quite frequently" by Councilmember Marilyn Praisner (D-Calverton), who passed away in February.

The Praisner family reserved two rooms in the back of the restaurant to entertain a steady stream of family and friends, including a number of countywide elected officials. Councilmembers Phil Andrews (D-Rockville) and George Leventhal (D-At Large) came out, as did Dale Tibbitts, chief of staff for Councilmember Marc Elrich (D-At Large).

According to Don Praisner, who goes up against Republican Mark Fennel in a special election May 13, the event is a great opportunity to catch up with friends, family and well-wishers. "People seem to enjoy ice cream, and a little iced tea," he says. "The kids show up."

After a heated, six-week campaign between four candidates for the Democratic nomination, Praisner has dialed down his campaign considerably, saying it's "very quiet" since the primary April 15. He will be talking to the Democratic Club at Leisure World this week and has already participated in a televised debate on Channel 16. Praisner stirred up a minor controversy when he mentioned property tax advocate Robin Ficker, who worked on Fennel's campaign during the primary. "He got very upset," says Praisner, "and said 'Robin's not on my campaign anymore'."

In a district where Democrats outnumber Republicans "four-to-one" and his wife was extremely popular, Praisner says, he knows he'll have some explaining to do if he loses next week. "I'm telling people if I lose, I'll have to leave the country," he jokes. "[Fennel] has the problem of name recognition, except for signs."

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don Praisner and the truth are strangers. He has refused to debate Mark Fennel on the largest cable political channel 21. Praisner is a yes man for Leggett and his largest property tax increase in 20 years and his plans for increasing the gasoline tax.

Mark Fennel is a long time employee of the national nonprofit Citizens Against Government Waste. Unlike Praisner, Fennel has been meeting voters daily, and will be at the intersection of Norton and New Hampshire starting at 6:30 a.m. tomorrow with supporters including Ficker.

Anonymous said...

Why not give Fennel equal coverage JustUpthePike?

Anonymous said...

Praisner eats ice cream and neglects public. he has missed the North Four Corners Citizens Association candidate forum, the Ashton Town Meeting, the Wheaton meeting on crime and gangs with the Chief of Police, and the Wheaton Redevelopment Sector Plan meeting. One serves in office as he runs his campaign. We can't vote for a half-time candidate or councilman.

Anonymous said...

I accidentally deleted the TV debate from my TiVo. Did Mark Fennel really dump Robin Ficker from his campaign? If so, what for?

C. P. Zilliacus said...

Hey anon, how's about signing
your posts in the future?

Don Praisner is one of the
most straight-up and honest
guys I have ever met - umm,
rather like, well, Marilyn Praisner.

Motor fuel taxes, under Maryland
law, are set by the General Assembly, not County
governments, so I am curious
how County Executive Leggett
and/or Don Praisner (presuming
he wins the special election)
will be able to increase that
tax.

And anon, while you're at it,
why don't you refresh your
knowledge of Montgomery
County geography?

The business district
area of Wheaton is not
in Councilmanic District 4.

Anonymous said...

so does this mean that fennel has been campaigning outside of council district 4? did he realize that?

there are fennel yard signs placed in pg county and in front of vacant and public properties too.

one serves in office as he runs his campaign - sloppily and without regard for the rules?

Anonymous said...

Now we know who has been stealing the Fennel camapaign signs. Praisner tells special interests he will fund their contracts, then says he is fiscally prudent, then says he will exceed the charter property tax limit.

Anonymous said...

Leggett, not legacy. Praisner got only 3,300 votes out of 50,000 although his wife had been in office for 25 years. He is a yes man forf Leggett who wants to give us the biggest property tax increase in 20 years and an increase in the state gasoline tax.

Anonymous said...

Praisner will be a half-time, lame duck seat warmer.

Anonymous said...

Vote Fennel for Property Tax Relief and County Council.

C. P. Zilliacus said...

> there are fennel yard signs
> placed in pg county and in
> front of vacant and
> public properties too.

Just like the "Our Friend Ficker"
signs of many years ago.

> one serves in office as he runs
> his campaign - sloppily and
> without regard for the rules?

Hey, like Fennel's campaign
advisor, Robin Ficker?

Anonymous said...

You are known and judged for the company you keep.

If Fennel chooses Robin Ficker, the Marion Barry of Montgomery County politics, as a campaign advisor, what does that say about Fennel? Ficker continues to say ridiculously unfounded, inaccurate, and even offensive things while touting Fennel's name, polluting the political discourse and Fennel's public image.

A whole new generation of voters now gets to experience the 21st century version of the My Friend Ficker populist debacle that we remember from the 70s.

Anonymous said...

Don Praisner's strategy is dishonestly trying to make this race a choice between Marilyn Praisner and Robin Ficker, two people who are not running and who are not on the ballot. Praisner has done no campaigning and has inspired nobody to turn out at the polls. Fennel was out in the rain greeting voters at the intersection of Randolph Road and New Hampshire Ave from 6:30 a.m. to 9:00a.m. today and has been present at every meeeting of 2 or more district 4 voters since the special election was announced.
Praisner's campaign, rather than put up any signs on yards outside of Calverton, has been spending its time stealing Fennel for County Council and Property Tax Relief on May 13 signs.

Anonymous said...

I must quote myself:

"Ficker continues to say ridiculously unfounded, inaccurate, and even offensive things while touting Fennel's name, polluting the political discourse and Fennel's public image."

I rest my case.

Anonymous said...

Vote 4 hardworking Mark Fennel & Property Tax Relief on May 13! Is there even one person in Montgomery
County who would even think of calling 76 year old Don Praisner hardworking?

Anonymous said...

The Washington Post didn't endorse Praisner. They want a councilmember who is hardworking instead of one who is hardly working. Every other time they have endorsed a Democrat.