The Washington Post, September 21, 1993

                                               Copyright 1993 The Washington Post
                                                      The Washington Post

 
                                           September 21, 1993, Tuesday, Final Edition

   SECTION: FIRST SECTION; PAGE A1

   LENGTH: 1649 words

   HEADLINE: Schmoke Won't Run for Md. Governor;
   Baltimore Mayor, Despite Strong Support, Will Seek 3rd Term Instead

   SERIES: Occasional

   BYLINE: Richard Tapscott, Paul W. Valentine, Washington Post Staff Writers

   DATELINE: BALTIMORE, Sept. 20, 1993

   BODY:
   Kurt L. Schmoke, once considered the leading Democratic contender in the race to succeed Maryland Gov. William Donald Schaefer next year,
   announced today that he instead will pursue election to a third term as Baltimore's mayor.

   "I have the fire in the belly, but it's for Baltimore," the 43-year-old mayor said at a news conference as City Hall loyalists cheered.

   Schmoke's announcement was promptly welcomed by others already running in the 1994 Democratic primary election, including Prince George's
   County Executive Parris N. Glendening, Lt. Gov. Melvin A. Steinberg and state Sen. Mary H. Boergers (Montgomery). The three said Schmoke's
   decision frees up his many supporters in this Democratic bastion, as well as contributions in a campaign that could be the most expensive in
   Maryland history.

   Some political observers said the biggest beneficiary today was Glendening, who would have had a protracted struggle with Schmoke for the
   blocs of support the two shared, including African American voters in Prince George's. "Parris Glendening has got to be doing cartwheels right
   now," said Brad Coker, a veteran pollster in Maryland.

   The Democratic field for the governorship began shrinking 11 days ago when another prospective candidate, Attorney General J. Joseph Curran
   Jr., decided to seek reelection. Schmoke said today that all signs indicated he could win the primary, but he decided it was more important to
   continue as mayor and try to complete housing, education and commercial development projects in the cash-strapped city.

   Schmoke is Baltimore's first black elected mayor and had enjoyed a wide lead over other potential Democratic candidates for governor in early
   public opinion polls this summer.

   Michael Barnes, the vice chairman of the state Democratic Party, said the mayor's announcement marked "a very significant moment in the 1994
   gubernatorial process."

   "Had Kurt decided to run, he would have been perceived to be the front-runner, so now you have a much more open process," Barnes said. "It
   changes the dynamics."

   Though Schmoke had strong support throughout Maryland and far-reaching name recognition, he also would have confronted formidable
   obstacles in a general election, if not the Democratic primary itself.

   His call in April 1988 for a national debate on drug decriminalization stunned political analysts, who figured that it would provide ready-made
   material for the opposition in a statewide race. Also, several political leaders said today that Schmoke told them recently that he was somewhat
   hesitant to enter the campaign for governor because he lacked a clear agenda for state government.

   On the Republican front, possible gubernatorial contenders are House of Delegates Minority Leader Ellen R. Sauerbrey (Baltimore County); Anne
   Arundel County Executive Robert R. Neall; William S. Shepard, of Montgomery County, who was the 1990 GOP nominee for governor; and Rep.
   Helen Delich Bentley, of Baltimore.

   Commenting on yesterday's announcement, Glendening said "there's no question" Schmoke's decision will boost his candidacy, both in allowing
   him to shore up his base in Prince George's, where Schmoke is a popular figure, and in presenting new opportunities in Baltimore.

   "We share some of the same supporters," said Glendening, who hopes to become the first Maryland governor in 16 years to come from the
   Washington suburbs. "Some of the leaders of the black community were torn between the success we had here and some natural affinity for the
   mayor."

   Glendening sought immediately to define the Democratic gubernatorial race as a contest between the old guard, symbolized by Steinberg, and
   the new. "The race is now obviously between the lieutenant governor and myself. . . . He really does represent the forces of the past."

   "Parris is already attacking," Steinberg said last night while attending the annual dinner of the Prince George's Democratic Party in Greenbelt.
   "I'm not going to sink to that level."

   Steinberg, a former state Senate president and two-term lieutenant governor, said earlier in the day that his plans for the race were unaffected
   by Schmoke.

   "Our strategy for the campaign does not depend on who's in and who's out," Steinberg said. "The people of the state are interested in hearing
   the candidates on the issues of public safety, education and jobs."

   Boergers said she was "stunned" by Schmoke's announcement and contended that it would boost her long-shot bid for governor. "I think this is
   very good for me," Boergers said. "A field of three people gives me a good opportunity to talk about the issues, have people focus on the
   candidates."

   Coker, whose independent polls have been tracking sentiment in the budding governor's race, said Schmoke's decision creates a wide-open
   contest and a large bloc of undecided voters.

   Schmoke also made it clear today that he will seek to exercise influence over the race. Asked if he will endorse another candidate, Schmoke
   said he plans to meet with the contenders and "see if they share my vision about the role of the city and the importance of the city to the
   state. I am one who does not sit on the sidelines."

   Larry Gibson, a key Schmoke adviser, said the mayor had made the decision by last Thursday, despite full support from his family for a run for
   governor and his strong lead in statewide polls.

   At the news conference, the former Rhodes scholar said his decision was not triggered by fear that his suggestion about drug decriminalization
   in 1988 would have doomed his gubernatorial aspirations. He said in 1988 that law enforcement had lost the war on drugs and that billions of
   dollars in law enforcement resources might better be shifted to drug treatment efforts.

   Schmoke's decision will have repercussions far from the governor's race as well. It opens the door for a possible alliance between Glendening
   and one of his would-be successors as county executive, Wayne K. Curry, who had been torn between supporting Glendening and Schmoke.

   Curry, who attended Schmoke's news conference, said Glendening is the clear beneficiary of Schmoke's decision.

   Montgomery County Council member Bruce T. Adams (D-At Large) said, "I think it strengthens the likelihood that we will be able to elect a
   governor from the Washington region, and that's what Montgomery County needs."

   Schmoke was one of the featured speakers at last night's Democratic dinner in Greenbelt, a roast of leading Prince George's politicians where
   the mayor's announcement had more than 600 politicians and activists buzzing.

   Glendening and Steinberg also were there, working the crowd inside Martin's Crosswinds and facing television cameras sent from stations in
   Baltimore and Washington to get reaction to the new campaign developments.

   Schmoke alluded to his months-long flirtation with the governor's race in his remarks, jokingly telling his audience, "I'm very pleased to spend the
   first day of the rest of my life with all of you."

   The politicians in attendance disagreed on the possible effect of Schmoke's decision, with some calling Glendening the clear beneficiary and
   others saying that Schmoke's withdrawal clears the way for Steinberg to emerge as the natural "Baltimore" candidate.

   "It's got to help Parris Glendening," said Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.), a longtime fixture of Prince George's politics. He said Schmoke and
   Glendening share strong political ties that could eventually benefit the three-term Prince George's executive.

   "Mayor Schmoke will be sympathetic to looking to Parris Glendening's candidacy," Hoyer said.

   But Marcy C. Canavan (District 9), a member of the Prince George's school board, said Glendening is in trouble after yesterday's turn of
   events. "Steinberg has a strong Baltimore base, and I think Schmoke would have eaten into that base," she said. "I don't see that
   [Glendening] has any reason to be happy."

   Schmoke's six-year tenure as mayor of Baltimore has received mixed reviews. His supporters point to his strict fiscal management, which has
   kept the city from the brink of bankruptcy that other East Coast cities have approached.

   At the same time, he pushed through modest reductions in Baltimore's property tax rate in an effort to stem the flow of middle-class
   homeowners to surrounding Baltimore County, where taxes are almost half those in the city.

   He has also endeavored to balance scarce local and federal development money between retaining industries and enhancing tourism in
   Baltimore's popular Inner Harbor, on the one hand, and improving dilapidated neighborhoods on the other.

   Schmoke's critics say he often is indecisive and lacks the spark that could galvanize the city. His effort to reduce the high rate of adult
   illiteracy, for example, has been largely unsuccessful and is symbolized by Baltimore's official slogan, "The City That Reads," not exactly a
   resounding phrase, critics say.

   More important, Schmoke has been questioned about the qualifications of some of his key appointees. Earlier this year, he replaced his housing
   director for several alleged failures, including neglecting to take advantage of millions of dollars in federal public housing money. Schmoke also
   dumped his handpicked school superintendent in 1991 after community leaders complained there had been no improvement in the city's troubled
   school system.

   What has haunted Schmoke most is his drug decriminalization speech.

   The statements were condemned by many national law enforcement officials and political leaders, who said such a policy would only increase
   addiction and associated crime. Schmoke, with the support of some drug policy analysts, continues to contend that the war on drugs has failed,
   but he has changed his terminology for the solution to the problem from "decriminalization" to "medicalization."

   Staff writers Michael Abramowitz and Charles Babington contributed to this report.