GOP's Miller drops out

Party seeks replacement to face Senate president

Friday, April 9, 2010

ANNAPOLIS — Republican Ron Miller has bowed out of the race for Senate in District 27 after losing his job, temporarily leaving the GOP without a candidate to take on Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr.

The challenger said in an interview Tuesday that he is technically still employed with ManTech International Corp., a national security and information technology firm, but the contract he was working on expired in early March and there are no prospects for a new assignment.

The decision to end his campaign was difficult, but reflects his commitment to family, Ron Miller said.

"I had to make a decision at some point whether to continue my campaign or whether I was going to devote all my energies to finding another job and establishing myself with another employer," he said.

"I have invested a great deal of my time and talent in this run and I have a lot of things that I wanted to promote from a policy perspective," he added. "I also wanted to model the kind of servant leadership that I think an elected official should provide because I've always been a believer that government works for the people, not the other way around."

It's the fourth time in three years that Miller, a resident of Huntingtown, has been out of work, he said.

In a recent posting on his blog, Miller wrote about the sacrifices his family has made — his oldest daughter gave up campus housing at the University of Maryland and now commutes, his son did not receive birthday presents and his youngest daughter, a high school senior, is searching for work to help support the family.

"I'm accustomed to being the provider in my family and, until recently, my good fortune in the workplace has permitted me to give them a very good life," he wrote on March 7. "I know it's a silly notion, but I feel like less of a man because I haven't been able to bring home the bacon like I used to."

Miller does not officially mention he is dropping out of the race on his blog and the state elections board still lists his candidacy as active.

The two Millers were on a collision course to square off in the November election for the second consecutive cycle. In 2006, the Senate president cruised to victory, winning 70 percent of the vote.

Ron Miller entered that race late, after initially declaring a run for Congress. He had long sent signals that he would run for the seat again in 2010. He formally declared last July.

Mike Miller (D-Calvert, Prince George's) said Tuesday that he was aware of his opponent's circumstances and empathizes with him.

"I hope he's able to get a job soon because he and his wife are making some very difficult sacrifices right now," Miller said.

The incumbent said he expects Ron Miller will jump back into the race if he finds a job, because he has been so committed to running.

Ron Miller would not speculate on his future plans or whether he would reconsider if he finds employment.

"With the turmoil I've had in the past, I'm through predicting the future," he said. "My voice will still be out there, if not as a candidate, then as a citizen."

Miller said he did not try to recruit a replacement candidate before making his decision to drop out. He doesn't expect another GOP candidate to step up and take his place.

"I don't know if anybody has the structure in place or has built up the name recognition to be able to mount a run," he said.

abrody@somdnews.com