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What's next for Lollar?
Despite loss, state GOP sees bright future for him
Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2010
 Click here to enlarge this photo Staff photo by REID SILVERMAN
Charles Lollar, speaking last month at a forum at St. Mary's College of Maryland, lost his bid for the District 5 House seat.
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While the 2010 election netted historic results for the national Republican Party, underwhelming gains by the state GOP were ultimately overshadowed by a convincing defeat in the governor's race, leaving many to wonder who could conceivably lead the party to victories in future statewide races.
One name that could emerge from the Southern Maryland region is Charles Lollar, who lost his own race to U.S. House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md., 5th) but built a base of loyal supporters and party goodwill along the way.
Lollar did not come close to unseating Hoyer, who accumulated 64 percent of the district's vote compared to Lollar's 35 percent. But the challenger did carry majorities in Calvert, St. Mary's and Anne Arundel counties, owing his defeat to Hoyer's overwhelming support in Prince George's and Charles counties, where the incumbent received 82 and 61 percent of the vote, respectively.
It was the closest anyone had come to defeating Hoyer since 1996 and has raised speculation about Lollar's political future. In an e-mail sent to supporters last week, Lollar wrote, "Victory has been slightly delayed — NOT denied. We took significant steps toward ou[r] goal, steps that will lead to a faster, stronger start next time ... We are establishing a rally point in preparation for the next battle."
But Lollar said last week that he has not thought about any future campaigns and instead will focus his attention on New Day Maryland, a group Lollar formed in 2008 to advocate for limited government and low taxes. He called the campaign an "emotional roller coaster" that took a heavy toll on his four daughters but did not rule out another run at public office.
"There's still major issues in the state of Maryland that need to be addressed," Lollar said. "… I certainly want to stay active in the state and state politics, certainly where community issues are concerned."
As Lollar's campaign picked up steam he received mention from national conservative pundits and endorsements from former Republican governors Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee. He also began appearing on national television programs and alongside party leaders at state events.
"He certainly is one of our shining stars and will play a prominent role in all of our future considerations," state GOP Chairwoman Audrey Scott said.
Scott, who also lost her first election — for state delegate in 1974 — and was defeated by Hoyer in his first run for Congress in 1981, said she would "encourage [Lollar] to build on his effort he made this last time, which I thought was more than commendable."
But Scott said it was a "little early" to begin thinking about 2012 and noted that, while the party's performance at the state level was "very disappointing," Republicans did pick up dozens of county-level offices, creating a "farm team that we've never had before."
Supporters have flooded Lollar's Facebook page with words of encouragement and sprinkled in suggestions that he consider a run at Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) in 2012 or governor in 2014.
"I think he's going to have a future because the state GOP desperately needs fresh faces and potential statewide candidates," said Todd Eberly, a political science professor at St. Mary's College of Maryland in St. Mary's City.
Lollar would need to find a way to remain visible for four years if he wanted to run for governor — not an easy task for someone who is not already in public office — but could be an early favorite to take on the state's junior senator, Eberly said.
"If I were in charge of [the] Republican Party in Maryland he would have been one of the first people I called after the election" to talk about Cardin, Eberly added.
His conservative stances and charisma made Lollar a favorite of local adherents to the tea party movement, which he praised publically though he said he never considered himself one of its candidates; however, he spoke at many tea party events in Annapolis, Washington, D.C., and here in Calvert County. But while tea party support could mean good things for Republican candidates in redder states, it could spell doom in Maryland, where a GOP victory would require extensive crossover votes from conservative Democrats.
"I think for him it really doesn't matter what office he runs for, if he can make that connection with the business community and the community at large, I think anything is possible," said Dave Schwartz, director of the Maryland chapter of Americans for Prosperity, a national advocacy group closely linked to the tea party movement. "The guy is an absolutely dynamic speaker, not to mention pretty right on the issues, at least for us."
