Senator Mike Lenett and Delegate Roger Manno are both freshmen elected in 2006. Lenett won his seat over two incumbent Delegates while Manno finished first in a crowded field. Manno is now challenging Lenett for his seat. Here is how Progressive Maryland, the Maryland League of Conservation Voters and Equality Maryland have scored both candidates over the last term.
Progressive Maryland
Scores
Lenett: 93% in 2007, 93% in 2008, 96% in 2009
Manno: 96% in 2007, 98% in 2008, 98% in 2009
Votes
Lenett: 7-0 in 2007, 6-0 in 2008, 8-0 in 2009
Manno: 6-0 in 2007, 7-0 in 2008, 7-0 in 2009
Reasons for Scoring Against
Lenett: None
Manno: None
Maryland League of Conservation Voters
Scores
Lenett: 100% in 2007, 87% in 2008, 100% in 2009
Manno: 100% in 2007, 100% in 2008, 100% in 2009
Votes
Lenett: 11-0 in 2007, 13-2 in 2008, 12-0 in 2009
Manno: 11-0 in 2007, 11-0 in 2008, 9-0 in 2009
Reasons for Scoring Against
Lenett: Voted against a fine on dish detergent manufacturers discharging phosphorous into the Bay in 2008
Manno: None
Equality Maryland
Scores
Lenett: 100% in 2008, 100% in 2009
Manno: 100% in 2008, 100% in 2009
Votes/Co-sponsorships
Lenett: 3-0 in 2008, 4-0 in 2009
Manno: 3-0 in 2008, 5-0 in 2009
Reasons for Scoring Against
Lenett: None
Manno: None
Average, All Groups
Score
Lenett: 96.1%
Manno: 99.0%
Votes/Co-sponsorships
Lenett: 64-2
Manno: 59-0
Our Take:
In the eyes of these three organizations, just one issue separates Lenett and Manno. In 2008, Lenett introduced SB 710, a bill that would have delayed a ban on phosphorous discharges into the Bay, and voted against an amendment by Senator Brian Frosh (D-16) that would have imposed a fine on violators. Maryland LCV scored Lenett’s vote for his bill in committee and his vote against the amendment as bad votes.
But LCV does not appear to be holding this against Lenett. LCV Executive Director Cindy Schwartz appeared in Lenett’s literature last fall, saying, “Senator Lenett is one of the leading voices in Annapolis on environmental issues. He is a real fighter on the Senate Floor.”
There is almost no issue difference between Lenett and Manno. That poses a serious message problem to the challenger. In the radio interview that announced his campaign, Manno was asked by the hosts twice what he would do differently than the incumbent. Your author honestly could not understand Manno’s answer, and neither did the hosts, who moved on. Manno has to do better in drawing a substantive contrast with Lenett. Otherwise, why would any voter eject an incumbent in favor of a challenger with a nearly identical record?