Many pundits have written off the Sept. 15 primary election now that Democrat Eileen M. Rehrmann has dropped out of the race. But on the Republican side, voters face a remarkably sharp contrast in the primary battle between Charles I. Ecker and Ellen R. Sauerbrey.

Ecker, 69, is a plain-spoken moderate, a two-term executive of Howard County and former schools official.

Local term limits require that he leave office in December, but he has won praise from leaders of both parties for his skill in leading Howard through the recession of the early 1990s. The prosperous county now has strong job growth, a stable tax rate and a triple-A bond rating.

Just a few years ago, a candidate with such a resume might have been crowned the GOP nominee for governor. But Sauerbrey, 60, is coming off her near-miss loss in 1994, when she came within 6,000 votes of being the first Republican elected governor in Maryland since Spiro Agnew in 1966.

That, combined with a clear, conservative speaking style, has given Sauerbrey a strong lead in the polls - though some moderate leaders question whether in a general election she can beat Gov. Parris N. Glendening, a Democratic incumbent in a Democratic state.

Sauerbrey came up through politics as a state legislator from Baltimore County. She eventually became Republican leader in the House of Delegates, leading a small band of GOP legislators in their battles against the Democrats who run the State House.

Many Democrats still criticize her for combativeness in those years, but fellow Republican leaders credit her with providing the ideological clarity that helped fuel the party's growth this decade.

Many national Republican leaders, such as New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, millionaire presidential candidate Steve Forbes and Iran-contra figure Oliver L. North, have come to Maryland to help Sauerbrey raise money.

Such leaders see Sauerbrey as the party's best chance to win the governorship. Ecker, who entered politics in 1990 with an underdog victory over a powerful incumbent, hopes to repeat history and stand in her way.

Both candidates were recently interviewed by Craig Timberg, a reporter covering the governor's race for The Sun.

Next week, we profile the Democrats.

Ellen R. Sauerbrey

Why should Maryland voters elect you governor?

Because Maryland needs someone who has independence, integrity and puts the good of state ahead of their own personal goals. And because the things that I care passionately about, which are economic development opportunities for citizens, good jobs and effective education that teaches children how to read and prepares them for those good jobs when they come out of school and allows citizens to live in safe communities, are all things that I believe people are seeking, and that I am committed to, and will do a better job of delivering than the policies of the past.

What are the three most important things you would do as governor?

In the field of education, my emphasis is on true reforms. Things that I would focus on would be putting the money that we are spending on education into the classrooms ... assessing children throughout their school development but particularly as they enter school, early assessment to ensure that we detect early children who have learning disabilities and reading problems, focusing on a structured phonics-based Calvert School-type of curriculum in our elementary schools, dealing in a meaningful way with disruptive students that are making it hard for other children to learn, and part of that is ending social promotion which is pushing unprepared kids up through grade levels to the point that they become frustrated and disruptive but also focusing more heavily to make sure we are preparing kids for the jobs that are out there. Every child is not going to go to college, and our primary and secondary education really needs to be providing more opportunities for technical and vocational skills that are much needed in the work force. In the field of public safety, the power of the governor to appoint judges who are going to be fair but tough on violent offenders, abolishing parole for violent offenders, reforming the juvenile justice system and focusing very heavily on effective drug treatments are my major goals. In the area of economic development, the third major issue, I remain committed to lowering the tax and regulatory burden and on providing a sound, pro-business environment that will attract a variety of different kinds of businesses to come to Maryland.

How do you pay for these things?

Broadening the tax base through the creation of more and better-paying jobs is the major goal that I have. I think that a governor has ... to ensure that the current revenues that are coming in are being spent effectively and prioritized properly. As I said many times, my priority is not to build football stadiums. It's not to build racetracks. It's to build the schools, the roads and the public safety facilities that in my judgment are the primary function of government. ...

How could you do these things as a Republican facing a Democratic legislature?

The same way [Gov.] John Engler did them in Michigan with a Democratic legislature, the same way that [Gov.] Tommy Thompson did them in Wisconsin with a Democratic legislature. ...

L Do you think that Maryland still needs a 24 percent tax cut?

I think that my goal is going to be to reach that 24 percent figure, which means we need to be looking over the next four years to additional 14 percent.

What can Maryland do to compete with neighboring states like Virginia to attract high-technology jobs?

The major issues for high technology are an attractive tax and regulatory climate, a work force that is prepared - which means we have to be graduating more engineers and computer scientists - and predictability, having some assurance that policies are not going to change rapidly to the detriment of industry, and a transportation network that moves people from high-tech jobs to airports. For high-tech industries, one thing that they want very much and is very essential is the ability to access an airport because of the amount of traveling that the high-tech people, industries inherently do. That's one of the reasons that -- the [Inter-county Connector] I think is so critically important to Maryland, because so much of the high-tech industry are in the [Interstate] 270 corridor, they need to be able to get their people to and from an airport. ...

Governor Glendening has painted you as an enemy to the environment. What are your views on the Pfiesteria and other environmental issues?

As a biology teacher and a person with a science background, my view is that all environmental issues have to be addressed based on fact, not on fear, based on sound science, not on political science. Pfiesteria is something that has been in the [Chesapeake] Bay probably for millennium, and we have had fish kills in the past of much greater magnitude than this recent episode of last year. Certainly any time there appears to be anything unique, there needs to be rapid research, there needs to be an effort to identify whether there is or if there appears to be a public health issue. That puts it in a different light. There needs to be attention devoted to identifying the causes. It has to be done in a way that at the same time doesn't frighten people unnecessarily. I think last year that the way the governor reacted, talking about "a canary has died" on prime-time news, whipped up a frenzy of fear about a condition that watermen know was not unique, and did a great deal of damage to the reputation of the bay, to tourism in Maryland, to the well-being of the watermen. ...

Many people in Baltimore fear that you would cut back support in Baltimore City if you became governor. What would a conservative Republican governor do to make the city better?

Well, I would start with the school system. ... I think the greatest issue for the future of Baltimore is preparing the children of today for the jobs of tomorrow. And Baltimore City certainly has very special needs as far as its schools are concerned, but those needs ... are not all money needs. ... When you go to a school like Carter Woodson in Cherry Hill, you see a school that with minimal increases in resources has children that are performing on math and reading scores comparable to the schools in Roland Park. It says that the leadership of the education system, solving the problems of the education system, really needs to focus on the underlying reforms that are necessary to make schools work well. The crime problem in the city is driven, 75 to 80 percent of the crime problem in the city is being driven by drugs. I believe in the type of policies that have worked in New York City. ... We need a judge that is going to be able to turn ... cases around within 24 hours. Half of the success in New York is the rapid response, and this governor has been totally reluctant to assign a judge to be able to meet that need. ...

Your Republican primary opponent Chuck Ecker has questioned your experience, suggesting that since you had never had an executive job, you don't have the right credentials to be governor. Is he right?

Well, the best governors I know have been people like Ronald Reagan, people like John Engler, George Allen, Tommy Thompson. And to the best of my knowledge, none of them started out in leading a county government. ... My answer to Chuck Ecker is a good leader can hire an administrator. The role of a governor, I think, is to set big-picture policies and find good people to implement them. I might also point out that the current governor had 12 years of experience as a county executive, and he's the least popular governor that we've ever had.

As the first Republican governor in 30 years, would you feel the need to clean house in Annapolis? What would a Sauerbrey-led government look like?

A Sauerbrey-led government would have, would be made up of people who share my fundamental beliefs. The worst thing that any governor I think can do is to come into office and keep in place people who don't believe the things you believe in, because that's going to ensure that you don't get anything done. So to the degree that you're talking about the heads of government agencies and commissions, absolutely I'm going to clean house. I'm going to put my people in, people who share my views and my goals. ...

It's also important to break the stereotype that Republicans are not inclusive. I've been spending a lot of time and energy trying to outreach to the Hispanic community, the African-American community, the Asian community and to begin the process of trying to build relationships and identify people that will be a good addition to a Sauerbrey administration. ...

You are widely criticized for your handling of your 1994 election loss. Do you now believe that Parris Glendening won that election fair and square?

What I believe about the last election is not the issue. What is the issue as we go into the next election truly is what has the current administration done for the last four years and what do I want to do for the next four years. As far as the past and the election challenge goes, I am more than willing to say I made mistakes. I'm more than willing to say to the degree that people were upset by the mistakes that I made, I wish I had not made those mistakes. It was a very close election. I care passionately about the state. I cared passionately at the time about the opportunity to change the direction of the state. I think that anyone who had been in an election that was as close as mine, where there was as many issues raised as there were, might well have thought that election needed some review. And as you know, Maryland law was very peculiar. You had a right to a recount if you were in a close election in the primary, but Maryland law did not allow a recount in the general election. Most people don't know that the only recourse that we had to get anyone to look at the issues at the time was a court challenge.

Do you have any plans to apologize or otherwise address the issue directly?

I don't know at this point.

To return to some issues ... can you give a brief synopsis of your views on these issues: Abortion?

I'm pro-life. And that's been my record. A governor has the responsibility to uphold the law. The people of Maryland, through not just the legislature but through popular vote, took a very clear position. And as governor, I will uphold the law.

Do you intend to try to change any of the state's abortion laws?

I will sign a bill to end partial-birth abortion. I would sign a bill to clarify what I think is really fuzzy in the current law. I think many people think that there is a parental-notification provision, but it is widely abused I think when ... an abortion provider can unilaterally make a decision that a 14-year-old is mature enough to make that decision without the parent being notified. ... And I would seriously look at the funding issue. It would not be my intention to provide funding for abortions other than those that are ... necessitated by rape, incest or medical necessities, true medical necessity. I would not fund convenience abortions.

What about slots at the racetracks?

Slots at the racetracks, to me, would be a very, very tough sell. I've been a longtime opponent of gambling for funding state government. I remain adamantly opposed to casino gambling. And as governor my effort would be to find ways to help Maryland racing through better marketing, tourism, creative things that other states are doing. ...

What about the death penalty?

I believe in the death penalty.

Do you think that the conservative tide that propelled you and other candidates in 1994 has receded? And if so, how do you overcome that in this election?

If you look at all the elections that have occurred since 1994, there is not evidence that it has receded. ... I think that conservative tide is still very much alive.

Charles I. Ecker

Why should Maryland voters elect you governor?

For a number of reasons. I have proven, successful, leadership, management experience. I've run a county. I've balanced budgets. I've talked with CEOs to stay in the county, to relocate here. I've worked with Democrats and Republicans. I have the experience. When I was with the school system, I was voted as one of the top 100 school administrators in the country. So not only as county executive but in the school system too, I have had the experience, whereas my opponent was a legislator for 16 years, had no responsibility for balancing budgets, for working with Democrats and Republicans. As governor, you have to work with both. I've had that experience. She has not. So I have a proven track record, and she does not have one.

Also, we differ on the gambling issue. I am opposed to bringing slots into Maryland. She has left the matter open. She is considering it. I am not considering it. I think they're bad, they're anti-family. Bankruptcies increase whenever they're legalized. Suicides increase. Time magazine had an article, I don't know maybe a month ago, about slot machines in South Carolina. They're trying to get rid of them now. I predict Delaware will try get rid of theirs in several years - four to five years. I think that the ills that they bring in are far greater than any dollar benefit.

What are the three most important things you would do as governor?

Education is one. Jobs, two. Crime is the third one.

Tell me what you would do in those areas.

Education: First we have to change what and how we do things in the public school system. More money is not the answer. ... The attitude that it is more important for a student to feel good about themselves than to think and learn has pervaded the school system. I think we ought to require the students to learn the skills in each grade. If they do not learn the skills in a grade, they go to summer school or repeat the grade. ... You show me somebody who can't read, and I'll show you somebody that has no self-esteem. You have to expect them to learn. And we have to do that at each grade. Another thing about education, we have to have discipline restored to the classroom. We have to have to give the teacher and the principal more authority and more responsibility in enforcing discipline. A teacher cannot teach if they have to continually stop in the middle of the class and correct someone. Another thing with education is we need better-trained teachers. They need to be trained in the subjects they're teaching. ...

Jobs: We have to look at the regulations, streamline and consolidate the regulations, have them reviewed in one area instead of two or three different areas as they are now. But probably as important as the regulations is the attitude of the people implementing and interpreting the rules and regulations. We have to make them customer friendly. ...

Crime, particularly juvenile crime: Juveniles think our justice system is a joke. We have to get tougher on juveniles. I would propose that if a person under the age of 21 is caught driving while drinking - not necessarily intoxicated but driving while drinking - that their license be taken away until they are 21 or for two years, whichever is greater. ... We also have to bring some parents into the court when their child does something, or we have to make the family responsible. And I think if a child commits an adult crime, they should be tried as an adult and they should be incarcerated at times. ...

As a Republican governor, how would you accomplish these things with a Democratic legislature?

I've proven I can work with Democrats and Republicans. I worked with a Democratic County Council my first term and accomplished a lot. ... That's one of my strengths, working with people with opposing views.

Do you think that Maryland needs a tax cut?

I think the income tax is very high. ... People are reluctant to come here to Maryland because of the high taxes, high income taxes. If [a business] has an applicant for say a $50,000-a-year job, and that applicant has a job offer in Fairfax [Virginia] and in Florida, they compare their take-home pay. It's less in Maryland than it is in others, and they go elsewhere. ... The overall tax structure is not that bad compared to others, but the income tax is what people look at.

How can Maryland compete with neighboring states like Virginia at attracting high-technology jobs?

I think again by being a business-friendly state. And not only a business-friendly state - that's looking at the rules, laws and regulations - but also, each county needs to be business-friendly. ...

[At the state level], you have to look at the regulations, look at the available work force. We have to develop a work force. We have to work with our schools and colleges. We also have to work with the employers and look at the requirements they have for a job. Like a lot of them say you need a college education, when in fact you do not. A lot of people have the skills to, say, do computer work, [but] they don't have a college degree. A lot of our employers are changing their qualifications and they're getting more help because they do not need a college degree or a master's degree for this particular job. So we have to work with the businesses on that and work with the schools and universities on training and retraining. ...

What are your views on Pfiesteria and other environmental issues?

I think the environment is very, very important. We need to protect the air and our water. The Chesapeake Bay is a treasure. However I believe that Pfiesteria, we do not know enough about it yet, what causes it. I think the legislation that was passed last year ... that mandated nutrient-runoff controls was based on fear and not fact. I think we do not know enough about Pfiesteria, what causes it. ... We need to spend a lot more time on research, and maybe dollars on research to find out what, if any, steps we take should be based on, in fact.

Tell me how your experience as a two-term county executive would be relevant to being governor.

I've had the responsibility of balancing budgets, of working with Democrats and Republicans to get something done. I've had the experience of working with CEOs. I've had the experience of allocating dwindling resources with numerous priorities. The buck has stopped on my shoulder. I have not just been a legislator where the buck does not stop on my shoulder. ...

Polls show that you are now far behind Ellen Sauerbrey in the primary race. Why do you think you are behind her? And what can you do to cut her lead?

She's been campaigning forever. I have not. I still can't campaign full-time. I'm campaigning probably 40 to 50 hours a week and working on county business 50 to 60 hours a week. I'm working about 100 hours a week. To cut the lead, I just have to get out and meet people and talk with them and hope that they'll spread the word. And September the 15th, when the final poll is taken, I think I'll be there.

As the first Republican governor in three decades, would you feel the need to clean house? What would an Ecker-led state government look like?

Well, certainly I would look at the secretaries and things there, look at them. I want qualified people in there. And I think if you look back at when I came in here in '90, I did not clean house. I did change some places, but some I kept. I would look at how they're doing it, see what their goals and visions are. ... There will obviously be some changes, but my interest is getting the job done by the best people possible.

Returning to a few issues, can you give me your view on abortion?

I abhor abortion. I do not think that the government should tell a woman or her family what to do. It should be between the doctor and the family, although I would sign a bill prohibiting or banning partial-birth abortion or late-term abortion, whatever you call it. But early abortion, it's between the family and the physician.

Slots at the tracks?

Opposed to legalizing slots at the tracks. I think racing is very, very important. The question is, should the state provide financial incentives to the racing industry? If the answer is yes, then where do you get the money? The money should not come from slots. I don't know whether they need money or not. We have to look at the books and see. But if the state does participate, then we have to see what the owners want to do. We have to see what the horsemen are going to do, and the trainers and everybody together. ...

The death penalty?

I'm in favor of the death penalty.

On a political note, the moderate wing of the Republican Party has not done well in the past few elections. What's the future of moderate Republicanism in Maryland?

I think the moderate part of the party is the majority of the party. And I think you'll see it re-emerge September 15th.

Who has influenced you the most in terms of what sort of politician you are, the kinds of things you believe in?

I guess my family. I don't consider myself a politician. I guess everybody's a politician. I'm not a career politician. I'm more concerned about treating people fairly and equitably. I'm more concerned with values of loyalty, honesty, integrity than I am of doing something to get votes or to get money. ... I could probably get more money if I would leave the door open to slot [machines], but no election is worth that much. I say what it is, and I do not want to sacrifice my values and my principles.

Pub Date: 8/16/98