Maryland Politics -- Curiouser and Curiouser

AP is reporting:

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Lise Van Susteren, a psychiatrist and sister of Fox Television's Greta Van Susteren, plans to announce Thursday that she's seeking the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate.

Two well-known Democrats — former Rep. Kweisi Mfume and Rep. Benjamin Cardin — have already entered the race. On the Republican side, Lt. Gov. Michael Steele is considering running for the seat that will open up with the retirement of Democrat Paul S. Sarbanes.

A news release issued Monday said Van Susteren will open her campaign with events in Baltimore and Bethesda....

Note: she only moved into Montgomery County two years ago.

Read it here.

And as if that isn't strange enough, Alan Lichtman, an historian! at AU, is seriously considering a run for Sarbanes seat.

"I see an opening here," said Lichtman, whose side gigs include political commentary for CNN and a weekly column for the Gazette newspapers.

Read it here.

And then there's Joshua Rales,

a philanthropist and owner of a real estate investment firm. Also a Montgomery resident, Rales was a Republican for a decade until last year, but said he became disillusioned with the party's social positions and lack of fiscal discipline.

Read it here.

So what do we have here? Ben Cardin, a legitimate Democratic establishment candidate; Kweisi Mfume, former NAACP head and Congressman who is tainted with scandal; the sister of a FOX News celebrity who was trained by Emily's List [I'm not kidding]; a loopy socialist activist; a wealthy [ex]Republican; and the weirdest of them all, an historian!/pundit. And that's just on the Democrat side.

And who do the Republicans have to oppose this motley crew? Nobody, that's who. Michael Steele still hasn't announced.

David Wissing at the Hedgehog Report wonders if all these white candidates will split Cardin's vote and allow Mfume to coast to victory in the primary on black solidarity alone. He thinks not, but stranger things have happened.

Read it here.

Things are starting to get really interesting.

Stay tuned..., the follies are just getting started here.