Nine months removed from a near-death experience in last fall’s Democratic primary, Rep. Albert Wynn (D) is set to formally kick off his bid for a ninth term this week with a series of appearances, accompanied by political heavyweights.

Wynn barely held off a challenge in the fall from lawyer and foundation official Donna Edwards (D), and Edwards, who got a late start in the 2006 race, already has announced her intention to try again.

On Friday, Wynn will host a fundraising breakfast at a church-owned catering hall in Prince George’s County, with former Rep. Harold Ford Jr. (D-Tenn.), the current chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council, as the featured attraction.

On Monday morning, Wynn will be stumping at two Metro stops in Montgomery County, surrounded by prominent local politicians. He’ll start at the Shady Grove Metro station, with County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) by his side. Then Wynn and other officials will ride the red line to Bethesda, where they will transfer to a Metro bus that will take them to the Silver Spring Metro station, where they’ll be joined by state Comptroller Peter Franchot (D), among others.

The support from Montgomery County officials is especially significant because Edwards beat Wynn by almost 3-1 there. The Congressman’s political base is in Prince George’s County — though that’s where Edwards is from as well — and Wynn was criticized by several national liberal groups last year, which seemed to hurt him among Montgomery voters.

As a result, Wynn is doing his best to tout his liberal credentials. A news release announcing the campaign kickoff reminds voters that he is against the Iraq War, in favor of universal health care and committed to ending global warming.
— Josh Kurtz