Vince Lombardi, legendary head coach of the National Football League’s Green Bay Packers, often said, “Winning isn’t everything. It’s the only thing.”
The leadership of the Green Party in Maryland does not embrace that philosophy, at least when it applies to winning an election.
Earlier this month, Andy Ellis filed paperwork with the Maryland State Board of Elections to be the Green Party candidate in the 2026 general election for Governor of Maryland. He also filed paperwork for Owen Andrews to be his running mate as the Green Party candidate for Lieutenant Governor.
According to his campaign biography, Ellis has served as a Green Party organizer and former Green Party nominee for the Maryland House of Delegates. He previously served as co-chair of both the Baltimore City and Maryland Green Parties and has held national roles on the Green Party’s Presidential Campaign Support Committee, Ballot Access Committee, and Coordinated Campaign Committee.
He is also the founder of Debate Strategies, LLC, a consulting firm focused on public debate, civic engagement, and political augmentation.
Ellis is realistic about his odds of winning.
He has said candidly, “I would love it if we were the next governor and lieutenant governor. But I am a student of history and political science. … We’re not going to go and set expectations that we don’t think we can meet.”
As a self-described student of history and political science, Ellis is likely aware that Maryland voters have only elected two third-party candidates for Governor.
They are Thomas Hicks, the American Party candidate in 1858 and Augustus Bradford, the Union Party candidate in 1882.
With regard to setting campaign expectations, Ellis has three key campaign goals.
The first goal is to take necessary steps for their campaign to qualify for and receive public campaign financing from Maryland’s Fair Campaign Financing Act.
That was a fundraising strategy that Larry Hogan used when he requested and received public funds in his first run for governor.
With a goal of $120,000 in contributions from 1,500 Marylanders (capped at $250 each), the Green Party of Maryland could get a state-funded match of the contributions received from other sources.
Ellis and Andrews have already started fundraising with a campaign launch party that met a goal of $2,026.
Goal two is to secure an invitation to participate in gubernatorial debates, including, but not limited to, the debate sponsored by Maryland Public Television.
Andrews has said, “We think that if Marylanders are able to see and hear us, and see and hear our positions, then we’re more likely to achieve that top-line goal.”
The third goal is for the Green Party candidates to receive at least 4% of the total votes cast in the November 2026 gubernatorial general election.
If they do that, they will eclipse the best showing by a third-party gubernatorial candidate in Maryland since 1895 when the Prohibition Party candidate received 3.2% of the votes cast.
More importantly, meeting or exceeding that goal will maintain their status as a political party that will automatically be included on future Maryland general election ballots.
This goal is immensely important for the future viability for the Green Party and also for other third parties in Maryland.
Every time the Green Party and other third parties in Maryland fail to get 4% of the votes in statewide general elections, party volunteers have to collect 10,000 signatures from registered voters for their candidates’ names to be included on future general election ballots.
That signature collection process requires an inordinate amount of volunteer time and effort.
That time and effort could be reallocated to inform, energize, and mobilize Maryland voters who may be ready and willing to consider supporting the Green Party’s core values and their positions on such issues as economic matters, housing affordability, and increasing energy costs.
This has significant potential at a time when polling results are showing increasing voter disenchantment with the Republican Party and the Democratic Party.
The bottom line is, the Maryland Green Party is well positioned going into Maryland’s 2026 gubernatorial general election.
That is not because their candidates have any chance of winning that election.
They do have an opportunity to demonstrate to candidates of both major parties that the Green Party’s core values and issue positions resonate with at least 4% of the voters.
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That is meaningful, as Larry Hogan received 51.0% of the vote in his first run for governor and Anthony Brown received 47.2% of the vote, a difference of 3.8%.
It would also affirm that any third political party with realistic expectations, measurable goals, and effective campaign execution can achieve success in the political arena in Maryland without winning an election.
David Reel is a public affairs and public relations consultant. He is also a consultant to not- for -profit organizations on governance, leadership, and management matters. He lives in Easton.
Deirdre LaMotte says
Oh please spare me. Another Ross Perot/Jill Stein spoiler attempt. No thank you.
Gren Whitman says
Saying nothing about their social, economic, and political goals, the holier-than-thous are at it again.