Bongino updates his status

For the most part, it’s information he covered in his recent monoblogue interview in shorter form, but an e-mail update I received from Dan Bongino yesterday revealed where he thinks he will go from here:

Thank you again for your support and kind words after a tough election but there is no time for self-pity, only self-reflection. I wanted to take a moment to update you as to what our campaign infrastructure has been doing post-election and my political future. We have been actively building our email list, social media presence and donor base while growing our network into activist communities throughout the country with great success. We will also be working to coordinate citizen activist training programs in conjunction with local and national groups. In addition, thanks to your support, we were able to finish the campaign in a financially strong position.

I have not made any decisions regarding my political future and am considering a number of options. I am not willing to forfeit Maryland; it is my home, and my life’s experiences are no less valuable due to a political party affiliation. I have continued the fight through opinion pieces, and various speeches throughout the state, including this weekend’s MDCAN Convention.

I plan on making a public announcement of my intentions sometime in the near future. Maryland needs help. She needs you now more than ever. We are hemorrhaging tax payers and despite the “Washington D.C.  put option” in our back yard we are still suffering from crushing unemployment.

Thank you again for your support. We will be in contact soon.

Given his mastery of social media and strategy of nationalizing his campaign I have no doubt about that. But I am curious about his timetable, which was something he didn’t let on to me either.

And one has to wonder: given the void which Bob Ehrlich has left in Maryland politics through his withdrawal from the scene, is Dan Bongino the next “it” personality in Maryland Republican politics? Granted, the first time Bob Ehrlich ran for office he won, but it was a more local race and both men were about the same age at the time (Ehrlich turned 37 shortly after winning his first Congressional election.)

Yet because Ehrlich turned his attention to Washington he didn’t do as much to help build a movement at this point in his career. As we discussed in my interview, Bongino has a number of options open to him: either governor or Anne Arundel County Executive as he suggested, or as some others might prefer a seat in the Maryland General Assembly. We won’t know until Dan makes the announcement, but it will be an event highly-anticipated in certain corners of the Maryland political world.

And when was the last time you heard about that from a Republican in Maryland?