Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist will help Lt. Gov. Michael Steele raise funds for his U.S. Senate campaign at a private home in Montgomery County tonight.
The Steele campaign had not announced the Frist visit to the $500-a-head fundraiser in Ashton, unlike a fundraising appearance for Steele last Friday by Sen. John McCain. Democrats suggested Steele was trying to hide Frist?s support.
Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer, the House minority whip, said, “Under the direction of Senator Frist, the Republican-controlled Senate has continually sought to divide our nation for perceived political gain and failed to address the priorities of the American people.”
Hoyer blamed Republican control of the White House and Congress for a higher poverty rate, skyrocketing gasoline prices, tuition hikes and the increase in the number of people without health insurance.
“Electing Michael Steele would mean more of the same,” he said.
The Steele campaign did not respond to Hoyer?s charges directly, but campaign communications director Doug Heye said, “This is all part of coordinated effort to make Ben Cardin the Democratic nominee. Everything has been done to anoint Ben Cardin at the expense of Kweisi Mfume,” another Democrat in the race.
Hoyer and Cardin have been political allies for years.
