Nobody asked me, but in her televised senatorial debate with Larry Hogan, Angela Alsobrooks’ most effective argument against the Republican former governor was her emphasis on his party affiliation. Responding to Hogan’s aspirations and claims of bipartisanship — something missing from his record in Annapolis — Alsobrooks reminded viewers that a vote for her opponent would be a vote for a Republican Senate majority and, with that, “there will be no vote on [national abortion rights].”

And that’s but one issue.

Hogan can talk bipartisanship til he turns purple, but he’s still affiliated with a do-almost-nothing party that gave us a conservative supermajority on the Supreme Court, tried to kill Obamacare numerous times, opposed raising the federal minimum wage, refused to convict Donald Trump after two Senate impeachment trials, and opposed the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act. Republicans did, however, vote in 2017 to give major tax breaks to corporations and the wealthy. That party — almost fully obstructionist to any progressive idea and fully servile to the rich — does not deserve a Senate majority. That’s the sentiment Hogan is running against.

Nobody asked me, but Hogan has missed not one but two opportunities in his quest to become a U.S. senator: Changing his political affiliation to independent and declaring that he would be voting for Kamala Harris for president. Too radical? I don’t think so. With either move in blue Maryland, he had more to gain than lose.

Hogan did not vote for Donald Trump in either 2016 or 2020. Instead, he said he voted by write-in for his dad, Larry Hogan Sr., and for Ronald Reagan. That pretty much exhausted the supply of admirable, old-school conservative male Republicans, so it’ll be interesting to hear his choice this year.

Mitt Romney, another never-Trump Republican, is no longer running for anything, but he could not bring himself to endorse Harris, either. Most guys reach a point in life where they say what they mean, loudly and clearly. (My Uncle Kenny, for instance, would loudly state the reason he refused clam chowder in restaurants. “Goes right through me!” he would tell the waiter and everyone else in the place.) Candor comes with age for several reasons; one is the realization that a guy is running out of time to really make a difference — even if that means announcing a vote for a candidate from the other party. Apparently neither Romney, 77, nor Hogan, 68, have reached that place. But, if not this year, when?

Great day in the morning, I finally agree with something Donald Trump said: “Our biggest threat to democracy is stupid people.”

Nobody asked me, but here’s my hypothesis on all the polls that show a close presidential election: A critical number of people who previously supported him have grown more sick of Donald Trump than they let on, and they can’t bring themselves to say they’re not voting for him this time. I’m not talking about the Liz Cheney-Lincoln Project Republicans who have declared support for Harris. It’s a different group, a silent minority, so to speak. I can’t say what percentage of his base this represents, but I wager it’s more than indicated by the polls.

Nobody asked me, but I think this is pretty good news: Maryland just paid $29 million to put more than 6,000 acres of prime farmland into permanent preservation. The state Board of Public Works approved the purchase of 35 easements in 10 counties, most of them on the Eastern Shore. This will keep the land agricultural and make it off limits to development.

More good news: Reoysterization (my word, coined 9/12/24) in the Chesapeake Bay is getting another boost. The state is targeting three new tributaries for oyster reef restoration — Hooper Strait, north of Bloodsworth Island, the Nanticoke River at the boundary of Dorchester and Wicomico counties on the Eastern Shore, and Herring Bay in southern Anne Arundel County. Starting when Martin O’Malley was governor, Maryland redeveloped more than 1,000 acres of oyster reefs; they provide natural filtering of bay waters and habitat for fish. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation has a list of several other tributaries that could benefit from this great project, so hopefully there’s more reoysterization to come.

Nobody asked me, but if you’re driving around this fall, enjoying the foliage along a country road, here’s a good soundtrack for your travels: “Ends of the Earth” by Lord Huron, followed by “Meet Me in the Woods.”

You didn’t hear it from me, but the pupusas from Mi Comalito on North Charles Street are excelente.

So is the jerk chicken from Jerk Hut Eatery on Chesapeake Avenue in Towson.

As for the Reuben sandwich from Essen Room in Pikesville, I’ll say this: There is such a thing as “too meaty,” with, in this case, the flavorful corned beef overwhelming the sauerkraut. The management of this fine deli might want to consider a better balance of those two key ingredients. Also, the softball-size matzo balls were memorable, so you could skip the pasta in matzo ball soup. Congratulations on the superb, self-serve pickle bar.

Phil Jackman was one of several fine sportswriters for the bygone Evening Sun, quick-witted, funny, savvy and sassy. He died the other day at 87. What I best remember about Phil: Putting aside his tough-guy bit to offer sincere encouragement to young, aspiring writers. Thank you, and rest in peace.