"Thankfully, Ted Sheckels and Carl Hyden have dismantled the myth of the boring Blue state and added greatly to our understanding of the state with the release of Political Problems and Personalities in Contemporary Maryland. Readers are presented at the outset with a necessary crash course on the demographic, geographic, and economic diversity of the state. Prominent Maryland politicians such as Barbara MiKuslki, Martin O'Malley, and Larry Hogan are discussed as are critical policy issues concerning race, housing, and transportation. The authors even take on the critical question of why no Marylander has ever become President. Collectively the book provides a thorough and engrossing presentation of state politics and is perfect for those seeking a better, more in-depth, understanding of politics in the Free State."