It may be early in the race, but there is some important action taking place in the 2010 Democratic Gubernatorial campaign. Senator Doug Racine has announced a follow up to the Phil Hoff endorsement with this announcement:

Please join us at a reception for State Senator and Gubernatorial candidate Doug Racine. Featuring special Guest Kathleen Kennedy Townsend former Lt. Governor of Maryland, Author and eldest child of Robert Kennedy.  The reception will be held Saturday June 20th, 2009 at the home of Rep. Joan Lenes. Please see the attached invitation for more information.  

Joining Former Governor Hoff and his wife Joan in sponsoring the event were Rep. Joan Lenes, Rep. Kate & Marshall Webb, John Hasen, Jerry O’Neil, George Burrill, John & Jane Ewing, Lola Van Wagenen

Townsend is the former Lt. Gov of Maryland and previously worked in the Clinton Justice Department.

Townsend and her siblings Robert and Kerry were in the less publicized Kennedy camp who endorsed Hillary Clinton in the presidential primary. In an editorial, they wrote:

By now you may have read or heard that our cousin, Caroline Kennedy, and our uncle, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, have come out in favor of Sen. Barack Obama. We, however, are supporting Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton because we believe that she is the strongest candidate for our party and our country.

The wording suggest that the Racine campaign is touting its experience and electability. It will be interesting to see if this endorsement defines the Racine/Markowitz dynamic in any way relative to the Obama/Clinton pattern, as Markowitz seems to be building a strong contribution base according to early rumors, against the “established” candidate in Doug Racine. Event sponsors appear to have been strong Obama contributors according to campaign finance records though. Yet to be established is which candidate will take the more progressive tack in the race, with Racine seen as leaning towards that more than Markowitz, but without much of a track record to judge the Secretary of State on yet.

Another interesting twist in how the endorsement family tree is evolving is Hoff’s endorsement of Progressive Anthony Pollina in the last race.

Rep’s Lenes and Webb are second and first term legislators from Shelburne, respectively. Other sponsors range from strong party contributors to solid Dem “good guys” if you want to play the judge-the-candidate-by-the-supporters game. A solid team to build the foundations of a campaign on in the early going, but only Hoff so far appears to be the kind of endorsement that would sway public opinion.